We invited teachers from local schools in Camden, City of London and Tower Hamlets, as well as educators from The London School of Architecture and Culture Mile Learning to join us in our studio for lively discussions on the opportunities and challenges of STEAM education for young people, and the impact of spatial design and the built environment on the learning experience.

We engaged in our own STEAM workshop during the session as a taster for the creative schools workshops we have planned for the autumn term, using photography and drawings to explore light and shadow sculptures with everyday objects – focusing on collaborative working, open-ended explorations and critical reflection.

STEAM labs are a fundamental pillar of the SENSE.STEAM Initiative, which aims to address a lack of long-term engagement with STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and maths) among school children across Europe by integrating the Arts and alternative learning landscapes (STEAM).

SENSE. Is a research consortium of 17 partner organisations in 14 countries, including Hawkins\Brown, hoping to radically reshape science education. The project will develop an accessible educational programme promoting socially conscious and scientifically literate citizens and professionals. It addresses outdated perceptions of current science education by integrating social inclusion and spatial design as its core components.

The principal outcome of the project will be the New European Roadmap to STEAM Education. The roadmap will support organisations and individuals in planning, developing, implementing, and communicating their own STEAM ambition. It will provide resources and materials produced through the STEAM Labs via a digital hub, the STEAM Academy.

Funded by Horizon Europe, the European Union’s research and innovation programme, SENSE. launched in September 2022 and is scheduled to run for three years.