MSA Live 26

This Monday, Group 5 took the initiative to visit the site in Macclesfield for the first time. After meeting with our collaborator, she guided us on a tour through the museum, walking us through each exhibition space and sharing her perspective on the current challenges the site faces. Seeing the space in person immediately helped us better understand some issues we had previously discussed. One challenge was that the exhibitions felt disconnected from one another in accessibility and theme. The access points between rooms were often unclear, which made navigation confusing and disrupted the overall visitor journey. We also observed that some areas felt cluttered, with displays competing for attention, while others were much more thought-out. The room with the looms and historic flooring, in particular, stood out for its thoughtful layout, demonstrating how impactful the space could be when designed with care. This contrast highlighted the potential for improvement across the rest of the museum. The layout itself was occasionally disorienting. For example, the first exhibition visitors encounter focuses on ancient Egypt, which feels unrelated to the museum’s core theme of silk. This raised questions about how the museum's narrative is introduced and whether the sequence of spaces could be restructured to create a clearer, more cohesive story, for example, by moving the initial access point and the cafe to the other side of the building. During the visit, we documented the space by taking measurements and photographs to support our later analysis and design work. This practical step felt important, as it gave us concrete information to refer back to when developing our design proposal. Overall, the visit was extremely valuable. Experiencing the museum firsthand gave us a much clearer understanding of both its strengths and its problem areas, and it helped ground our ideas for engagement and design in the realities of the space. The trip left us feeling better prepared for the next stage of the project.

Hi, I'm Wang Shuyu!
I am from China and I am currently a Master's student in AR at MSA.
I have always been deeply passionate about architecture. I am fascinated by how design shapes space, culture and people's daily life, which is why I chose this field.
As part of this project I'd like to improve my design skills, explore creative ideas, and gain practical experience in architectural research and creation

Name: Adam Ibrahim
Course: BA1

Hi everyone,
I’m Adam, a first-year BA Architecture student at MSA.
I grew up between England and Morocco, and these experiences have shaped my understanding of space, community, and a sense of belonging. I’m particularly drawn to the social impact of architecture and its ability to create positive change in people’s lives.

After an earthquake hit the Al Haouz region, Morocco, I volunteered with The International Association of Rotary Clubs to help with the construction of a primary school. Being part of that project allowed me to see how powerful architecture can be when it responds directly to the real needs of a community, especially children.

In addition, I am interested in modern minimalist architecture and photography, as these two subjects influence my perception of space.

I am looking forward to contributing to MSA Live and working with students from different years and learning from a range of perspectives. I hope to bring my experiences, empathy, and enthusiasm to collaborative work that contributes meaningfully to the project and the wider architectural conversation.

Charlie Smith

MArch 1 // Some Kind of Nature [Atelier]

Hi! I’m Charlie, I'm from Preston and completed my undergraduate degree at The University of Edinburgh. During my year out I travelled around Japan and South East Asia, before returning to the UK and settling in Bristol to work for a council-backed, city decarbonisation initiative. I have a strong interest in sustainable building design through adaptive reuse and construction material innovation, and being part of SKN at MSA is allowing me to develop this area of my learning further.

I can't wait to get stuck into the Dens of Discovery project with the Common Garden Collective so that we can immerse the local community within the landscape and provide education on the preservation of non-human environments and use of natural materials.

Hi, I’m Quanquan Wang, currently studying MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse at the Manchester School of Architecture. My approach to architecture is rooted in observation and exploration - shaped by photography, walking, and a curiosity about how spaces hold memory and atmosphere. I’m particularly interested in how existing structures can be reinterpreted through subtle spatial gestures and artistic interventions, revealing new layers of meaning rather than replacing what is already there.

I’m keen to collaborate in an open, experimental setting, exploring how artistic and spatial interventions can gently reframe places like Stockport - reconnecting people to the River Mersey through layered, exploratory experiences.

Course: MArch 1
Atelier: Continuity

Hi I am Jasper. Current MArch 1 student in Continuity atelier. I graduated from MSA in 2024 and spent a year in practice in Manchester working mainly on residential projects. During my year out, I have gained valuable experience and skills which has made me a more competent designer.

I am interested in gaining a wider range of project experience involving local communities and creating space for the people. Working with HYPE gives me an opportunity to do exactly that, I am looking forward to design a space for young people of Hyde which gives them a safe space for socialise, learn and play in.

I am also looking forward to collaborating with my fellow MArch 1 students and learning from others and teaching what I have learn from my undergraduate and year out to the rest of the group.

