Forever Island - A New Model for Young Islanders
The Place Bureau
Forever Island is a community campus in Sandown, Isle of Wight, designed to address the island’s demographic time-bomb. The whole Island is a stunning UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, a great place for a comfortable retirement. Yet, like many UK coastal towns, it struggles to retain its young people, who face limited career prospects, low-paid seasonal work and insecure housing. With no Island university, young residents leave for the mainland in search of better prospects, and don't return. The campus will transform opportunities, creating an affordable, lively and future-focussed community designed especially for young islanders.
Developed with ecological designers Artecology and the IOW Youth Forum, we reimagine holiday park typologies: regenerative, modular, high-quality and affordable, with all the good vibes of seaside living. It offers a mix of micro-apartments, shared homes and connected, walkable communal spaces in a sociable coastal community.
The campus integrates work and training, including biosphere conservation, maker-spaces, and a Sea Rangers programme delivering skills and employment. A network of future campuses spread out along the Sandown-Ryde trainline would accelerate the eco-cultural transformation the Island needs.
With a focus on ecology, we capitalise on the drive for natural asset finance and investment. Conservation training schemes are funded through biodiversity credits and makerspaces design and build habitat products such as Artecology’s Naturebricks and Vertipools. By blending affordable housing, work opportunities and environmental stewardship, Forever Island offers a fresh vision for island living - one that transforms life prospects for young people while reviving the natural landscape forever.
The Place Bureau
Christos Koukis, Architecture / Architect
Rosanna Vitiello, Placemaking / Creative Directo
Tess Redburn, Cultural Strategy / Cultural Strategist
Ivana Stanisic, Masterplanning / Masterplanning Consultant
Harry Tenant, Illustration / Illustrator
Artecology
Ian Boyd, Ecological Design / Sustainability Consultant - local correspondent
Isle of Wight Youth Trust
Matthew Hall / Jo Dare, Youth-led wellbeing / Advisors for Youth Support
