10 Jul 2026
The Concrete Centre has announced the winners of its 2026 Student Design and Sustainability Competition, celebrating outstanding student talent in sustainable design and recognising innovative approaches to designing with concrete.
This is a national student competition that encourages students of architecture and the built environment to explore the benefits of designing sustainably with concrete. Developed to fit within, or complement, undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses across the UK, the competition aims to upskill future designers, giving them the knowledge and confidence to make more informed, responsible and sustainable decisions when designing and specifying concrete in practice.
Generously sponsored by Cordek Ltd, the 2026 competition challenged students to develop innovative proposals for a Sustainable Museum of Mudlarking on one of two sites along the Canvey Island seafront. The brief encouraged entrants to demonstrate creative design thinking alongside practical solutions that considered material efficiency, embodied carbon, local supply chains and the long-term performance of concrete.
The competition is free to enter and is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying architecture, landscape architecture and the built environment at universities across the UK.
This year's judging panel reviewed an exceptionally high standard of submissions and thanked all of the universities and students who took part. The shortlisted and winning projects were announced at The Concrete Centre's Next Generation Concrete event on 2 July 2026.
Overall Winner
The Overall Winner was Mert Akgul from Ravensbourne University for Thames Mudlark Discovery Centre.
The judges praised the project for its thoughtful approach to sustainable concrete design:
"This excellent submission studied local suppliers and imaginative, but realistic concrete mixes to create this great scheme. The design really stood out to the judges with its use of colour and form to create a welcoming approach and blend with the landscape, with a beautiful roofline which hugs the site boundary. In all, a really great scheme which recognised the benefits of concrete's local supply chain and circular economy."
Reacting to the award, Mert said:
"Thank you so much, Helen! That's amazing news. I really wasn't expecting it. I'm truly honoured to have been selected as the overall winner. Thank you, and please pass on my thanks to everyone involved."
Postgraduate Winner
The Postgraduate Award was presented to Aimee Brookes from Liverpool University for Sea Secrets.
The judges commented:
"This scheme created a tranquil courtyard shielded from the coastal conditions. The design was understated but very buildable, using a cast in-situ frame and precast board-marked cladding panels. It met all the criteria of the competition, demonstrating a good understanding of the components of concrete, using local aggregates and calculating embodied carbon. The scheme used the thermal mass of the concrete and a natural ventilation strategy to keep the building temperature comfortable. Overall, a mature, practical response that demonstrated a good attempt at detailing using concrete."
Aimee said:
"Wow, amazing news to wake up to! Thank you so much. It was a lovely wee project to work on alongside placement and a master's module. It kept the creativity alive!"
Joint Highly Commended
Three projects received Highly Commended awards:
- Tidal Archive – Ivan Law, Helen Lin, Zhang Manqi and Mingyu Ren, University College London
"The team clearly spent some time considering how the structure is put together and can be commended for considering how to adapt the building over time. The judges loved the stunning roof shape and the interior, with interesting varying cross sections and thoughtful consideration of how people will interact with the displays."
- The Archive – Kieran Savory, Coventry University
"The judges particularly liked the massing of this scheme and its integration into the landscape and tidal environment with pools and green roofs. The scheme showed a good exploration and clear description of different ways of using concrete, from on-site to precast, as well as innovative applications. The night-time visuals gave a real sense of the internal and external spaces."
- Artefacts – Ayda Tahami Zarandi, Ravensbourne University
"This scheme utilised thermal mass and natural ventilation well and experimented with a range of colourful, daylit spaces. The scheme was sculptural inside and out, at both macro and micro level, changing form and colour as the user moves around the building."
Shortlisted Entries
The judges also recognised the quality of the shortlisted projects:
- The Alluvial Return – Mohammad Riyaadh Salam, Coventry University
- Mudlark Museum – Shahaf Elian, Ravensbourne University
- The Edge of Canvey – Ceren Ozen, Ravensbourne University
- Museum of Microforms – Fatimah Al-Tameemi, Ravensbourne University
The Concrete Centre congratulates all of this year's winners, shortlisted students and participating universities for the exceptional quality of their work. The competition continues to play an important role in equipping the next generation of architects and built environment professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver more sustainable buildings.
Students and tutors interested in taking part in the next Student Design and Sustainability Competition are encouraged to register their interest to receive updates and information about the 2027 competition.