MSA Live 26

03/03/26

This week, we finalised our project timeline and reassessed our budget and risk assessment following further discussions about what our community engagement task with the people of Stockport could involve. After brainstorming ideas as a group, we agreed on a final concept. We then discussed the budget required to carry out the activity and identified the potential risks involved in implementing it.

In addition, we revisited a task set during the previous meeting in which each group member created visualised collages representing their individual interpretations and responses to the site. When considered alongside further research into the history of the area, this discussion began to shape the direction of our project. As the brief allows for flexibility and creativity, this process helped us begin defining a clearer focus for our project.

Hi, my name is Tre-kwan and I am a first year architecture student. Prior to moving to Manchester to study architecture, I lived in North West London my whole life. My interests are how buildings or structures intertwine with the needs of humanity but also their visual beauties and how these buildings make people feel. I enjoy all the creative freedom architecture gives and I would love to be a part of future of the industry.

For this project, I am really excited to work on something that has real impact and could help people, but also to gain major experience and learn from the post graduate students. We will transform a church into a digital tech community hub, I am thrilled to be in this group as I think it is interesting to try and connect two almost incongruous ideas of “old and new” and this in my opinion would be very fun to explore.

W3: 03/03/2026
For this week’s session, instead of all trying to discuss and resolve one decision together, we learnt to split into much smaller groups and trust each other’s abilities and decision-making to complete more tasks simultaneously, like drafting sketches onto site plans, conducting demographic research on our area, and carrying out a site analysis. We were much more productive compared to last week, and time flew by so fast this time!

Today we took a big step forward with our second client meeting, discussing about our sites and further developing our understanding of the brief. We presented what we have so far to the client and note down their likes and requests. It was very useful for us as a group to further consult the client, ensuring we start our actual designs with the right idea. They reminded us that the aim to increase social interactions in the community wasn’t shown as clearly in the poster, suggesting that we add more elements of human interaction. Other than the addition to the poster, the clients were pleased by the direction we were going and left excited for the next meeting. We then continued towards the lecture hall to listen to a valuable lecture on community and importance of inclusive designs. After our lunch break, we gathered to discuss the client meeting further with our tutor and started paving our way towards the first few designs.

Week 3 - 03/03/2026

Today we presented and reviewed the site analysis we have been developing since our last meeting. We have each developed an understanding of our chosen sites in smaller groups and were enthusiastic to hear about each other’s work today.

For each site, we went through analysis of traffic routes, congestion points and important crossing areas. It was pivotal to gain an understanding of the potential weak points in the existing site before moving into the design stage of the project. This is beneficial in our process as safety and travel routes are at the forefront of this project. We also discussed what each of the schools and wider community had access to and, in contrast, what each could be wanting. These included things such as availability to green spaces, playground equipment and communal meeting spaces. Now that we have identified these elements we can confidently move forward in the design process to developing site specific interventions. Each site is unique and poses an exciting opportunity for a community space we look forward to working on.

Before the next session we have arranged for a second meeting with our collaborators to organise community engagement meetings with the schools relevant to this project. This will be an opportunity for us to refine the community opinion of the sites in person, rather than relying solely on our initial desktop studies. We look forward to expanding the depth of this project through these conversations.

Hi I’m Omolade. I did my Bachelor’s in Architecture at Central Saint Martins in London and have decided to pursue my Master’s in Architecture here at MSA.

I’m excited to work on the MSA Live project as it will give me the opportunity to work with real clients more and strengthen my professional practice skills. Adaptive reuse also gives us the challenge of using what is already there, while minimising waste and prioritising use, which are important tools to develop in the current architectural climate.

Hi! My name is Jie Zhou. I completed my undergraduate studies in Architecture in China and I am currently studying MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse at MSA.

I have always been very interested in community regeneration projects because communities are important places where people connect with society. A well-designed community environment can encourage interaction, strengthen people’s sense of belonging, and provide support and resources for different groups. What particularly attracts me to this community project is its focus on young people. Providing them with a safe, open and engaging space is very important for their growth and their participation in society.

I am really looking forward to participating in this project and to working with other students to explore how spatial design can bring more positive impacts to the community and young people.

Shaping the Project Framework & Design Direction
3 March 2026

In our third group session, we continued developing core project documents—including the Budget Proposal, Ethics Application, Project Timeline, and Risk Assessment—followed by collaborative research into relevant case studies. Through analysis and discussion, we began to shape our design approach and clarify the conceptual logic behind our proposal.
It was a focused and insightful meeting, moving us closer to a coherent and well-structured project foundation.

Boting Ren

MArch Architecture | Manchester School of Architecture

I am currently studying MArch Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture, with a background in architectural design and construction-oriented thinking. My work focuses on translating conceptual ideas into buildable spatial strategies, with particular attention to material logic, structural clarity, and cost feasibility.

