Three winners visit Ryder Architecture!

The making process of our Powering the Future: South Tyneside and Beyond! challenge is in full swing. A group of talented makers are adding the finishing touches to the brought to life ideas thought up by seven spectacular students.

Three of this bright bunch are Cole, Jude, and Odin. They all hail from Toner Avenue Primary School in South Tyneside and were selected as winners of the challenge due to their creative and inventing prowess.

Powering the Future: South Tyneside and Beyond! is a challenge in collaboration with South Tyneside Council and Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which is set to become the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

The challenge encourages STEM learning in the classroom and aims to induce a creative spark in young people. It highlights renewable energy's vital role in the fight against climate change and the opportunities available within renewable energy.

The invention brief for the students was to invent something that creates renewable energy by harnessing power from movement.

Cole, Jude, and Odin got their minds moving and shaking and from them sprung two inventions that gather up a whole lot of sustainable kinetic energy.

Firstly, a joint effort from Jude and Odin: Bright Light 2000 & Light 3000! They both came up with a football pitch that is powered by the rapturous applause that occurs during a match. The fans' dedication to the beautiful game keeps the lights above them shining strong and bright.

Odin's entry was TV Trampoline, an invention that is simply all-round fun! Instead of watching TV from your sofa, you bounce on a trampoline in front of it. This movement in turn powers the television.

The entertainment would be even more enjoyable knowing you are providing the sustainable energy yourself.

This invention is being brought to life by retired engineer and inventor John Parnum. Odin still got to enjoy all of the wonders the visit to Ryder had to offer!

Ryder Architecture are returning for their second year of making with us, having joined us during the first iteration of the challenge. Back then, they brought to life Sleep and H2O 2000 by Jack, age 10.

They are a prestigious architectural firm founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1953. They have designed everything from residential buildings to schools to offices, including the work of art that is Tombola House in Sunderland.

They connect people to places, from the room to the city.

The three boys were treated to a tour of the listed building that is Ryder's headquarters and they learned more about the work that is done there.

They delved into a bit of education about architecture and Odin and Jude got some insight into the making process of their invention which is being brought to life as an amazing 3D animation.

They were joined by their teacher Miss Almond who says the boys were a credit to the school and absolutely loved their visit to Ryder.