Group 16
WOAH + GMHAN

We are team 16 of MSA Live 21, collaborating with WOAH (MMU: a non-profit student-led initiative) and GMHAN to raise awareness about the homeless in Manchester. Team 16 aims to utilise digital marketing media to share useful information about service projects that were created to aid the homeless and allows people to circulate helpful information and contacts. Our team intends to make the lives of those without a home easier, by addressing specific needs and problems. We provide a platform for everybody to help the homeless, allowing people to broadcast their innovative solutions to common problems. Our interactive website enables people all around the world to support the destitute virtually.

Download Final Report

Shrida V / Chen Q / Helena Sophie K / Irina Binti Z / Daniel F

Chen Q
SKILLS

In this project, we are focusing on visually communicating and broadcasting the goals, motivations and projects from WOAH + GMHAN. We are producing a website as the primary output, as such, our skills are related to those needed in building a successful website.
Posted 27 Feb 2021 15:33
Shrida V
INTRODUCING OUR COLLABORATORS:

WOAH is an architectural collective aimed to address the homelessness crisis in Manchester.

The GMHAN is a network for everyone working to end homelessness in Greater Manchester through large scale events aimed at co-designing the homelessness policy and showcasing best practice.

To learn more about the collaborators you can visit their social media pages and website following the links below:

WOAH
https://www.facebook.com/WOAHWithoutAHome/
https://www.instagram.com/woahwithoutahome/

GMHAN
https://www.gmhan.net/


Posted 27 Feb 2021 17:48
Chen Q
INTRODUCING OUR TEAM:

Hi, we are a team of six 5th students at the Manchester School of Architecture. We are working in collaboration with Without a Home (WOAH) and the Greater Manchester Homeless Action Network (GMHAN) to bring you this years MSA Live project 16!

Chen Qi
Atelier : &rchitecture
BArch : University of the West of England
Worked at : BUJU Architects
Skill : Graphics design, Web Design
Interested in : Having worked in the past as a web design and graphics design, I am passionate in exploring differnt ways to communicate and present architectural and social issues / solutions.

Daniel Ford
Atelier: PRAXXIS
BArch: Univeristy for the Creative Arts
Worked at: YN Studio, Spencer Fung Architects, MichaelisBoyd
Skills: Graphic design, architectural representation
Interested in: Having worked in a variety of practices during my time out, I have developed an interest in the social impact of architecture and inclusive approaches to design.

Helena Krekel
Atelier: Infra.Space
BArch: TUM Technical University of Munich, Germany
Worked at: Vogel + Partner Architects
Skills: Communication, Organisation
Interested in: architecture and art history, sustainable design and especially timber construction

Irina Zahidi
Atelier : CiA
BArch : Manchester School of Architecture
Worked at : Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad
Skill : Revit, Sketchup, Vray, Photoshop, Illustrator
Interested in : I am interested in how Architecture impacts communities and drive social changes. I am also keen on learning how to best represent architectural ideas in clear, concise graphics.

Jianyu Wang
Atelier : &rchitecture
BArch : School of Design ,Jiangnan University
Worked at : Syncform Architects, Huashi Co.,Ltd
Skill : Graphics design, Strategy Design
Interested in : I like design driven as the starting point of design. I am very interested in the relationship between vision and architecture, and the relationship between architecture and new technology

Shrida Venkatesh
Atelier: CPU
BArch: SAP, Anna University
Experience: Architecture and Interior design internships at Indian firms.
Skill: AutoCAD, SketchUp and Illustrator
Interested in: I am interested in creating collage renders and making artistic presentations using a combination of digital modelling softwares.


Posted 1 Mar 2021 16:58
Helena Sophie K
SOCIAL VALUES

Here are some of the social values we want to share and represent with this project.

RAISING AWARENESS:
by creating a permanent platform online with a website

INFORMING AND CONNECTING:
spreading information, educating each other and helping people get connected

GETTING INVOLVED:
contribute to change while working with inspiring organisations like WOAH and GMHAN
Posted 2 Mar 2021 12:12
Chen Q
WEBSITE AS A MEANS OF SPREADING AWARENESS

With the advent of the internet, social media, and smart phones, we are ever more connected to each other. During the two week project, a primary focus will be about exploring how we can take advantage of these technology to facilitate the exchange of ideas. With the goal of creating a web presence for WOAH and GMHAN, we will be designing and building a website from scratch. Not only will you benefit from the experience of the project itself, but it should also help you in your future projects, your potential career paths, and in creating your personal online portfolio.
Posted 20 Mar 2021 19:07
Irina Binti Z
GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO HOMELESSNESS

As our group's live project progresses, our blog will introduce the topic of homelessness through a series of posters for increased awareness and understanding on the issue. Who are the homeless? What is it and what causes it? Who are at risk of homelessness and is it preventable?

Homelessness is an issue faced by many urban societies globally and one that is very apparent in Manchester. Homelessness is lacking stable and appropriate housing and are categorized into many different types. Even though the legal definition of homelessness varies from country to country, people who are homeless are typically unable to maintain and acquire regular, secure and safe housing due to poverty and an inconsistent income. It is important to understand that homelessness can and should be ended. While this does not mean no one will ever lose their home again in the future, but that everyone facing has access to the help they need. Thankfully, working in the construction and built environment industry allows one to do be able to do their part in tackling homelessness.
Posted 26 Mar 2021 16:36
Daniel F
WOAH + Provocation lecture series

Organised by WOAH and the architecture student society, the two talks aims to encourage a discussion on the impact of homelessness and the role of the architect/designer.
Bauman is a practicing Architect and a founding Director of Bauman Lyons Architects and of a start-up fabrication company MassBespoke. Previously she was a Professor of Sustainable Urbanism at Sheffield University School of Architecture.
Nivasa is an Architectural Not for Profit Trust, working to enable humane and dignified housing conditions for the urban and rural poor, through design. Anitha Mahendra will be talking on behalf of Nivasa.
Posted 26 Mar 2021 18:01
Irina Binti Z
The MSA Live 21 officially begins tomorrow!