I approach design through a practical and technically informed process, prioritising constructability, resource efficiency, and climatic responsiveness. I am especially interested in projects within low-resource contexts, where architectural decisions must be grounded in available materials, labour conditions, and realistic budget frameworks. Rather than treating architecture as a purely conceptual exercise, I value disciplined design development that responds to real-world constraints.

My strengths lie in early-stage feasibility studies, construction logic, and budget-aware design coordination. I enjoy working at the intersection of design and delivery, where architectural intent is tested through technical resolution and material strategy.

Through this MSA Live project, I aim to contribute to construction-led thinking, cost and material research, and pragmatic design development, supporting the team in producing context-sensitive and achievable architectural proposals.

Site Visit 1 - We had a walking tour from the Etihad Stadium through Holt Town, ending at New Islington, alongside our collaborator Transport for Greater Manchester and a representative from Manchester City Council.

As we walked through Holt Town, the council representative explained the regeneration plans and their long-term vision for the area. Experiencing the site on foot gave us valuable insight into the opportunities and constraints within Holt Town, as well as a clearer understanding of what future residents may need in terms of connectivity, public space, and infrastructure.

This was a successful site visit, as it provided strong contextual grounding and clarified Holt Town’s relationship to Manchester city centre. The discussions from this meeting informed our first steps towards identifying a new location for the proposal of the Holt Town Travel Hub.

Yesterday the group used our timetabled meeting to get some work done and enjoy the sun! We discussed the online meeting we had with our collaborator, Steve, last week, narrowed down and distributed our roles for the festival output, and planned our trip to Sale today.

Second Meeting 17/2/2026 – From Ideas to Action

Today’s session marked a strong progression from our introductory meeting into a more structured action plan. Since last week, the poster team has produced a beautiful poster that captures the essence of Active Axis. We began by reviewing it together as a group, discussing refinements and ensuring that the key principles: accessibility, vibrancy, community, greenery etc. were communicated effectively.
We then shifted our focus towards the practical foundations of the project. We divided into four groups to work efficiently: Budget Planning, Risk Assessment, Project Timeline and Ethics Application. Each group was led by at least one Master’s student, supporting BA1 students. Working in a focused 30-minute interval, we developed our respective sections before regrouping to share progress. This allowed everyone to comment, add missing details and stay aligned with each other’s work.
The Budget team presented first, followed by the Risk Assessment team. As discussions developed, we agreed that we should work on the Ethics Application collaboratively to reflect the shared responsibility of the project. We concluded by reviewing and refining the timeline, adding more detailed stages to ensure clarity moving forward.
Our tutor later joined us to provide feedback on the poster and guidance on today’s tasks, helping us refine and strengthen our direction. Towards the end of the session, we began brainstorming ideas for community engagement, including integrating a QR code on the poster or organising a physical activity, both aimed at encouraging the users to contribute their opinions on what they would like to see within the community.
We ended by summarising progress, setting deadlines and allocating responsibilities, ensuring clear direction for the week ahead. Check the next blog as Active Axis continues to grow.

Meeting 3

03.03.2026 - Preparing for Site Visit

Developing ethical applications, consent forms, participant information sheets. Discussions around risks assessments and budgeting for the project. First draft of a timeline developed by BA1 students and reviewed by the team.

3/3/2026

Todays session began on a strategic note. Before jumping into design, we sat down to carefully structure the framework around it — finalising and discussing the Budget, Risk Assessment, Ethics, and our Project Timeline. It was important for us to ground the project in reality, ensuring that our ideas are not only ambitious but responsible, feasible, and aligned with the values of Monton Unitarian Church.

As the conversation developed, it naturally transitioned into early design thinking. With clearer constraints of budgets and risk assessments and a direction in place, we began preparing material to pitch to the client.

Each of us brought forward relevant precedents, which we analysed collectively, asking how they support user wellbeing, encourage gathering, and create moments of retreat. We sharpened our focus on our chosen user group and considered how the proposal could reflect both the client’s ethos and the lived experiences of those we are designing for.

A major milestone for this session was the completion of our 3D site model. Having a digital base to work from allowed us to begin experimenting visually. Testing massing ideas, exploring spatial relationships, and conceptualising how our intervention might sit within the existing context. Moving between conversation, sketching, and modelling made the process feel dynamic and collaborative, marking the first real moment where our research began to translate into form.

Minecraft Soundtrack = Creative Mode

Week 2 was us sharing vibes and brainstorming for the less glamorous but very necessary bit: getting the project properly organised. We split into smaller teams to tackle different tasks (planning, timeline, ethics, engagement, risk, and budget), then kept regrouping to compare notes and make sure we weren’t all quietly building different versions of the same project.

