The built environment is more than just bricks and mortar – it is the stage on which our lives unfold. Yet, for many young people, architecture and urban design feel distant, shaped by others with little opportunity for them to engage. The Festival of the Future, taking place today and tomorrow at 66 Portland Place, aims to change that. Bringing together students, educators, and built environment professionals, the festival seeks to reimagine who gets to shape our cities and how.

Organised in collaboration with the RIBA and a range of pioneering organisations – including Open City’s Accelerate, Black Females in Architecture, PoOR Collective, Matt + Fiona, HomeGrown Plus, :toscale, Earthworks, and Beyond the Box CIC – the festival aims to bridge the gap between industry and education. It is an invitation to rethink how young people engage with the built environment, offering them not just a glimpse but a tangible role in shaping its future.

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