Sign inThe 2025 geographical model making competition focused on students getting involved and exploring their creativity and geographical knowledge by creating a 3D model on the theme of ‘Sustainability action in my local area’.
The goal was for students to design and make a geographical theme 3D model of a key feature of their local area using reused or waste cardboard as the main material supported with other recycled materials.
There are two categories for individual entries:
- KS2 (years 3, 4, 5, 6)
- KS3 (years 7, 8, 9)
The judges looked at the geographical relevance of the place represented by the model, the detailed and geographically written explanation, the originality and creativity of the model and the quality and design of the model build.
We received many brilliant entries from students from a range of age groups, schools and countries. We would like to thank everyone involved and for all the entries.
Key Stage 2 category
1st place: Eva Benoliel (Haberdashers school for girls)
Description: All my materials where recycled, the straws (drunk it off), tin foil (used for pizza), lolly sticks, bark (found in park) and boxes (from parcels).
I chose this area because I am very familiar with it. It has been used for a forest school from a lot of local schools. It is an important place for children to have an opportunity to learn about nature outside of the classroom. There is a lot of paths, a water stream, a pond and a bug hotel with the children made with the resources found in the park. In different seasons, there is different wildlife around. If you are wishing to go to this place, you can find it in Paddington Rec (Maida Vale, London).
Judges comment: ‘For including a wide range of ideas, notably the quality of information on biodiversity and species’.
2nd place: Oliver Gashi (Brooklands Middle School)
Description:
Judges comment: ‘Lovely focus on people of all ages and activities for all.’
Key Stage 3 category
1st place: Yuet Sum Yau (St. Michael Catholic Grammar School)
Title: Sustainable revival of Highgate Tube Station
Description: My main feature for the transformation in my local area is to rejuvenate Highgate tube station. It had been left unused for a long time since 1954. Through this transformation, I hope to make it benefit the community while preserving its history and respecting the original architecture.
By transforming the disused railway track into a 150-metre public swimming pool sport can become more accessible, unlike the nearby private school’s 25-metre pool. It is more open-spaced and belongs to a recreational area resembling a leisure centre. One platform becomes a gym with electricity-generating bikes, not only saving energy and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, but also promoting exercise.
On the higher level of the station, nature has taken over. The area covered by wild plants and greenery as well as many beautiful viewpoints. Gentle walkways are made so visitors can explore without disturbing the land. The site also supports biodiversity by building bug hotels and preserves the habitat of endangered bats at the tunnel’s end. Families can donate a small fee to explore their home and rent a small space to plant vegetables, using the sheltered tunnel space in winter. To further resemble a public space, schools and clubs can display their art and projects here to boost the significance of creativity. It also serves as a place for learning and sharing.
Solar panels are installed on platform shelters collecting energy during the day, storing it in batteries placed underground and using the existing tunnels. Rainwater is collected in storage tanks to make the station self-sufficient. Demonstrating how old infrastructure can be adapted to solve modern environmental challenges.
The old waiting room is transformed into a library where old books are shared, and into a market where only food with the Fair Trade label can be sold. Shop owners at the market must ensure they support the sustainable revival of the station by meeting environmental standards.
In the future, we may also join with other stations and partner with walking and cycling apps to make a full cycling route for visitors.
Materials used: Reused Amazon cardboard (structure, solar panels), sponge and watercolour (grass), old folders (windows, pool), and clay (tunnels, details).
My project represents the geographic idea of sustainable regeneration, aiming to bring an abandoned place back to life while at the same time maintain it to be beneficial to both people and the nature.
Highgate Tube Station and many other urban areas are considered as wasted space. However, it could become a self-sufficient recreation hub for residents & visitors by rethinking land use in another way, simultaneously making it healthier and greener. Furthermore, instead of building more new structures, we focus on reusing existing spaces, which reduces waste and the harmful impact of development.
In my local area, there is always a great need for accessible recreational and green spaces that everyone can use and relax in. The regeneration can support community wellbeing and social life, helping to reduce inequalities by making leisure affordable and available to everyone.
Preservation of the area is important for the community and our country as it is the trace marks for our history and development. Conserving the building but renovating the inside keeps the historical spirit but also ensure the area is modernised to be more practical and lively.
I believe projects like this are vital for the future of cities worldwide. It shows that sustainable development is not only about protecting the environment but also about improving people’s lives. This idea inspires me a lot that Geography is not only a singular subject, but an overarching notion that links human activity with natural systems and how we coexist and grow together.
Judges comment: ‘Brilliant detail and consideration of all aspects of sustainability in your tube station redesign.’
2nd place: Viola Cinkler (St. George’s the British International School)
Description: This is a model of the roof of my school with some raised flower beds, solar panels and a water irrigation system.
To represent the building, I used packaging cardboard, glue and paper with printing ink on it. To make the raised flower beds, I used cardboard and tape for the box and paper I textured and coloured using pens to make the plants. To represent the solar panels, I used cardboard, paper and glue. To make the irrigation construction, I used Sellotape, tin foil, a bit of wire from a toast package, a bit of small rubber hose from an old pot plant water system, and glue.