We also pushed the design forward and wrapped up the posters. Working in mini groups helped us move faster, but the best part was coming back together to review them as a whole team; lots of debates, a few ruthless cuts, and a shared agreement that clarity wins (even if we were emotionally attached to certain layouts).

In parallel, we started properly sharing design references and early ideas, building a quick inspiration board, swapping case studies, and throwing around thoughts on temporary/lightweight/movable structures. Nothing too precious yet, but enough to get everyone on the same page and start shaping a shared visual direction.

Day 2 - Pre-project Admin - 17/02/25
During our second meeting, we regrouped to review progress across the different workstreams. The poster team shared updates on their developing visuals, while the blog team presented the current structure and direction of the written content. This check-in helped ensure alignment across the group and highlighted areas that required further development.
Our discussion then shifted towards gathering meaningful insights from the local community. As a team, we explored potential approaches to engagement, including identifying which site to prioritise and considering the value of conducting a visit to Wigan. We discussed how direct interaction with local residents, youth groups, and community stakeholders could help ground our proposals in real needs and lived experiences.
Building on these conversations, we began outlining a clear strategy for moving forward. This included recognising the need to prepare a risk assessment for any site visit or public engagement activities, alongside developing an initial budget plan to account for travel and material costs. We also acknowledged the importance of establishing a realistic time plan to coordinate research, engagement, and design development effectively.
Day 2 marked an important step in shifting from initial understanding towards structured planning, ensuring our next actions are both responsible and well-organised.

03/03/2026

On a scorching day at the beginning of March in an even more scorching Crawford House seminar room our plan for today was to teach all the BA1s AutoCAD to produce the necessary architectural drawings for our project. Jake showed a great deal of patience during the downloading process of the programme, as well as in his teaching methods, greatly helping the BA1s, who are often heard to miss digital skills sessions due to heavy Tuesday nights out after MSA Live sessions. Once agreeing on who was drawing plans and who was drawing elevations, Mr Hyde (not to do with Dr Jekyll) helped us wrap up our session today.

Hi my name is Milena Ereh,
I'm a First year architecture student at MSA. Previously i studied Art and design, maths and chemistry at A-Level. My current skills revolve around analogy drawing however I’m excited to learn more about digital techniques throughout this project. Outside of architecture i enjoy oil and watercolour painting as well as charcoal drawing. Sine high school I've had a passion for art surrounding nature and landscape that's only grown with my interest for architecture. I hope that working Moor Allerton Preparatory School in this project will help me understand the importance of the relationship between a community and nature better and how both can thrive unanimously.

Group 13: Withington Baths ‘Internal Reflection’
As our group is getting closer and more stuck in with our project at Withington Baths, we wanted to take a moment to have a quick "internal interview" with the team.

Communication:
The general consensus - we’re actually talking to each other! Jiabin and Song both highlighted that our communication has been a major strength from day one. Ben agreed, noting that the team has shown great input and attendance across the board.

One of the big "unknowns” going in was how the different year groups would mesh. Mia, Laiba, and Manouka admitted they were a little worried that the Masters students might be intimidating. Thankfully, they’ve found the opposite to be true!

The Workload:
We’ve been pretty strategic about how we divvy up the workload. Our group all feel that jobs have been assigned based on people’s strengths as well as opportunities to learn.

Split into subgroups, we’ve all worked well to produce a successful poster and blog, a thorough plan of action, a budget proposal, and a detailed risk assessment.

In the mini interview that took place during today’s group work, many also pointed out that everyone is "pulling their weight" and meeting deadlines, which is always a massive win for a university group project.

A ‘What If’ Exercise with the Budget Team
We asked: What would happen if our budget suddenly doubled?

Our budget team agreed that while we can still do a lot with what we have, extra cash would mean:

1. Physical Models: More 3D explorations of our ideas.
2. Easier Community Engagement: we could create even better Withington community engagement.
3. Site Logistics: It could make site visits even easier for the whole team.

What’s Not Working?:
Every project does have its hurdles though! It has been noted that our Tuesday sessions can feel a bit drawn out, however we are working to stay flexible and keep everyone involved.

A recurring issue raised in the interview is that slightly itchy phase we’ve found ourselves in where we’re waiting for the ‘real’ design work to kick off. There’s definitely an appetite to see layouts and examples of previous submissions so we can really start to visualise our final output.

One more thing we need to fix: not everyone has been to the site yet. Getting everyone down to the Baths is top of the priority list!

Looking Ahead:
Overall the mood is high and we’ve realised we have a "nice" group (Mackenzie’s words!), and that’s half the battle won already. We are specifically looking forward to the visualisation stage, and getting more stuck in with the community.

