Type: News

ICE announces winners of first-ever Ikigai 2024 festival

Date: 15 October 2024

Introducing the winners of this exciting competition, whose artwork demonstrated the connections between nature and infrastructure.

ICE announces winners of first-ever Ikigai 2024 festival — George (8) and Jamie's entry emerged victorious in the photography category. Image credit: George and Jamie

The winners of the Ikigai 2024: a nature- and people-positive world arts and music festival have been announced.

They presented their entries at the festival at One Great George Street (OGGS) in London in front of the panel of judges, including Dragon’s Den star, Deborah Meaden.

The winners took home a £500 cash prize and the coveted Ikigai trophy at the event on Monday 14 October.

This is the first-ever creative arts festival the ICE has organised, and it aimed to make crucial connections between civil engineering, nature and the arts.

It featured speeches from key sustainability personalities and a unique nature- and sustainability-themed fashion show.

Finalists were also able to tour the historic OGGS building and meet the ICE president and the judging panel.

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'.

Ikigai 2024 winners

The competition hoped to spark creativity in younger people, helping them to harness the power of art to understand the symbiotic relationship between people, nature and infrastructure.

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.

Find out who won each category below:

Songs

Build the World, Kwok Tsun (17) and Yu Chung – The judges praised the song's beautiful lyrics and vocals.

Painting, drawing or collage in 2D (excluding digital art)

Focusing on Building a Sustainable Future For All, Freya (13) and Michael – The judges celebrated the painting's concept, and how it bridged nature with art and personal imagery.

Poetry

Echoes of Eternity, Zymal (17) and Nabihah – The judges highlighted how well-crafted the poem was, and that they could tell a lot of time went into it.

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.

Film

Let's Reconnect, Sia (14) and Krishna – The judges loved how the video showed the industrial transitioning to nature. They felt it was an uplifting entry that was made with love.

Photography

Wind Turbines, George (8) and Jamie – The judges felt this entry helped make the bigger issue of sustainability personal. They thought it helped make the communication of the issue to children more fun and interesting, driving action on climate and making it accessible.