Y Eng award :Layout 1 28/2/08 09:44 Page 24

YOUNGMEMBERS

The Young Structural

Engineers’ International
Design Competition 2008 is
open for entries. A previous
winner, Liz Green, describes
the challenge and the thrill of
winning £5000
1

Creating a winning design

T
he 2008 competition brief is to design a legacy
use for an Olympic stadium and its site. The
stadium is to be a landmark prestige structure,
worthy of the Olympic Games, and be representative
of the city and country in which it is built.
Liz Green of The Millward Partnership, won the
competition in 2002 and 2005 (for an exhibition
centre, pictured here) . She found entering the
competition a rewarding experience: ‘It allows you to
explore design and do something you wouldn’t
normally do, and perhaps win £5000 in the process.
As a winner of this competition on two consecutive
occasions I am keen to encourage all young
engineers to benefit from this fantastic opportunity.’
She said: ‘The competition brief is written to
promote your conceptual thinking, merge the
boundaries of structural engineering with architecture
and help develop your multidisciplinary skills. From
my own experience it is really exciting to leave the
design codes behind, pick up a sketch book and use
your imagination; it is surprising how quickly your
ideas can take shape.’
Liz also has some good advice for those
considering entering: ‘As a guideline, it is up to you
how much time you assign to do your design. I can
confirm that the work required does not prevent
meeting commitments at work, or elsewhere!
Submitting your two project boards and 1500 word
report is truly motivating. In some ways it is similar to
the CM exam but without all the extensive
calculations and with more opportunity to explore
conceptual design. It also helps to satisfy some of
your IPD core objectives.’
The competition is run every 3 years by IStructE’s
Educational Trust and aims to encourage ingenuity,
imagination and inventiveness in young structural
engineers. It is open to structural engineers and
individuals under the age of 30 who are taking, or
have successfully taken, a recognised civil and/or
structural engineering course of study.
To register your application for 2008 and to receive
your competitor’s number contact Elinor Bone,
Institution of Structural Engineers’ Educational Trust,
11 Upper Belgrave Street, London SW1X 8BH, UK no
later than Friday 4 April 2008. Deadline for entry
submissions is Friday 4 July 2008.
• Further information see website:
(www.istructe.org/youngstructuralengineer). se

Figs 1. and 2. The Ianthinas Exhibition Centre which won the 2005 award / Fig 3. Liz Green accepts her award from the then President,
Michael Dickson

24 The Structural Engineer 4 March 2008