Architect David Ross of Keppie Design said: “It may seem almost chaotic in the early stages, but we want the young people to experience going through the process of changing and evolving ideas, to get to a final design. This is what architects do”.

The Interaction project calls for students to respond to specific needs in their own schools, leading to the actual realisation of built structures.

The youngsters’ brief for the morning was to work in groups, mentored by seniors, to design and build a 1:20 scale model for a structure to display and sell products.

On hand to help were David Ross; Hanneke Scott van-Wel, architect with Stone Opera; and Kathy Li, also of Stone Opera and part-time lecturer in architecture at Glasgow School of Art (GSA). Ian Hope of Hope Homes – builders of Cumnock’s Knockroon development, in a partnership with the Prince’s Charities Foundation – also dropped in to see the potential architects at work.

Headteacher Peter Gilchrist was delighted with the enthusiasm shown by his students and praised their creativity.

Hanneke Scott van-Wel said: “Today’s event is just a taster for the bigger project. Pupils will be asked to work on individual designs for a moveable structure to be used in selling products made in school. It must be flexible, portable, fit to be used outdoors and it must reflect the school identity.

“They will work in art and technical classes on their designs up until Christmas, when one winning design will be selected from each school. That design will be constructed as a model.

“The finalists will go forward to a Dragons’ Den type contest, where all nine schools will come together and a winner will be chosen. By the end of the school year, the structures will be realised.”

David Ross stressed that the design brief was a guide and was open to interpretation – different schools could evolve their own ideas. Kilmarnock Academy, for example, is coming up with ideas around a prototype racing car model!

He added: “Interaction will involve a number of departments in each school working on the problem simultaneously. We hope that art, technical, business and IT departments would form the core teams for this exercise”.

Councillor Iain Linton, Spokesperson for Lifelong Learning, said: “This initiative is in the early stages but has all the hallmarks of a unique and innovative project which will enhance what is already on offer in the curriculum, by giving students the opportunity to work with professionals and experts in their fields”.