Next generation of designers recognised at Mission Mammoth STEAMfest awards

Thirteen winning entries were recognised at the Mission Mammoth STEAMfest Awards evening hosted by Arts University Plymouth to celebrate the best designs for creating a new landmark for Plymouth, inspired by Mildred the Mammoth at The Box.

The Awards follow on from a fun-packed Mission Mammoth STEAMFest week held at The Box in July 2026, organised by Building Plymouth, which attracted six hundred primary aged children, representing twelve primary schools and included a home educated group of students. Designed to inspire and engage children with the world of construction and the built environment, they worked together with over eighty construction professionals including architects, engineers, project managers, civil engineers, landscape designers, sustainability champions and surveyors, to help shape their creative ideas to design a new landmark for Plymouth which tied in with the new Britain’s Ocean City brand – ‘Make Life an Adventure.’

Throughout May and June in the build-up to Mission Mammoth week, nearly three hundred primary school children visited Smeaton’s Tower, where they met real-life civil engineers and learnt about John Smeaton to bring their new learning into play ahead of designing their landmark. They were also able to see Plymouth’s famous landmarks from Plymouth Hoe including Drake’s Island, Tinside Lido and the National Marine Aquarium to give them more inspiration!

Judged by an industry panel, the evening celebrated the award finalists and the following overall winners who proudly collected their mammoth figures and certificates:

• Thinking like an architect award – won by Kesiana from Holy Cross Catholic Primary School and sponsored by KTA Architects.
• The most original idea award – won by Wren Massey from College Road Primary School and sponsored by Recycle it Global
• Consideration of mammoth’s/visitor’s needs award – won by Meghan Royal – St Budeaux CE Primary Academy and sponsored by WSP
• Thinking sustainably award – won by Finch from Holy Cross Catholic Primary School and sponsored by Matthew Edwards.
• Quality of Design Award – Tarokh from Mount Street Primary School and sponsored by Classic Builders
• Thinking Like a Landscape Architect Award – won by Thea McDonald – College Road Primary School and sponsored by Arborcure
• The Best Creativity Award – won by Evania from Holy Cross Catholic Primary School and sponsored by Doorcare Southwest
• The thinking like a civil engineer award – won by Teddy one of our Home Educated Students and sponsored by Cormac.
• The Concept to Completion Award – won by Amelia Lewin – College Road Primary School and sponsored by SWWIC (Southwest Women in Construction)
• The Judges Special Award – won by Amelia Bamford from Marine Academy Primary School and sponsored by Devon Contractors. Amelia’s entry was our only digital one and was created on Minecraft.
• The Judges Extra Special Award – won by Sebastian Ciesielski – St Peters RC Primary School
Seb created a brilliant entry on PowerPoint which already invited the judges to recognise him as a finalist and to read carefully!! We loved his confidence!

• The Overall Winner of Mission Mammoth 2026 – won by Teddy our Home Educated Students and sponsored by Gilpin Demolition.

The judging panel who had the mammoth challenge of shortlisting the winning entries were thanked:

Sam Morcumb – Build X (SW)
Mel Brown – Arts University Plymouth
Matt Neale – Arborcure
Alex Lammie – KTA Architects
Ellie King – Hoare Lea
Kay Hanson – HLM Architects
Andy Veasey – Drew & Co
Joel Smith – Willmott Dixon
Lauren Farley – Morgan Sindall

Morven Maclean, Construction Coordinator for Building Plymouth said: “We are working hard together to inspire and raise awareness about the breadth of career opportunities in construction and the built environment. By delivering STEAMFest, over the last five years we have positively influenced over 2000 children about the wide range of jobs and skills needed across design, engineering, surveying, sustainability, and management. The quality of the award entries this year was incredible, and we look forward to welcoming these budding architects, engineers, landscapers, site managers and quantity surveyors into the industry in years to come.”

To find out more, watch a video of the Mission Mammoth STEAMfest 2026 week by clicking here