CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.- To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Architecture Week, Freeland Rees Roberts Architects and My Little Artist joined forces and organised a unique drawing competition with the two local schools. As the 10th Anniversary of Architecture Week, this collaborative initiative is based on ‘The Power of 10’. The 7-11 year olds have been busy planning in the run up to the launch by drawing 10 Landmark Buildings in Cambridge. The 3-6 year olds have been drawing buildings they are familiar with. All the winning children's drawings will be collated for the launch event by Lorraine Penney to create a Cityscape canvas of Cambridge Landmark Architecture and a cityscape and villagescape canvas of the younger ones drawings.

At the launch event the Mayor, accompanied by the Chairman of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) East, David Thompson, will unveil the winning drawings on canvas and present prizes to the children. The winning drawings and canvasses will be exhibited during Freeland Rees Roberts' Open Practice on 21 and 22 June from 3.30 pm – 6.30 pm and will also be displayed at the Guildhall in Cambridge from 23 to 30 June.

Lorraine Penney of My Little Artist, commented: “My business, My Little Artist, was inspired by my own children’s drawings which find pride of place on canvas in my art studio. I am delighted to be part of Architecture Week and working with Freeland Rees Roberts and the children from Park Street Cambridge and Great Abington schools has been educational for us all. This event is all about education and linking children’s art with architecture. This event has given the children the opportunity to see their drawings turned into a work of art on canvas.”

Media are invited to join the children’s launch for film and photo opportunities and are encouraged to interview the children to gauge their feedback on the drawing competition

All the canvasses will be sold by silent auction while on display and online and the funds raised will go to the East Anglian Children’s Hospice and Architects for Aid.

Architecture Week is the national, annual celebration of architecture taking place from 16 – 25 June. It is one of the key events in the architecture calendar that promotes public accessibility to innovative design. The counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire will be presenting a diverse range of events based around ‘Getting Closer to Architecture and the Arts’ and ‘The Power of 10’.

Cllr Dryden commented: “This drawing competition is a very innovative Architecture Week initiative and an excellent way to educate our children about their local built environment. Architecture Week also provides an important opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy, explore and raise their expectations of contemporary architecture and to find ways to improve the built environment.”

David Thompson, Chairman of RIBA East said: "I congratulate Freeland Rees Roberts Architects and My Little Artist for creating such an imaginative community project involving local schools and local landmark buildings. The results celebrate the impact that art and architecture can have on all our lives: grown-ups and young people alike.”

Tania Gomez-Duran of Freeland Rees Roberts Architects said: “Architecture Week events gives us all the unique chance to see how buildings are designed and the way they are built – from the foundations to the materials and space. Cambridge boasts some of the finest architecture in the UK and among the 10 landmark buildings in Cambridge city are some of the local, award-winning buildings designed by our own local practice.”