March 1
Hi, my name is Pengjia Dai. You can just call me Daisy. I’m a postgraduate student from MSA. I graduated from the University of Liverpool. During the gap year, I interned at many types of companies. It’s my first time engage in a landscape project. Because of the TV show ‘Clarkson’s Farm’, then I got interested in the ecology and agriculture in the UK. I'm happy to join this project and put it into practice.

03/03/2026

Today we brainstormed ideas on how to engage with the community at the garden ahead of our second site visit next weekend. We decided to collate precedents of water features which we will print and show the volunteers and members of the Salford Croquet Club who play on Saturday afternoons. We are planning on giving them coloured paper to vote for which ideas they like or dislike, allowing us to get a holistic idea on what design style is favoured before we start designing the water feature in the coming weeks, as well as allowing the community to have a say in the design process.

During our meeting today, we had a doughnut birthday party! This was to celebrate the birthdays of three of our team members. As we continue our MSA Live journey, these moments of team bonding help to keep our motivated and relaxed meetings.

GREENHOUSE MEASURE-UP

Today our group visited Blossom’s greenhouses to take accurate site measurements using a laser measurer. We recorded key dimensions of the greenhouse structure to help us map the layout correctly. We left with a clear set of measurements and photos, ready to turn into scaled drawings and start developing our first birdhouses design proposals.

17/02/2026
Today was our second scheduled meeting. Starting with the poster we discussed the current design and suggested improvements to be made before the submission. We uploaded our project description, completed our first few blog posts and started to talk over our: project timeline, budget, risk assessment and ethics application. Finally we divided up the tasks for the next two weeks.

My name is Haoyan Duan , and I am a Chinese first-year BA Architecture student at the Manchester School of Architecture. I have a strong interest in site- and landscape-led design, and in the relationship between architecture, historical context and user experience. I aim to further develop my spatial thinking and technical skills throughout my studies, and to pursue an environmentally and socially responsible design approach. I am proficient in Photoshop and SketchUp, using them for visual communication, architectural collage and three-dimensional modelling to support design development.

17/2/26 Site visit

We visited the site and met with the Friends of Worthington volunteers to better understand the space we will be designing for. This visit was extremely helpful, as it gave us a clearer understanding of the clients’ needs and expectations for the project. Being on-site also helped us identify practical challenges and environmental considerations that may influence our design decisions. During the visit, we discovered that a fox den is currently located in the area where the seating is planned. As a result, we will need to collaborate closely with the volunteers to ensure that any changes are handled ethically and responsibly, allowing the foxes to safely relocate to a suitable alternative area before construction begins.

17/02/2026

This day was more about coming together after meeting with our collaborators to develop our ideas for the project and also to think about our project timeline and costs. We split up the tasks so that they were equally divided between all the group members for efficiency. We also worked together in brainstorming activities for the year 4 students, which allowed us to find similar precedents for inspiration and to use as a reference when communicating with our collaborators. Our structured approach for the day improved our overall productivity and created a strong sense of teamwork within the group.

Session 2 – Engagement activities and necessary documents!

In our second session, we focused on engagement activities and worked through some key documents. To keep things organised, each MArch1 student was given a task, supported by a BA1 or Foundation student. It worked really well - we were able to learn from each other’s strengths while keeping everything moving at a good pace.

The documentation included a Project Timeline, Ethics Application, Risk Assessment, and Budget Proposal. The budget task especially pushed us to think more creatively about engagement. We started brainstorming how we could make our activities interactive and enjoyable for the users of the site, particularly the kids at HYDE Community Courts.

This session helped us understand how much thought goes into planning meaningful engagement, and how important it is to design activities that people actually want to take part in when we head to site!

Meeting 02 — 17/02/2026

On our second group meeting, we focused on further improving the poster and its supporting description. We discussed the overall look and its definition of United Didsbury church, including texture, layout decisions, and agreeing on clear titles that communicate the project direction.

Project direction
We then divided into smaller groups to cover the key project strands. This included developing the risk assessment, outlining ethical considerations, setting up the project timeline, and starting a basic budget framework so we can track deliverables and responsibilities more clearly moving forward.

Hello, I’m Yisheng Li, currently studying MArch 1 at the Manchester School of Architecture.

I’m not a professional hiking enthusiast, but I enjoy sports and I’m always happy to take part in a long-distance walk or a casual ramble from time to time. I often focus on large-scale architectural projects, so having the opportunity to explore smaller-scale installations is a refreshing and valuable experience for me.

I’m familiar with most digital design software, and I’m confident that I can contribute more on the computational and visual design side of the project. Spending weekends or holidays close to nature, especially on the outskirts of the city, is always a great choice. Therefore, I’m really looking forward to bringing new energy to the Great Manchester Ringway and attracting more people to engage with and become part of this initiative.

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.

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

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.

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.