FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Winning design announced in mile marker competition
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust and London Marathon Events Ltd have today
announced the winning team of aspiring young architects that will design
the new mile markers for the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 26
April - The 40th Race.
The competition builds on the success of last year's ground-breaking
competition to design the Mile 18 Marker, in celebration of the first
national Stephen Lawrence Day. It provides a rare opportunity for young
architects to have their design built and showcased at the world's most
popular marathon, where their design will be seen by more than 43,000
runners and a TV audience of millions in more than 190 countries across the
globe.
The winning design was developed by four Part II architecture students -
Chantal Banker, Haider Bokarie, Davina Lyn and Athis Bashir - from the
University of Huddersfield School of Art, Design & Architecture. The judges
were excited by the design's unusual hexagonal structure, which will be
3D-printed from recycled plastics. The intention is that the mile markers
will also be used in future years - supporting London Marathon Events' aim
of making the event as sustainable as possible.
Nearly 40 teams and individuals registered to take part in the competition.
Ten teams were shortlisted and spent a day with the Arena Group team, who
build the mile markers on the day, learning about the challenges of
constructing the mile markers quickly and safely. Shortlisted teams were
also mentored by architects from prestigious London-based architects Squire
& Partners, before presenting their final designs to a judging panel that
included Sonia Watson, Chief Executive of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable
Trust and Hugh Brasher, Event Director at London Marathon Events Ltd.
Launched on Stephen Lawrence's birthday (13 September), the competition to
design the mile markers reflects Stephen's own aspiration to pursue a
career in architecture as well as his love of running - he was a member of
the Cambridge Harriers running club and competed in the Mini London
Marathon in 1988.
The competition complements the Trust's work supporting young people from
disadvantaged and under-represented backgrounds to enter the career he
loved, as well as raising the profile of its wider work supporting young
people to enter and succeed in the career of their choice. Chantal Banker
from the winning team is herself a member of the Trust's Building Futures
programme, which inspires and enables young people to study and qualify as
architects.
Chantal said: "We really enjoyed taking part in the competition, meeting
the other teams and working on our own design. We are thrilled to be the
winners and have already learnt a huge amount from the process. We are
looking forward to the next stage, as we work on turning our design concept
into a reality."
Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events Ltd, said: "We are
delighted to once again be working with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable
Trust. It was wonderful to see the innovation and creativity from all the
young architects in the competition and that made it hard to choose a
winner. However, I believe we have found an amazing new design that will
really inspire our runners as they take on the 40th edition of the world's
greatest marathon."
Sonia Watson, Chief Executive of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
said: "The Virgin Money London Marathon is an iconic event, so it is
incredibly exciting that aspiring young architects have the opportunity to
be part of it. I can't wait to see their ground-breaking design on Marathon
Day on Sunday 26 April."
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