MSA Live 21

Hey everyone! My name is Millie, I'm 23 years old.
I'm from Northampton and studied my undergraduate in Architecture at Nottingham Trent University. I'm now living in Manchester and this year I am in the PRAXXIS atelier!

If I wasn't studying architecture I would love to have a full time job in illustration!

Posted 1 Mar 2021 15:35

Hey! My name is Bethany. I am 22 years old.
I grew up in Nottingham, but I am of Jamaican descent. I studied for my undergraduate degree at Oxford Brookes University and now I am part of the CPU_ai atelier.

If I wasn’t studying architecture, I would probably be studying chemistry or maybe even maths, but I’d still do something creative on the side!

Posted 1 Mar 2021 15:41

Heyyy! My name is Wiktoria (but everyone calls me wiki), I'm 23 years old.
I am from London and graduated from Oxford Brookes University. I am in the Praxxis Atelier. I love life drawing and in my spare time I make prints.

If I wasn't studying Architecture I would love to be an art teacher!

Posted 1 Mar 2021 15:47

Hey guys! My name is Athena, I’m 23 years old.
I’m from Cyprus but I grew up in both London and Cyprus. I studied for my undergraduate degree at the University Of Nottingham . I am now part of the &rchitecture atelier and I have a passion for designing for the needs of the people.

If I wasn’t studying architecture, I would have studied Sports Science.

Posted 1 Mar 2021 16:04

Wendell Wen Yan L

Hi everyone! My name is Wendell, I'm 25. I am from the Borneo island of Malaysia and studied my undergrad in MSA.
Being part of the CPU:Ai Atelier, I am interested in developing solutions for resilient urban futures.
If I wasn't studying architecture, I would be managing an airline because I love planes but not flying.

Posted 1 Mar 2021 16:06

Hi guys! My name is Jordon, I’m 22. I grew up in York and graduated from Sheffield Hallam University. I am in praxxis atelier as I have a passion for inclusive design for everyone.

If I wasn’t studying architecture, I would have either have been a teacher or a pilot.

Posted 1 Mar 2021 16:20

The Architecture School for Children
Over the past 18 years, it has worked with children and communities with the aim of engaging them effectively in their built environments.

Aims:

-create healthy and happy communities
-develop the children’s inner creative abilities
-aid the children they work with to understand the world we live in through various ecologies
-explore everyday spaces of the city
-raise aspirations of young people

for more information visit: https://www.tascmanchester.com/

Posted 1 Mar 2021 16:24

Social Value:
The community is at the heart of this project! TASC explores how children interact with the built environment through play. By designing a mobile pod that facilitates play and activities, this project enables a space that encourages engagement and learning for both children and larger communities. As a team, we will explore the mind of a child and propose concept designs for the pod, which could potentially be developed and built in the future. We aim to design a pod that will inspire children to explore, learn, and engage with the world around them.

This live project will also enable the BA and MLA students to learn how to design for play and create spaces that engage children. They will also upskill by attending various workshops contributing to their future progression in architecture.

Posted 1 Mar 2021 19:28

Activities & Skills:
Our key objective is to develop a series of concept designs. These concept designs will be of mobile pod structures that aim to catch the imagination & creativity of the children. The pods should be interactive and facilitate all ages as they will be used by the whole community.

Through an online workshop environment, we will invite undergraduate students to join us and work together in small groups. In our group, students will learn essential skills that will benefit and further their studies.
We will start off by brainstorming ideas for the design of the pods followed by an activity where we will attempt to think in the mind of a child: how they interact with space and materials. We will then start to develop, design & test concepts for the pods and create various diagrams and collages.

To achieve this, various computer software such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, InDesign and Photoshop will be employed (a series of workshops for the students to learn how to use the above mentioned software will be provided). Furthermore, Handmade models and sketches will also be encouraged to produce a series of mix media ideas and concepts.

Posted 1 Mar 2021 19:33

Hi All!

We are pleased to announce that the first instalment of our Guest Lectures will be Erect Architecture!

Erect Architects are an award-winning practice based in London, they engage with a large number of collaborators designing with and for people. They create playful spaces that incorporate topography and natural features into playscapes.

Posted 9 May 2021 20:14

Hi All!

For the second instalment of our Guest Lectures, we are pleased to introduce CAUKIN Studio!

