Andrew McMullan (AADipl 2006) has won a RIBA competition to create affordable homes which encourage young people to live in the Lakes and Dales. Run by Great Place: Lakes and Dales in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the competition asked for cutting-edge designs for flexible, affordable housing which would attract the under 35s to live in the Lakes and Dales.

Mcmullan Studio won the competition with ‘The Flexstead’, a flexible dwelling inspired by the fluid layout of traditional local farmsteads that will give young people the freedom to create their own rural lifestyle on a budget they can afford.

‘The Lakes and Dales is a spectacular place but sadly many young people can’t afford to call it home. The area has 44% fewer 16-34-year-olds than the national average. It’s time for a rural youthquake.’ – Andrew Mcmullan

The competition was judged by a panel of local authority officers, design experts, landowners and a RIBA agent. Members included Wayne Hemingway (Hemingway Design), Nathan Cornish (Urban Splash) and Sasha Bhavan (RIBA).