Course: BA1

Hello, I am Ziad Kandiel. I am Egyptian raised in Saudi Arabia. After a thorough, disciplined yet gilded by creativity and leadership schooling life, which culminated in 4 A-levels and serving as my school's Head boy, I am now studying BA Architecture in the prestigious Manchester School Of Architecture. Architecture to me has always felt like my life's passion and destiny, a calling which was then reinforced further by work experience opportunities in multiple architecture firms in my hometown Jeddah. I have nurtured a particular interest in how architecture serves as a medium of expression and communication, whether conveying culture or heritage, and how the built environment can elevate the human experience. I particularly am drawn to the styles of surrealism, deconstructionism and dynamic structures as they tend to bring forward statements quite clearly and boldly. My strengths are software proficiency, conceptual sketching, final renders, the ability to absorb knowledge and apply it quickly, interpersonal communication and depth of thought. I view my time at MSA, and specifically this current project, as a major opportunity to develop my mindset and create something deeply meaningful for the local residents. Ultimately, this is a stepping stone toward my goal of becoming a world renowned, pioneering architect, designer and statement-maker.

Hi! I’m Thabisile, a Foundation Year student at the Manchester School of Architecture, helping to design the forthcoming school in Aweil. I got into architecture because of how well-rounded the subject can be; it’s a balance between philanthropy, art, logic, and business. It challenges how I think. As personally fulfilling as architecture is, I also enjoy the community that it creates. Architectural design connects like-minded people, in the same way that MSA Live has. I’m excited to work with my peers to create something that has an impact on a community outside of my own. Loreto Sixth Form is the college I attended for my A-Levels and it’s great knowing I have the opportunity to work with them to help develop the skills and confidence of other girls, just as Loreto did for me.

Hi, I’m Jasmine a first-year MArch student at MSA. I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Kent and spent two years working at a Norwich practice, focusing particularly on Education, Commercial and Healthcare schemes. I grew up in Ipswich and throughout my childhood, experienced the town’s major regeneration projects which sparked my interest on community focused design and High Street Regeneration programs.

Having worked more closely with the engineering design team in practice, I wanted to gain more exposure in client engagement, thus find this Live project to be a great opportunity to improve these skills and responding directly to the local community’s needs – something that I have always wanted to experience! I am excited to contribute towards a project for Worthington Park that already holds strong community values!

Hi, I’m Suraiya!
I’m a first-year Architecture student here at MSA. Before starting this course, I studied maths, physics, and art in Birmingham. I am looking forward to working with Moor Allerton Preparatory School, as it will help me develop my collaboration skills, not only with the client but also with my fellow group members. Working well with others is a key skill in progressing on this course. I’m also excited to learn more about sustainable design and biodiversity in outdoor spaces, and how to create a space where the pupils can connect with their surroundings.

Workshop planning

Today our group got stuck into planning an engagement workshop, sketching and combining concepts to create a task that will actively involve the site's community while giving us valuable insights about the site. It was exciting to see our ideas start to take shape and come together. We wrapped up by delegating and running through the necessary tasks, leaving the session feeling motivated and ready to get stuck in!

Hi I’m Esta !

Hobbies: working out and flower arranging

Skills: adobe suite , revit , annologue skills.

I’m currently in BA1 and I have interest in sustainability, commercial development and community engagement!

I am a Master of Architecture student at the Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), with a background in architectural practice in India. My experience spans residential and community-based projects, where I developed a strong foundation in design thinking, technical coordination, and BIM-led workflows.

My interests lie in adaptive reuse, sustainable retrofitting, and community-centred design. I am particularly drawn to projects that strengthen social infrastructure and create spaces that support wellbeing across generations.

For MSA Live, I am working on the redevelopment of Community and Family Centre in Altrincham, with a focus on revitalising its community and café spaces. The aim is to transform these everyday environments into inclusive, welcoming spaces that encourage connection, comfort, and a stronger sense of belonging within the local community.
I look forward to collaborating closely with stakeholders and contributing thoughtfully to a design that supports the centre’s long-term vision.

你好!

My name is Weng Cheong (Ron). I am a first-year Master of Architecture student from Macau with a strong interest in computational design and the financial side of architectural business.
I have two years of professional experience working as a project management assistant and architectural assistant. This experience has given me a comprehensive understanding of the construction industry and enabled me to collaborate closely with interior designers, engineers, clients, contractors and architects.
I am committed to delivering architecture that creates interactive and inclusive environments, complies with local regulatory rules, and maximises the commercial performance and long term value of buildings.