CAUKIN Studio is a progressive design firm that creates impact through architecture. They have travelled the world for humanitarian projects, adopting an ethos that everyone should have access to better designed and built spaces.

Posted 9 May 2021 20:16

Hi All!

For our third and final instalment of our Guest Lectures, we are please to introduce Matt + Fiona!

Matt + Fiona are a design-based practice, with a clear pathway Briefing, Design and Fabrication – with children and young people at the heart of all projects. They want to question young people’s view on their built environment with the hope of improving it and inspiring vision in their life.

Posted 9 May 2021 20:16

Ice Breaker!

Firsts things first, lets get to know each other...

It was great for the whole team to meet today, coming from all over the world including here in the UK, Thailand, China and Malaysia!

To start off our first day we used a fun website called Backyard.co to play some games together. Pictionairy was especially enjoyable.

We also discussed our strengths, favourite ways of working and things we would like to work on so we can all get the most out of each session! Upcoming tutorials will help students to get to grips with some new ways of working and build on some of these aspirations.

Posted 10 May 2021 17:21

Getting it down on paper!

After brainstorming and discussing the different ideas, everyone started sketching!

Everyone discussed the functionality of the pods, how they could connect together and how the structures would be formed.
We also started thinking about the not so obvious – what can be viewed from the pods, how will the pods accommodate children of different ages , how will they stimulate and aid children in designing and creating?

Have a look at all our sketches! They are absolutely FANTASTIC!!

Posted 10 May 2021 17:26

Hi All!

Today we had an amazing guest lecture delivered by Erect Architecture! They gave a detailed and thorough explanation of their project Play Holland Park which you can find below!

https://www.erectarchitecture.co.uk/projects/holland-park-playground/

The talk was enaging and interesting to see how they created playscapes for children, using topography and natural materials. They also offereed some great insight into the safety of construction for children and inclusivity of spaces.

We want to personnal thank them for delivering a fantastic talk to us today!

Posted 10 May 2021 18:34

Initial Brainstorming Session!

Today we all used Miro to gather some initial images and precedents of fun inspiring spaces.

As a team we will be designing a series of pods for children and communities to engage with and use as hubs of creativity!

We started by thinking big and colourful, thinking of spaces which children would love to interact with.

Miro has been a really useful tool to allow us all to share our ideas and collaborate as a team even though we can’t physically be together.

The team has got some really great ideas so far and we can’t wait to put these into practice and see how the designs develop over the coming weeks!

Posted 11 May 2021 09:57

Designing for Play!

Today we had another great guest presentation from CAUKIN Studio. They took us through three of their playscape projects, from the design process to its construction. You can look at their work below:

https://www.caukinstudio.com/projects

The talk really inspired ideas for our project. CAUKIN spoke about their approach to community collaboration and interpreting children’s ideas to become something exciting and real. The talk provoked thought on the use of sustainable materials and the construction of playscapes.

We would like to thank them for delivering an amazing talk!

Posted 11 May 2021 18:09

All about our site!

We started the day off through analysing our site to see how different aspects of it can affect our design decisions at later stages!

Things we have come up with, are that it rains a lot in Manchester and is quite windy which could affect our pods but luckily the site is protected by tall buildings so this can benefit how we design them!

We are also based near a small park so our pods could be transported to it to benefit the local community and help in local events!!

Have a look at the concept designs to see how we have taken this knowledge and started designing!

Posted 11 May 2021 18:23

Precedent Analysis Time!

As a group we looked at existing precedents and discussed what was and wasn't successful about each. We looked at materiality, colour, texture, structure and much more to see how they could be incorporated into our pods.

We then had a really fun exercise cutting up the precedents and using our favourite parts to form concept images of our own pods!

We sketched, collaged, modelled and annotated different work and came up with amazing 3 concepts which we cannot wait to develop!

Stay tuned and see how our first workshop tutorial goes, turning these ideas into fun abstract collages!

Posted 12 May 2021 11:41

Our First Workshop!!!

We had our first workshop today and we learnt how to use a variety of tools in Adobe Photoshop to create our own collages of pods!

It was so exciting to learn new things and figure out how to bring our designs to life!

Tune in later today to see how our own collages turned out!!

Posted 12 May 2021 11:49

Hi All,

Tomorrow we are going to be putting on a Model Making Workshop using everyday materials found around the house. These will be quick fire sketch models to create forms from our initial ideas that we have been working on.

Stay tuned for more information!

