The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and architecture firm AHR (formerly Aedas UK) have chosen Chloe Anderson as the 2014/15 beneficiary of the highly coveted RIBA AHR Stephen Williams Scholarship, currently the most generous single scholarship the RIBA makes to students in financial need. The scholarship will offer Anderson personal academic mentoring by a member of staff at AHR and a £5,000 grant towards her studies.

“I am beyond chuffed to be the 2014 recipient of the RIBA AHR Stephen Williams Scholarship which will provide the much needed financial support for me to begin my Part 2 studies in London,” said Anderson. “The support offered by AHR and RIBA is invaluable and I'm very excited about the opportunities the scholarship will present over the coming years.”

Chole Anderson

Anderson, who completed her Part 1 at the University of Sheffield and will be starting her Professional Diploma in Architecture (RIBA Part 2) in September 2014 at London Metropolitan University, is interested in exploring the potential of the design process as a tool for engaging with social issues.

She is also a co-founder of “CreatePlay” which involved the design and construction of an inclusive outdoor play-space in Bulgaria. Located on the grounds of a mainstream nursery school, the project aims to reduce the exclusion of children with disabilities through the informal and unorchestrated nature of play, offering the ability to overcome social barriers by providing a playground that is sensitive to the needs of all children, regardless of their disabilities.

CreatePlay before and after construction

The scholarship judging panel consisted of Carol Williams (representing the Williams family), David Simister (AHR), Brian Johnson (AHR Chairman), Stephen Hodder (RIBA President), Mary Duggan (RIBA Education Committee) and John Waldron (RIBA Education Trust Funds Committee).

“We’re delighted to award this year’s prize to Chloe Anderson for her inspiring work,” said Johnson. “The standard of entries was exceedingly high and Chloe’s stood out by her creativity and attention to detail. Supporting students and young architects is central to the ethos of AHR and we will continue to work with the RIBA to support this prestigious prize."