TRADA launches second student design competition

9 October 2014


Following the success of its Velocity-themed National Student Design Competition this year, TRADA’s University Engagement Programme (UEP) is setting a new challenge for 2015.

Dubbed “Airspeed”, in honour of he York-based company of the same name, the competition tasks students with designing new landmark timber structures in the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington.

Airspeed will celebrate the pioneers of aviation and the design brief will include developing an operational and display hangar suitable for aircraft with a wingspan of up to 35m and a tail height of 10m. The hangar will also provide a visitor link to the existing T2 hangar at the museum.

“We are really excited about this year’s Airspeed competition,” said Elizabeth Turner, TRADA’s UEP liaison manager. “It brings together aspects of historical aviation and modern design and asks students to create a conceptual building using British timber. It’s the perfect showcase for both aviation and timber.”

The new hangar developments have been approved for planning permission and sponsorship has been secured from Vastern Timber – which also sponsored the Velocity competition – and Wood for Good.

The deadline for entries is June 5, 2015, with final judging in early July and an awards ceremony in the autumn.

This year’s design competition, Velocity, was won by students from the University of Edinburgh, who were presented with their award at a champagne reception at Timber Expo. The competition saw students designing a cycling super-hub in British-grown timber for Sheffield.

The winning team “presented some great ideas and the design has the potential to develop into a fine solution”, said designer Wayne Hemingway who, along with TTJ’s Keren Fallwell, was one of the judges.

“We discovered the wide range of uses of timber and learned about its potential strength, particularly glulam, and its environmental benefits,” said Nicola Wilson from the University of Edinburgh team. T

eams from Imperial College London and Newcastle University were second and third respectively.

For further information, contact Elizabeth Turner on +44 (0) 194 569654 or at eturner@trada.co.uk.