As part of local developer HHA’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, pupils from Ness Castle Primary School have been tasked with designing the homes of tomorrow.
The not-for-profit developer invited over 200 students from the school to envision how homes might look in 2045 and beyond. The young designers were encouraged to incorporate key elements such as sustainability, accessibility, and community impact into their creative submissions.
A total of 203 entries were received, with some pupils opting to hand-draw their futuristic homes, while others used arts and crafts to bring their designs to life in truly imaginative ways. The HHA team judged the entries, awarding one winner from each year group.
Every winner received a £50 voucher and to further support the school, HHA donated £2,000 of funding for Ness Castle to purchase furniture and equipment to enhance their playground and outdoor space.
The winners included:
- Primary 1 – Elenor McBride, who brilliantly incorporated sustainable power sources into her design, and Fahkr Gillani, who crafted an innovative home featuring bee houses.
- Primary 2 – Archie MacLeod, whose design included a roof garden and space for growing produce, and Kalina Zawadka, who built a home using recycled bricks.
- Primary 3 – Olivia Liston, who designed a stylish home complete with a disco ball and tree house, and Blake Pollock, who envisioned an accessible home made from natural materials.
- Primary 4 – Edward Rabey who integrated advanced futuristic technology, and Sophie Lyall, who designed a dog-themed house with eco-friendly features.
- Primary 5 – Olivia Rankin whose home embraced sustainability with elements like rainwater harvesting, and Harvey Taylor, who created a fun and nature-conscious living space.
- Primary 6 – Liam MacGregor, who designed a house resilient to environmental challenges such as flooding, and Naomi Madueke who focused on accessibility and community in her design.
- Primary 7 – Iris MacGregor, who incorporated native Scottish plants into a community-oriented home, and Kanishkna Rajkumar and Francesca Collery, who worked together to create a design inspired by the 20-minute neighbourhood concept, complete with recycling facilities and eco-conscious features.
Gail Matheson, CEO at HHA, said: “The thoughtful and imaginative designs submitted by the pupils have truly impressed us. It’s inspiring to see how they’ve focused on sustainability and accessibility, carefully considering how their homes will interact with the natural environment.
“It was also fantastic to see so many fun and innovative features included in the designs from a dog-themed home to futuristic smart technology, which I’m sure we’d all love to have in our own homes.
“Our partnership with Ness Castle Primary School marks an exciting milestone for HHA as we celebrate our 20th anniversary throughout 2025. During this time, we have delivered more than 500 homes available at mid-market rent, providing high-quality rental opportunities for local people. Although a lot has changed in that 20-year period, our commitment to providing safe and comfortable housing has remained our number one priority.”
Craig Connon, Headteacher at Ness Castle Primary School, said: “The pupils have shown immense creativity and thoughtfulness in their designs, and we are grateful to HHA for providing such a fantastic opportunity for our students to engage with the world of design and sustainability.
“It is vital to expose future generations to real-world examples, particularly with housing being an issue that affects everyone. It may even inspire some of our pupils to go on to pursue careers as architects or interior designers, making this experience all the more valuable.”
HHA currently owns and manages 25 mid-market rental homes at The Maples development, located to the south of Inverness city centre near Ness Castle Primary School. MMR homes are typically lower than private rental costs and slightly higher than affordable housing rates, creating well-priced rent opportunities for both families and individuals.