A huge thanks to Material Source for hosting us at their Farringdon studio, where the day began with a tour of their Future Materials Library, exploring innovation, retrofit and the materials shaping the future of our industry.
We heard from two inspirational speakers, each sharing their career paths and favourite projects: Olaide Oboh discussing Socius & Populate and Sara Willard on Workable City.
Alongside the talks, there was an open Q&A where panellists Sam McCabe, National Chair and WSP, and Nicola Rudman, WiP Board Director and Fairhursts, joined Olaide to offer up candid advice based on personal experiences.
Later we were treated to a tour of the recently completed 123 Golden Lane by sustainable developer Bywater, guided by the knowledgeable Amber Wren. A brilliant development marrying retrofit of a historic building with a timber two storey extension.
The Student Awards are about much more than the award itself. We want to give talented students from across the UK exposure to the breadth of our industry, access to people working within it and, importantly, a network of their own that can grow alongside their careers.
A huge thank you to Olaide, Sarah and Amber for sharing their experiences so generously, and to the Women in Property team who brought the day together – Shannon Conway, Nicola Rudman, Sam McCabe and Charlotte Bayliss. The day was supported by Picture This. Congratulations again to all our 2026 Student Award winners. We can’t wait to see what you do next.