Lawrence's mother helps launch £1m architecture project in his memory

The mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence is launching a project to help make it easier for black people to become architects.

The black 18-year-old, who was studying to be an architect, was stabbed to death in 1993 by a gang of racist thugs.

Doreen Lawrence, director of the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, has joined forces with architects RMJM in a £1million project.

They said they wanted "to help crack open the elitist white class currently controlling British architecture and open it up to youngsters like Stephen".

Architecture For Everyone aims to transform Britain's inner cities by encouraging young people to become architects.

Mrs Lawrence said: "While Stephen was tragically prevented from fulfilling his dream of becoming an architect, this initiative will empower many other young people to rediscover and fulfil their dreams."

It hopes to unearth talent in youth centres, music and club venues.

A national competition will also be launched to select the six people to go to the worldrenowned Harvard Graduate School of Design in Boston for an intensive introductory course in architecture. Bursary awards will also be offered.

RMJM's chief executive Peter Morrison said: "This is much more than a worthy initiative, it's got a commercial and cultural imperative. There's going to be a global boom in the construction industry and, if we don't take action now, we will not have sufficient architects to service demand and those buildings we do design will be built by white, middle class architects.

"We will be all the poorer as a nation for this lack of diversity." The trust opened the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford in February.

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