Primary school pupils from across the West Midlands (Birmingham, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Walsall, Warwickshire and Wolverhampton) recently converged on the New Art Gallery Walsall for the final of the ‘Bridging the Basin’ competition. The aim was for each team of pupils to design and build a bridge to span the canal basin outside the New Art Gallery utilising simple materials and techniques developed by the Architecture Workshop Association (AWA). The pupils had already had experience of this type of activity in their own schools earlier in the year. The activity involved the practical application of mathematical concepts (number, angles, triangles etc) in a genuine problem-solving situation.

The quality of the bridges produced was outstanding making the judges’ job extremely difficult. The eventual winners of the Nigel Frost Memorial Trophy were Bhylls Acre School from Wolverhampton.

The event was organised by Walsall EBP in conjunction with the Architecture Workshop Association and the Construction Industry Training Board. It is planned to hold a similar event at the same venue later this year.