It is vital to understand the effects of homelessness on individuals, communities and on the tax-payer. Because it is a problem affecting the public especially in large urban areas, public attitude towards homelessness should be informed and avoids negative stereotyping. It is crucial to understand several myths about homelessness and how these stereotypes can be avoided. Ultimately there has to be a public understanding that homelessness can be ended.
Posted 9 May 2021 16:17
Chen Q
To design a successful website, we need to consider the experience of the user while browsing the website, and understand what types of content we seek to communicate. A successful website should be self explanatory with intuitive layouts and navigation. In our project, we will study successful website designs to understand the best way to achieve this. We will be using a web builder to streamline the process of creating the website, allowing us to focus on design and content, rather than the technical aspects of website creation. We look forward to starting the project with everyone tomorrow, and hope to achieve a great end product.
Posted 9 May 2021 22:58
Helena Sophie K
Homelessness in Manchester

The cases of homelessness in England but especially in Greater Manchester have been increasing drastically, as well as household who are at risk to becoming homeless.
The exact numbers are unclear but there has been a noticeable increase in places like Manchester's City centre.
Covid-19 is currently a large factor in this situation as many shelters need to close due to the communal nature of the shelters.
Listed on the side are some other charities addressing homelessness, please feel free to have a look at their websites as well as WOAH and GMHAN of course, to read more and find ways to help if you want to

We are looking forward to the start of MSA Live 21, getting to know the whole group and working with you on creating content and building the website!
See you soon!
Posted 9 May 2021 23:55
Shrida V
Day 1 of MSA LIVE 2021 was off to a great start!

The day started off with the team spending some time getting to know each other. The members then worked on researching and collecting information about the homelessness situation in Manchester and the UK. Initial impressions of the project which was later presented to and discussed among the team. It gave us many ideas to work with for the rest of the week and helped get the project started.

We're looking forward to developing these ideas further over the next two weeks!
Posted 11 May 2021 19:26
Shrida V
Group 16 is excited to share that our guest speaker for the day was Dominic Sagar from WOAH! Dominic gave us an insightful presentation on homelessness and various projects that tackle the issue, and an open discussion followed this. The presentation served as an excellent opportunity for the team to know about the homelessness issue in depth.

In the latter half of the day, the BA cohort studied some good and bad website design examples and developed a website structure diagram to form the foundation of the website's layout.
Posted 11 May 2021 20:41
Shrida V
Day 3 started off with a tutorial on building a basic website on Wix, following which the first and second years were split into three teams to create a separate website. All the teams came up with fantastic layouts using the WOAH colour scheme, developing the ideas from Day 2. The day ended with a group discussion and reflection on the designs created so far.
Posted 13 May 2021 01:10
Shrida V
After confirming the website's layout on day 4, the team was split into two groups based on individual interests in web design and research. One group spent the day brainstorming the website's structure and hierarchy; the other group focused on building the site's landing page. Our website design firm came up with some great presentation ideas for the website, emphasising simplicity through design while incorporating WOAH's theme. The research team also drew mind maps to collate thoughts while simultaneously laying a solid foundation for the website.

Keep reading to see how we contribute to the final design by integrating these creative ideas into the final web design!
Posted 13 May 2021 20:23
Shrida V
On day 5, the web design group began designing the rest of the website's layout and presentation. The research group had started updating the blog posts developing the ideas from the previous day.

After an intensive week of research and design, we decided to end the session with a fun game of Skribbl!
Posted 14 May 2021 20:17
Shrida V
Welcome to Week 2 with Group 16! This week is all about using the research information and content from the previous week and updating it on the WOAH Website. The goal is to publish the website by the end of this week.

The team spent the day creating illustrations which will be combined with the research from last week and updated on the website.

Keep reading to see our progress into the final web design!
Posted 17 May 2021 22:07
Shrida V
Today the team used the research from the last few days to create a graphical presentation of the information. Simultaneously, the website team updated the 'get help' section of the website. The BA cohort designed simple icons and symbols that are easy to understand, making it easier for the audience to read, interpret and absorb the information presented while elucidating the causes and effects of homelessness. The ability to present information in several different ways is a skill that will help to prepare a visually appealing final output.
Posted 18 May 2021 19:42
Shrida V
Today, the research team members were presented with a design challenge where each student had to come up with a layout for WOAH's mobile website that is designed and optimized for hand-held devices, such as smartphones and tablets. The students came up with impressive layouts for the mobile site, which is a great way to understand the design's key functionality before its implementation on the website. This design exercise enabled the students to share ideas and to receive critique to help refine their designs and learn from their peers.
Posted 19 May 2021 18:39
Shrida V
Today, our team spent all day putting the final website together. Stay tuned: Our new website is on its way! #WIP
Posted 20 May 2021 21:05
Helena Sophie K
Day 10 Done!
Today wrapped up our MSA Live Project of 2021, designing and building a website for WOAH.
Thank you to everyone who joined and helped, it was a lot of fun working with you all and seeing the vision we had come to life.
There's still more to come to the website as the WOAH team will keep adding to it to make it an even better resource for help and information about homelessness, its causes and effects etc.

Again, a huge thank you to "our students" of the past two weeks. You've all done incredible work and really put together an amazing website!

Head to www.withoutahome.co.uk to see what the "final" product of the last two weeks looks like!

All the best,
Shrida, Irina, Chen and Helena
Posted 21 May 2021 17:01
Download Final Report