Our Year 9 and Year 12 3D Design students took part in two trips in September and October as part of the Sculpture in the City (SITC) programme, a city-wide initiative that brings contemporary art into the urban environment.

They had a guided sculpture tour, where students visited public artworks nestled within the architectural landscape of London’s Square Mile. Each stop involved thought-provoking discussion, sketching, and reflection. Students were encouraged to consider not only the form and materials of each piece, but also how its placement within the city altered its meaning and impact.

A wonderful experience from the first trip was drawing the skyline views across the city from the 28th floor of One Leadenhall, a brand-new building that we had exclusive access to which is not even open to the public yet!

One of the highlights was a special visit to Andrew Sabin’s sculpture, ‘Looping Loop’, where the artist himself joined the group to talk about his work. Students had the rare opportunity to hear directly from the artist, gaining valuable insights into the conceptual process behind public art installations.

After a short walk to the historic Guildhall Art Gallery, students took part in a hands-on sculpture workshop inside the gallery itself. Using their morning sketches as inspiration, teams collaborated to build 3D sculptural responses to the pieces they had seen earlier in the day. They discussed the wide variety of careers in art, design, architecture, and the built environment, sparking plenty of interesting conversations and future aspirations.

Working in teams, students then used a variety of materials to build imaginative and meaningful sculptures, one of which was voted by the students to be displayed at The Guildhall Art Gallery at the upcoming SITC Family Day on 29th October which is a free exhibition open to all.

Ohana Somon in Year 12 thoroughly enjoyed both workshops and said, “It was so great meeting the artist to ask about the process behind making his sculptures”.

This trip offered our students an unforgettable opportunity to experience art, design, and city life in a hands-on and collaborative way. From engaging with professional artists to seeing their own work come to life, it was a day that truly celebrated creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking.

We are proud of all the students who took part and look forward to seeing their work shared with the wider public later this month!