We are delighted to share that four of our Design BA students had their work featured in the showcase, a remarkable achievement for the first major cohort of our new programme.
Tom Andrews’ project Micro Parks was featured in response to the Urban Cool brief. Micro Parks aims to transform neglected walking areas in London into vibrant green corridors. These will provide cooler temperatures and protect the city from surface flooding.
The primary objective of these spaces is to mitigate the effects of climate change by incorporating natural elements throughout London, while promoting sustainable modes of travel and rejuvenating areas that are aesthetically unappealing due to age and neglect.
Meanwhile, Samantha Helm (Rooted), Lizzie Cummins (Odd Spot), and Zara Azam (The Commons) were all featured for their responses to the Where People Meet brief.
Zara Azam's project 'The Commons' is a council-funded social initiative designed to support emotional well-being through connections to place, others, and the self. Set within urban Manchester, where students and long-term residents often live side by side in traditional terrace housing, The Commons reimagines the alleyways between back gardens as shared, functional walkways.
Curated with modular elements, these spaces feature activity zones inspired by the city’s industrial heritage, characterised by thread-like infrastructures that reflect community needs and identity. By offering a safe, low-pressure environment, The Commons creates opportunities for everyday interactions, fostering social cohesion and reducing disconnection and isolation.
Elizabeth Cummins' project 'Odd Spot' is a modular public pavilion designed with and for teenagers to tackle the growing crisis of youth in-person social disconnection. Installed in parks and green spaces, each Odd Spot is co-designed with local 11-15-year-olds using a scaled model kit, allowing them to shape the layout and features of their space, from social seating to art walls and DJ decks.
The result is a sustainable, biophilic space that promotes creativity, connection, and community. Odd Spot reclaims public space for young people, offering a flexible, scalable model for inclusive placemaking that centres youth voice and wellbeing.
Samantha Helm's project 'Rooted' is a sustainable urban farming initiative that transforms derelict spaces in towns and cities, like an old cinema, into community hubs. Rooted addresses food insecurity by selling fresh produce (grown using on-site hydroponics), a ‘take what you need’ shop to help reduce waste, communal kitchens, and cooking classes to share skills across the local community.
Targeting young people living independently for the first time, Rooted promotes self-sufficiency, nutrition education, and community support. Its ‘Learn, Grow, Thrive’ model empowers users to gain life skills, connect with others, and access healthy food affordably.
Samantha and Tom also represented Loughborough at the celebration event, where their work was presented to a live audience. You can view the live recording on Youtube.
The 2025 RSA Spark Showcase is a month-long exhibition spotlighting the most outstanding ideas in response to RSA Spark’s purpose-led briefs. From reimagining community spaces to innovative solutions for social connection and wellbeing, the showcase captures the energy and potential of the next generation of problem-solvers, creatives and designers.
All four of the featured projects from Loughborough emerged from our ‘environments’ strand of the BA Design Showcase Project, which encourages students to address real-world challenges through experience design and place-based innovation. The success of this group not only highlights the creativity and talent of our students but also reflects the strength of our programme’s approach.
You can explore the ideas from students who responded to these real-world briefs, all of whom demonstrated creative ways to do more good for people, places and the planet. The work is on public display at RSA House until 23 October, or available to view online via this link: RSA Spark Showcase.
We are especially proud to note that Loughborough had more featured projects than any other institution, including global competitors, marking an outstanding early milestone for the School of Design and Creative Arts and its new Design BA programme.