I'm Harry - I've just completed my undergrad at MMU in interior design and am now studying Adaptive reuse at MSA. I'm looking forward to working on a live project which involves real clients as a group. I'm particularly interested in how aesthetics, space and the built environment influence our behaviour and what role we as designers play in shaping that.

Hello! I'm Roshni Patel a BA1 student at the Manchester School of Architecture. I am of Indian heritage and growing up experiencing different cultures has given me a unique outlook on architecture. I studied maths, physics and 3D design at A-level which have all set me up for my journey at the MSA. I like this project because it is adaptive reuse and has a wide range of users to consider. I can't wait to work with my team, learn from others and make a real impact on the Rossendale community. I am very excited to see this project grow!

Meet the Collaborators
03/02/2026
The first task was introducing members of the team, assigning roles and establishing team values and expectations. This was closely followed up by a meeting with our collaborators where we discussed the brief and possible outcomes from the brief in greater depth. Meeting with Thornton Manor representatives also gave us further insight into the history of the sight, allowing us consider how its context may be applied in future outputs.

Overall Mood(s): Curious & Excited

My name is Nadia, and I’m a BA1 student. I grew up in Egypt, where I developed a strong curiosity for learning and exploring new ideas. I’m really excited to work on this project because I see it as a great opportunity to grow, gain new experience, and challenge myself in a positive way.

18 Feb 2026 @ Mossley Community Centre

/ Site Visit
MArch 1 students visited Mossley Community Centre to spend time with the community and hear their thoughts, stories, and hopes for the space. Through conversations and careful observation, we began to understand how the centre is used and what truly matters to its users. We also took measurements and documented the existing conditions to support the next stage of our design development.

- Creating a Poster

Our poster began through a series of quick hand sketches, where we explored composition, scale and how architectural forms could sit alongside people-focused imagery. Early on we discussed colour palette carefully, choosing tones that felt both local and welcoming, drawing from familiar materials and street colours found across Wigan and Leigh.

We then brought these ideas together digitally, layering the sketches, textures and graphics into a single composition. Rather than presenting a finished architectural proposal, the poster reflects the character of the existing built environment while emphasising collaboration. The aim was to visually communicate a shared effort, showing how small contributions, conversations and actions can collectively support and strengthen the Wigan and Leigh community.

During an initial meeting with our collaborator, we met Dave Payne, a Board Member at Withington Baths. Dave provided a detailed overview of the Baths’ history and outlined the broad range of possibilities we could explore through this project.

A key element of the brief he emphasised was the need for a new gym, to be delivered as an extension to the existing building. He encouraged us to think beyond a single-use addition, suggesting a mixed-use approach that could incorporate social housing, event spaces, and communal facilities, among other opportunities.

To help contextualise these ambitions, Dave shared previous design proposals, which ranged from modest two-storey interventions to more ambitious four- and five-storey schemes spanning the entire site.

I’m Varsha, a first-year MArch student in the Infrastructure atelier. I completed my Bachelor’s in Architecture in Bangalore, India and have trained in a professional studio practice. I believe architecture must harmonize with its context while embracing new technologies, materials and societal needs. I’m especially interested in how the art of architecture can be meaningfully expressed and exhibited in built form. I’m excited to work on the Cyan+ project through MSA Live, exploring the potential of architecture to mediate between built and natural systems, strengthening the continuity of green and blue corridors.

Yesterday, we met during the scheduled group session and had another productive catch-up. We managed to complete the tasks set earlier that morning and clearly delegate who would be responsible for the four required outputs, due on the 6th of March. We also spent time talking through what the final project might look like and how we can break tasks down as we move towards the exhibition in June. On top of this, we went over the final tweaks for our poster to make sure everything is coming together. Overall, the meeting felt focused but relaxed, and it was good to see how well we’re continuing to work together as a group.

Course: MArch 1
Atelier: CPU(AI)

Hi, I’m Milia from Malaysia. I completed my undergraduate degree there before coming to MSA. Having studied and lived in different places, I’m interested in how context shapes the way people use and experience spaces. I’m drawn to architecture that focuses on everyday use, and this project is a chance for me to explore how design can make knowledge more open and engaging.

17/02/2026

Our session commenced with an attempted dictatorship takeover from a specific group member and a threat of being an observer for the project if their poster wasn't selected. Once the dust settled and the pitchforks had been put down, a vote to decide poster design was carried out and we made our selection. We then met up with the clients Mike and Alexandra, who agreed with our vision for Dandelion church, and helped us develop our ideas further. Rob then joined us for a discussion, that featured a little bit of direction for our project, as well as many, many examples of his own work in which he believed would be of use in our project.

