Our work is informed by the belief that creativity is human, and vital for changing the world for the better. Creativity is not a privilege reserved for the elite few. It should be taught and nurtured like science, maths, reading and writing.

By collaborating with schools, teachers and students - initially in secondary schools in London - we want to promote a broad and open discussion around sustainability and zero carbon buildings, and to expand on our key beliefs of diversity, equality and gender balance in architecture.

Our aim is to establish a global education network with schools and communities, to promote innovative design, creativity and sustainability to benefit a diverse range of young people from under-represented communities. 

Grimshaw Foundation’s eyes are firmly fixed on the future and sustainability is not up for debate. We have to offer the next generation a world that they can live in and give them the skills and opportunities to help shape it.

Grimshaw are currently celebrating over 30 years of green and sustainable buildings, from Eden Project in Cornwall, to Via Verde in New York and the new Terra Sustainability Pavilion in Dubai. Collaborative innovation will be essential to drive the world towards an inclusive and fair net zero. It is impossible to tackle the challenges posed by flood waters, climate change and urban development without also tackling inequality.

Let's equip the next generation of artists and architects with the tools they need to begin as early in life as possible. We’re committed to helping young people create a sustainable future for themselves and their communities.

The status quo makes some voices louder than others, drowning out anything that doesn’t go along with their version of the world. At Grimshaw Foundation, those quieter voices are the ones we’re seeking. We want to give you a megaphone. If no-one’s said it before, we think it bears repeating.

Everything that Grimshaw Foundation does is free. We want to open new roads for young people and to do away with old ideas about who gets to say what and when.

While many inequities still persist, we want to open art and architecture to as many different kinds of people as possible. This way lies a more hopeful future.

From poetry workshops to hands-on making and building, Grimshaw Foundation aims to challenge 12-18 year olds to explore and get creative.

We are launching a series of workshops with Key Stage 3 children (aged 12-14) in London secondary schools in November 2021, to promote innovative design, creativity and sustainability around COP26. Our last session will be a hands-on making and building workshop in the Grimshaw studio in December. From these initial projects and workshops, we will develop a comprehensive online learning resource for 2022. 

Projects and workshops in secondary schools will be held in Sydney and Melbourne in 2022. Meanwhile, in London next year we look forward to outdoor pavilion-building, workshops in the Grimshaw studio and new projects in secondary schools. Please sign up to our mailing list for more information.

Our starting point is a quote from our trustee, the Channel 4 newsreader, Jon Snow, "Let’s take architecture off its pedestal and into the community. Architecture is not just about buildings – it’s about people, communities, and sustainability.” 

We want to encourage collaboration between architects and artists and to promote innovation across many different creative fields. We’ll talk with artists, designers and architects about how public artworks can impact local  streetscapes, and explore how architecture can impact local communities.

We’ll be exploring the connection between art and architecture - looking at how sculpture is placed within the built environment - and how encountering these artworks can change people’s perceptions about their neighbourhood and even inspire them to explore new areas of the city.