An exciting competition spearheaded by ICE President Professor Anusha Shah aims to use art to engage the next generation of engineers.
The finalists of the Ikigai 2024: a nature- and people-positive world arts and music festival have been announced.
They now have the opportunity to present their entries at the festival on Monday 14 October at One Great George Street (OGGS) in London. Winners will receive a trophy and one of five £500 prizes.
This is the first-ever creative arts festival the ICE has organised, and looks to make crucial connections between civil engineering, nature and the arts.
Teams of two - with one person being aged under 18 years and one over 18, were invited to share their creativity by entering the competition across five categories.
The competition is inspired by ICE President Professor Anusha Shah’s presidential theme for the year, 'Making connections for a nature- and people-positive world'.
What are the competition categories?
The competition hopes to spark creativity in younger people, helping them to harness the power of art to understand the symbiotic relationship between people, nature and infrastructure.
There are five categories in the competition, and the judges have selected finalists for each one.
Competition entries centre on creating a nature- and people-positive world, with a focus on infrastructure.
The categories and their finalists are:
Songs
Build the World, Kwok Tsun (17) and Yu Chung – The judges praised the song's beautiful lyrics and composition. They liked the connection between civil engineering, nature and people.
Nature's Engineers, Fox (7) and Joanna – The judges really liked the mother and son singing in harmony and bringing nature and engineering in harmony.
Bring in a New Season, Jacob (13) and Penny – The judges said it was beautifully composed with the rap, beats, the location and the girl singing in harmony in the background.
Nature and Infrastructure, Clementine (8) and Eva – The judges thought the lyrics really captured the importance of infrastructure and nature working together.
Painting, drawing or collage in 2D (excluding digital art)
Focusing on Building a Sustainable Future For All, Freya (13) and Michael – The judges thought Freya's piece was a brilliant interpretation, surveying their vision of the world.
Connecting Nature and People: Our Continuous Journey, Clara (14) and Blanca – The judges loved this abstract artwork putting habitat creation at the top of the food chain.
The Young Girl Having Fun in the Infrastructure Garden, Grace (15) and Wilson – The judges praised this fantastic artwork, where the image depicts nature and people going on this onward journey together. The judges especially liked the detail of how all beings were in the construction vehicle on the highway to the future.
Poetry
Steels and Seagulls, Cole (11) and Reagan – The judges loved the connection of engineering and nature coming together to work as one, with engineers, allowing their featured friends to belong, on the iconic structure.
Steel and Seagulls
A bridge of steel and its iconic span,
To cross the Tyne, for bus, car and van.
A testament to human might,
Behold the city skyline sight.
Nature maintains a mighty hold,
Upon a structure so large and bold.
Kittiwakes soar graceful and sleek,
Supported in Newcastle’s caring beak.
A symphony of steel and gull,
A recipe to warm the soul.
A chorus of traic and tweet,
Society’s quest meets nature’s fleet.
A metal giant standing high,
With feathered friends scattered in its sky.
Concrete blockwork, sturdy and strong,
An unusual place for nature to belong.
An engineer must carefully scan,
Respecting nature’s master plan.
Together, humans, animals, and all,
Let’s build a world where none will fall.
Echoes of Eternity, Zymal (17) and Nabihah – The judges said this is a beautiful example of how poetry can tell a story of nature intertwining with the modern world.
Echoes of Eternity
In a world where nature's beauty shines,
And people's hearts align,
Bridges of hope and roads of dreams,
Connect us all, or so it seems.
Trees whisper tales of ancient times,
As cities grow with rhythmic chimes,
Beneath the sky, where dreams take flight,
In harmony, nature and cities unite.
Beneath the canopy of green,
A world where love is often seen,
Where buildings rise with gentle grace,
And parks invite a joyful embrace.
In this realm of harmony and light,
Where nature's song and city's might,
Blend to form a world so bright,
With infrastructure built just right.
In a realm where nature's hues,
Merge with cities, not to confuse,
Bridging hearts and minds anew,
In a world where all your dreams come true.
Where rivers flow, and forests stand,
Amidst the buzz of a bustling land,
Where roads wind through hills and streams,
In a symphony of hopes and dreams.
In this tapestry of green and gray,
Where nature thrives in the urban fray,
A harmonious world, so grand,
With infrastructure hand in hand.
Like BedZed, Enzo (8) and Kathryn – The judges really enjoyed how this poem embraced a modern environmentally playful way of living.
Like BedZed
In BedZed homes where the sun shines bright
living in harmony, doing it right
Solar panels gleam, they catch the rays
powered by nature in so many ways
Growing veg, investing time
sharing with neighbours, it’s in the design
Green roofs, fresh air, the rain comes free
sustainable living for you and me
Car-free streets where the children play
walking, cycling, that’s the way
Harvesting the rain, letting nothing go
recycling energy in every flow
In BedZED we can thrive, it’s clear to see
eco-living, in unity
With earth beneath and sky above
we can build with nature, we can build with love
Film
The Reimagined Urban Jungle, Nathan (17) and Deanne – The judges praised this beautiful video for embracing how nature and people intertwine in daily life.
Let's Reconnect, Sia (14) and Krishna – The judges said this was a very creative video bringing diversity to the platform in the nature and people positivity conversation.
See You Later, Lego, Samuel (12) and Steve – The judges praised this humorous and imaginative video showcasing how if people do not look after nature it will end up biting us, literally!
Photography
Bee-friending Bumbles, Abigail (3) and Elizabeth – The judges loved the simple and deep composition. They were buzzing about this team's entry!
Shaws West Quarry, Astrid (12) and Gabriel – The judges thought the team showcased excellent photography skills; the editing illustrated grey to green perfectly. The image also had a focus on nature and people which truly captured the essence of the competition.
Wind Turbines, George (8) and Jamie – This entry was such a fun submission! We can really see the budding engineers in here showcasing nature and people energy production in a lighthearted manner.
Ikigai 2024 festival
The Ikigai 2024 festival will feature speeches from key sustainability personalities and a unique nature- and sustainability-themed fashion show.
At the event, a panel of judges, including Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, will present awards to the winners.
Winning teams will be awarded the coveted Ikigai 2024 trophy and a cash prize of £500, and runners-up will receive certificates and an ICE goody bag.
Finalists will also be able to tour the historic OGGS building and meet the ICE president and the judging panel.
The competition's full terms and conditions can be found here.
Sponsors
The ICE is delivering this competition in partnership with design, management and engineering consultancy Arcadis and the University of East London.
Other organisations supporting the event include:
- Project Groundwater Northumbria
- Mott MacDonald
- Hamish Lal Partners
- Sapphire Utility Solutions
- QFlow