Last week we met with Ben Atha, a Young People’s Worker at Trafford Council, who works closely with Talkshop in Sale, Manchester, to clarify exactly what he wants to achieve from the project and where improvements are needed. After preparing key questions ahead of the meeting, we were able to align on his goals, identify areas to strengthen, and agree on clear next steps. It was a productive conversation that laid a strong foundation for delivering a meaningful proposal for the young people using the service.

9 Strangers in a room

Our first meeting on Tuesday, 3rd February, involved discussing potential project names, developing initial poster ideas, and just breaking the ice. Hard Hat Café was the brilliant outcome raised by Samira, with no help at all from ChatGPT. As excited as we were to meet the collaborator, unfortunately, unforeseen circumstances delayed our initial discussions.

The poster team produced a strong range of drafts, and we collectively decided to move forward with Yuxiang’s idea, which emphasised our group’s design intent. We discussed visiting the site, and although we would ideally all like to go, Pendle (East Lancashire) is too far for us each to take the venture out (we’re thinking of sending a small strike team instead).

Since the meeting, Michael from In-Situ has reached out and helped to communicate their expectations, and we’re excited to meet him in person after the February half-term.

Starting the day with the lecture, we were briefed on risk assessments, budget plans, project timelines and the ethics application. We then had a lunch break and gathered to have a meeting. We first discussed our deadlines and recap the lecture. After completing a draft of the budget plan, we moved on to exploring our individual research conducted from last meeting. Since last meeting, the client has sent us specified sites, so we decided to discuss that further before creating 3 different groups for site visits in a week’s time. Despite narrowing our site during last meeting, we still want to explore the different sites and keep our research wide-ranged. With the dates for the site visits set for 1st of March as the kickstart, we have created a programme for the rest of the project, compromising and respecting each person’s deadlines as promised in our contract, where we also completed the ethics application and the risk assessments.

03/02/2026
After the first session it was time to meet our collaborator, during the meeting we were able to: get a better sense of what kind of space they wanted us to create, ask and discus any questions we had and orginise a date and time for a site visit.

Hi,I am Qianzi Wu(Luna). I study architecture adaptive reuse in the MSA.
Adaptive strategy is good for the environment and meaningful. I wish to have the chance to work for the real project.

3/2/2026
Today we held our first team meeting, starting off with introductions and providing a brief overview of everyone’s strengths. Tasks were then allocated to everyone according to their traits, making sure everyone had a clear role moving forward.


Shortly after, we carried out some initial research before meeting our collaborator. The main aim of our project is to create a lively social hub for the local community beside Monton Unitarian Church, hosting events such as community picnics and outdoor cinema events.

Later, we had the honour of meeting with Anna, the Unitarian Minister of Monton Unitarian Church. During this session, we gained a deeper understanding of the site and identified key features to guide our next steps. Her perception on community spiked inspiration for us to come up with a range of new ideas for the project.

We kicked off our first session by getting to know the team, sharing our architectural backgrounds and sharing our individual strengths, interests and perspectives. After getting to know eachother, we turned our attention to the brief. We spent time analysing the online resources and diagramming the project scope, identifying not just the bare minimum outcomes expected from us, but where we could expand the project by adding extra creativity and value.

Then, we worked on the collaborative design of our project poster. After sketching individual iterations and going over them as a group, we synthesised our ideas into a final draft that represented our collective vision. With several project names in mind, we headed into our first stakeholder meeting with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The presentation by the TfGM team was incredibly insightful, outlining the project trajectory and specific expectations. A productive Q&A followed, clearing up any potential ambiguities. As a group, we are really proud of the synergy we’ve built in such a short time, and it was rewarding to see that our excitement is shared by our client.

Hello!

I am Fatima. An eager and adaptable foundation year student who is looking forward to working with more experienced architecture students in my group.

FIRST DAY 03/02/2026
Today was the first meeting with our group members and collaborators. During the group meeting, we introduced ourselves and discussed our initial ideas for the project. This included our first impressions of the GM Ringway and our thoughts on its potential. Everyone shared their views openly, and the discussion was active and positive.

In the final hour, we met with members from CPRE and one of the founders of the GM Ringway project. They introduced the background of the project and their expectations. We also exchanged initial ideas between our group and the collaborators.

Overall, the aims of the first meeting were achieved. We look forward to working closely with the collaborators over the next four months and developing a strong project that can attract more people to engage with the GM Ringway.