I have chosen the roof of my school, and I would like to make it help the environment and support biodiversity and support the wellbeing of other pupils and staff. Currently, the roof is unused and has a lot of space.
In my design, I included five raised plant beds to grow vegetables, fruits and flowers. We already have raised flower beds at school, but due to younger children digging up the soil and pulling on plants, most vegetation is destroyed, and no vegetables and fruits can be harvested. On the roof, flowers for bees and other pollenating insects will grow alongside vegetables and herbs, too. Putting the flower beds on the roof protects them from damage and gives them necessary sunlight and wind. Additionally, a shed with shovels, soil, seed and similar items could be built next to the beds for students and staff to care for the growing plants. The setup with the raised beds is designed to sustain a natural and calm environment beneficial for the mental and emotional wellbeing of students and staff. Furthermore, it can help support extracurricular activities such as general gardening- and insect watching clubs and introducing the correct care and handling of plants.
I also propose an irrigation system using rainwater and solar energy. Some gutters are going to channel the excess rainwater into the sewage system, and the water system I planned works like this: Some rain spouts direct water to a lower collection point, which could be accommodated in the basement of the school, and the solar energy, gained previously and stored in a battery, pumps the water up to the roof, where it flows to a water dispensing point. Once the water collection point is full, the pumps are automatically turned off. That way, the gardening can benefit from automated irrigation with rainwater.
The excess solar energy can be used for other purposes as well.
With this design, I wanted to show how we can give unused spaces a benefit for users and help support wellbeing and use renewable energy as a sustainable source.
Judges comment: ‘Loved the fine detail and great idea to focus on an unused space at your school.’
3rd place: Aliana Storey (The Maynard School)
Title: River Eco Learning Scape
Description: My model is showing an eco-friendly learning environment located by my local brook to raise awareness of fly tipping and how to protect the brook and the animals and plants that live there. The base of my model is made out of waste cardboard that is stacked on two tiers to create depth and to separate the river and the grass.
On one side of the river I have created a seating area for people to relax in composed of two tables that I have made from cocktail sticks glued together and the actual benches are sticks that I found in my garden. This area supports wellbeing as after a walk people can eat their lunch or socialise on the benches and just be with nature and listen to the river as it is calming and lets people relax.
To increase climate action, my model has two compost bins made from waste cardboard and painted with acrylic that I have at home and littering can be reduced as people can bin their leftovers after eating. Also, tackling water pollution is demonstrated in my model as I have incorporated a litter picking station made out of waste cardboard to encourage people to keep the river and surrounding area clean and they can also feel a sense of achievement because there is a chart showing how much litter they have picked. The bin bags are made out of cut up plastic bags and the litter pickers are made out of painted cocktail sticks and cardboard. Furthermore, next to the litter picking station there is an information board on how to protect the river and it also tells you about the wildlife of Ludwell. The information board is made out of scrap card and is held up by cocktail sticks.
To support wellbeing, I have created a water playstation out of cocktail sticks and opened out paper straws for water tubes. This is a fun play area for kids to spend more time with water and it develops their confidence and motor and thinking skills. The big blue waste cardboard curved structure behind the seating area is a bin so that fly tipping can be reduced as people can put all their waste items into the bin instead of in the river.
To add some final details to my model and increase biodiversity, I added some green fluff to represent different grasses and flowers that are planted around to make the area look even more attractive and colourful to people. Finally, I created a ripple effect on the river by first painting it blue and then crinkling a plastic bag on top to make it look more dynamic and I placed some stones from my garden going across the brook to make for easy and fun access from each side of the river. To make the area wheelchair accessible I added a tarmac path around the seating area so that everybody can enjoy the beauty of the river and it is made from cardboard with sand glued onto it to make it look more realistic.
This is my model showing how I think sustainability action should be incorporated into my local area brook. My model is called “River Eco Learning Scape”. The river Northbrook runs through my local woodland, Ludwell valley park. When I go for walks by the brook, I often see fly tipped items such as bikes and shopping trolleys in the river. This makes me sad because these items are destroying and polluting the brook and disrupting the habitats for animals that live near or in the river such as otters, kingfishers and trout. Also, the built-up waste disrupts the water flow because there is less space for the brook to stream through, and this is further made worse by all the loose sediment that get stuck in the bikes and shopping trolleys; clogging up the brook.
The fly tipping also makes it look less appealing, meaning that fewer people will visit the brook, and the overall popularity of a still beautiful and serene place will be lost. My views about people fly tipping the brook is that I think that it is wrong and immoral to spoil the beauty of a public place for others. Furthermore, I think that it is selfish to willingly fly tip as it also damages the already fragile ecosystem that is the river. Climate change means that we need to protect the flora and fauna we have left even more.
My model is inspired to prevent and raise awareness of all the key issues I have mentioned, and it includes four sustainability aspects : tackling water pollution, climate action, increased biodiversity and supporting wellbeing. The geographical idea that my model aims to create is that it is a serene, eco-friendly environment that aims to educate people of all ages on how to protect our rivers and green spaces.
Judges comment: ‘We could really visualise your ideas for a sustainable place and loved the range of ideas you include for your local stream.’
