Squire & Partners and eight children from Hill Mead Primary picked up an international design award on Thursday 20 February, at the Frame Awards in Amsterdam.
The Frame Awards recognise excellence in interior design.
The Winter Windows 2018 installation at The Department Store won Retail Window Display of the Year, a small community project in a category which included professional retail displays in Tokyo, Stockholm, New York and Warsaw.
Now in its third year, Winter Windows is a collaboration between a group of children aged from 8 to 11 and designers from Squire and Partners.
The children were Albara, Crystal, Hanad, Amy, Teanna, Maliea, Wesley and Akeemat.
Squire & Partners presented Winter Windows in front of four judges in Amsterdam on Thursday morning, and were awarded the Jury Prize at an awards ceremony that evening.
Squires competition entry said: “Winter Windows also plays an important part in Squire and Partners aim to create meaningful links with the local community in Brixton, stemming from their overall restoration of The Department Store building.
“By liaising with local schools such as Hill Mead, we have been able to build long-lasting relationships and community ties, as well as bringing light, animation and fun to what was previously a dark and unwelcoming thoroughfare through Brixton.”
Becky Lawrence, Hill Mead deputy head said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Hill Mead’s Winter Windows won this prestigious award. I am so proud of the children’s achievement. The designs work so well because they are authentic. Squire & Partners’ Winter Windows community project is inspired, a true collaboration with local schools which shines a light on the potential in all of us.”
The high level judges were:
Marsha Meredith – Creative Director of Aesop
Vincent Sturkenboom – Creative Director of De Bijenkorf (Amsterdam’s version of Selfridges)
Natacha Prihnenko – Windows and Art Director at Hermes
Andreas Bozarth Fornell – CEO of Specific Generic architects
Vincent Sturkenboom said that “retail is no longer about selling, it’s about experience and community engagement. That’s what Winter Windows displayed so beautifully – they deserved to win this category.”
WINTER WINDOWS
In 2017 the practice worked with Stockwell Primary, In 2018 the designs were by children from Hill Mead primary school. This year’s collaboration was created with pupils from Landsdowne school
Over the course of two workshops run by the practice, children were challenged to create expressive winter shapes using a continuous line of light.
Armed with paper, pens, string and pipe cleaners, the children progressed initial ideas, which were then tested in rope or the “line of light” on a large floor area.
A panel of judges from Squire and Partners selected eight designs varying from ice skaters to steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
Occupying an entire window along the street, each bespoke light is made using a sheet of Perspex with a coloured LED light set into it.
Winter Windows will be part of Brixton’s Christmas Light display throughout December and January.
