We were lucky enough to have HLM Architects to our Future Cities Forum 2 to tell us about a competition that the practice has won for an imaginative design of the Moscow circus training school.

Above is the winning design that was inspired from the wings of an insect and its open features of the design include a viewing gallery, with the idea that if the school was ever built, it would encourage the community to visit and watch the training sessions. This is a fundamental idea of city regeneration - using architecture to bring communities together.

The competition does not lead to an actual commission but was a vehicle to allow architects and designers free-reign to tap into their creativity.

HLM's architect Maryam Fazal and architectural visualiser and illustrator, Belinda Ercan both worked on the design for the ACCA International Competition.

Over the last few years, there has been a trend for designers to look at insects for ideas when visualising buildings. Take Eindhoven designer Paul Heijnen - he has created an 'insect lamp' made out of wood and articulated so that it can 'crouch' or stretch up to look you in the eye!

Picture courtesy: Pinterest.com