BUDDING architects and designers spent a day brain storming ideas for the future of Colchester’s historic water tower at a Rethinking Jumbo event.

The creative workshop gave young people considering a career in architecture and the creative/design industries the chance to work with other students and professional architects to inspire the future use of the water tower.

The Colchester Chapter of the Royal Institute of Architects (RIBA) organised the event as part of North Essex Heritage’s Jumbo Summer, celebrating the Victorian landmark.

Supported through a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Jumbo Summer is enabling people to learn about the heritage of Colchester’s historic water tower.

Peter Buist, a partner in Purcell architects and an organiser of the event, said: “The design workshop was a great success with a group of talented and engaged young people from schools and colleges in Essex and Suffolk.

“The students analysed the site and the tower through beautiful hand-drawn sketches and went on to define possible uses for the conversion of the tower.

“The afternoon workshops were spent developing architectural proposals for the tower’s conversion with some imaginative ideas, including an elevated public square and an experience-led visitor attraction, including an elevated rainforest.”