Bristol: CCAC’s South West hub comes of age

The South West hub was set up in 2023 with a single collaboration between Bristol’s Ashton Gate Primary School and designers Finbar Charleson and Jack Cardno (Sylva Studio). Three further successful co-designs followed, one as far afield as Mevagissey in Cornwall. We are now planning a further sixteen across the region. As the vanguard of CCAC’s expansion, the South West hub will stand as the blueprint for other nascent hubs. 

Manchester for the North West and Derby for the East Midlands are following closely behind. London and the South East, our starting point, remains the most advanced.

To widen our reach and deepen our impact, regional hubs prioritise local identity and expertise. Each develops a distinctive presence, leveraging regional networks and local knowledge and address the specific extreme climate risks local to their communities. We partner with both established design practices, who contribute their time pro bono, and sponsored emerging talent secured through the CCAC Young Designer’s Award. 

Aurelie Fontan conducting a screen-printing workshop with Year-5 Gorran Primary School pupils

The next stage of the South West initiative is underway at Headley Park Primary School. We are incredibly pleased to welcome Arup and Stride Treglown for an inspiring community regeneration collaboration set in future extreme conditions located on land lying between the school and the surrounding community. The co-design allows pupils to work alongside industry experts to gain climate and design learning, and to reimagine a familiar setting in unpredictable times.

Leading this regional expansion is our Development Manager, Pieta Karoniemi. Based in Bristol, Pieta is building a robust network of local schools, designers, and other community stakeholders. She says, “We need to give primary school children a positive understanding of their uncertain future. Achieving this through the lens of creative design feels hopeful and inspiring.”   

Get Involved: Do you know a school or a designer in the South West who might like to participate? Please contact Pieta at pieta@cc-ac.org