Student Design Competition for Worthing Town Centre

The winner has been announced for the Council's Student Design Competition after an exciting final at an event at Worthing Town Hall on Friday 10th March 2023.

The competition was organised in response to The Big Listen, in which councillors and Council staff travelled around the borough hearing from residents what they like about their town and what they'd like to see improved. Part of the feedback from our younger residents was that children and young people would like more activities, and to see more spaces designed with them in mind.

In response to this, the competition was launched to involve and inspire children, whilst ensuring that young people are at the heart of creating sustainable, vibrant spaces that everyone can enjoy.

Entries were received from schools across the borough, with pupils working in teams or individually to imagine sustainable and inspirational improvements to central Worthing spaces.

Winner

The winning design was by Freya Bezencon, from St. Andrew's CofE High School.

Freya's entry was selected as the winning design by Mayor of Worthing Cllr Henna Chowdhury at a special event at Worthing Town Hall, attended by the three student design finalists as well as Worthing Councillors.

Freya's design will be brought to life as drawings and visualisations by a professional architect thanks to Project Centre, a locally-based design, engineering and landscape architecture consultancy. She also won a £1,000 prize for her school.

Freya Bezencon's entry - WINNER 1

Freya Bezencon's entry - WINNER 2

Freya Bezencon's entry - WINNER 3

Photo: (left to right) Cllr Vicki Wells, Worthing's Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Martin McCabe, Worthing's Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Freya Benzencon, St Andrews, receiving the winner's award, Mayor of Worthing Cllr Henna Chowdhury, and James Sansom-Costantini, Head of STEM and D&T, St Andrews

PR23-031 - Freya Benzencon, St Andrews, receiving the award

Finalists

Two finalists were also selected by Cllr Vicki Wells, Worthing's Cabinet Member for the Environment, and by Cllr Martin McCabe, Worthing's Cabinet Member for Regeneration. The two finalists were:

Frankie Owen-Sims, Davison High School

Frankie Owen-Sims's entry - FINALIST

Oliver Seeds, Lancing Prep

Oliver Seeds's entry - FINALIST

Photo: (left to right) The award winners: Oliver Seeds (finalist), Mayor of Worthing, Cllr Henna Chowdhury, Freya Benzencon (winner) and Frankie Owen-Sims (finalist)

PR23-031 - The award winners pictured with the Mayor of Worthing, Cllr Henna Chowdhury