Student Receives Award for Reimagining North Acton
Ivana Stoimenovska created socially responsive design for the area
Ivana's submission sees the area connected by an elevated walkway
July 27, 2026
University of West London Interior Architecture student Ivana Stoimenovska, who graduated this month, has been highly commended at the prestigious Interior Educators (IE) National Student Awards, held earlier this month at the MillerKnoll furniture showroom in Clerkenwell. The annual awards celebrate outstanding work by undergraduate students from interior programmes across the UK and Ireland, recognising projects that combine creativity, technical excellence and social impact.
Ivana received her commendation in the Social and Cultural Agency Award category, which honours projects demonstrating how interior architecture can positively engage with people, place and context through socially and culturally responsive design. Her project, North Acton Urban Layers, reimagines North Acton Station as a civic destination rather than a transport interchange, addressing fragmented pedestrian connections, limited public space and accessibility barriers created by rapid urban growth.
The proposal introduces a new elevated pedestrian bridge linking North Acton, Park Royal and Old Oak Common, alongside a publicly accessible rooftop garden and community-focused food hall designed to foster everyday social interaction. Step-free access is integrated throughout via lifts and accessible routes. By transforming underused infrastructure into a connected public landscape, Ivana’s design aims to promote social inclusion, wellbeing and environmental sustainability, strengthening relationships between people, place and movement.
An aerial view of North Acton from Ivana's submission
Sotirios Varsamis, Senior Lecturer and Course Leader for BA (Hons) Interior Architecture at UWL ’s London School of Film, Media and Design, praised Ivana ’s achievement: “Receiving a Highly Commended distinction in the IE Awards 2026 places Ivana ’s project among the three nationally recognised projects in the Social Impact Award category. This is an outstanding achievement that reflects the strength of her community-led research in North Acton and demonstrates how interior architecture can create meaningful social impact and respond sensitively to the needs of local communities. ”
Reflecting on her time at UWL, Ivana said she felt “really proud and grateful” that her work was recognised among so many exceptional projects. “It made all the hard work feel worth it,” she said. “I had brilliant lecturers and fellow students, and they helped us prepare for our future careers — from CVs and portfolios to presentations and job applications. I highly recommend the University and the course.”
Ivana presenting her submission
Ivana’s submission, now part of the national exhibition touring IE member institutions, emphasises the importance of understanding how people use and move through urban spaces. Her analysis of pedestrian movement, commuting patterns and population growth informed a design that responds to the needs of commuters, residents, students, visitors and people with reduced mobility. By combining transport infrastructure with community-focused spaces, she has created a vision for a more inclusive and welcoming environment in one of West London ’s fastest-changing neighbourhoods.
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