Posted 12 May 2021 20:02

Photoshop collage making!!

After the Adobe Photoshop tutorial we began making collages based on each type of pod. Photographs from precedents that we all previously looked at were utilised to produce the finish images.

Here are three examples of the collages produced!

Stay tuned to see how we turn our fun and creative collages into a final design.

Posted 13 May 2021 12:22

The serious stuff…

This morning we did some research on designing successful playscapes, cognitive tasks, health & safety standards, regulations etc. to get us ready for designing our pods!

Everyone took a section to research and then shared the knowledge with the group so we were able to learn from one another and discuss how this would impact our project.

The team found it really interesting and useful in creating some constraints for our designs moving forward. It’s really important that we are designing fun, playful learning environments for the children that are also safe and reduce the risk of anyone getting hurt whilst using the pods.

Following our research we will be applying the knowledge we’ve learnt into our developing designs… watch this space!

Posted 13 May 2021 17:08

Sketch Model Workshop

Today our team member Jordon gave a fab sketch modelling workshop! Using items found lying round the house he showed how to make quick sketchy models as a design development tool. The aim was not to think about it too much, just have fun and be creative.. sketch models do not have to be perfect!

The workshop set up the rest of the team for an afternoon of creating their own sketch models which we will be using to analyse and create more detailed designs.

Posted 13 May 2021 18:17

Hi All!

Today we had an amazing model making workshop where we learnt how to quickly model our ideas into concept forms that will aid us to develop the design further.

Here's a look at some of our amazing models!

Posted 13 May 2021 19:45

Hi All!

Alongside our sketch models today we developed them further through annotation which gives the models a sense of scale and dimension.

You can start to see how these creative pods are going to come together to form individual ones, as well as, one huge one!

Posted 13 May 2021 19:46

The three pods!

The final outcome of our project will be the design of three pods which encourage creativity, learning and play for children and the wider community. Each pod is to be used for a specific activity, but we also want to ensure connections between the pods to encourage overlap between the spaces and increase interactivity between the users.

Today we thought about the process of activities within each pod to enable us to create a programme of spaces needed within the pod. We then drew comparisons between each programme to see where there might be possible intersections. We will then use these spaces to begin testing different layouts for each pod and the overall masterplan.

The Canvas Pod

The canvas pod is all about making art – drawing, painting, sticking, you name it. We want the pod itself to be the canvas, to create a hub of imagination. Using varied surfaces and textures, the walls, floors and ceilings of the pod will display a variety of artwork which can be painted on, pinned up, moved around and adapted as the artists see fit.

The Sensory Pod

This pod aims to create sensory experiences through the use of different textures and materials. It will explore possibilities of making sound through different surfaces, creating atmosphere through apertures and lighting and even thinking about smell through the community growing their own plants and flowers on the pods. We want the users to reflect on the senses they discover in this pod and how they affect our everyday built environment.

The Model Making Pod

This pod will be a space where model making can be carried out, providing a variety of materials for children to create structures and sculptures. We have been thinking about the dual functionality of furniture in this pod – a table for a 5-year-old might be a chair for a 9-year-old which might be a step for an adult. The pod will also include adaptable elements to the pod itself, to enable people to recreate the form and structure, model making on a larger scale.

Posted 14 May 2021 17:39

Hi All,

Today we welcomed Matt + Fiona to speak to us, they delivered a brilliant lecture about their ethos as a practice and the projects they run.

Their practice aims to make a positive impact within society through community led projects that inspire people of all ages. Their projects give the community a sense of ownership and belonging. Here is a link to one of our favourites: http://mattandfiona.org/made-in-oakfield/

We would just like to personally thank Matt + Fiona for making the time to speak to us and we would like to wish them all the best in their future projects.

Posted 15 May 2021 13:03

Design development of the three pods!

At the end of last week we started to finalise the designs of each pod and these are the initial sketches that the team produced. We love the variety of the designs and the different materials and textures each group have been testing out.

We have been thinking a lot about modular, 'flat pack' and adaptable structures that could be easily taken apart and reassembled in different locations for the use of different schools and communities.

The next step is to take these sketches into AutoCAD so we can figure out more specific dimensions and develop the designs further before 3D modelling in Sketchup.

Posted 17 May 2021 16:12

It’s a brand-new week!

Our team member Wiki (Wiktoria) started off the day with an AutoCAD tutorial.We learnt how to use multiple AutoCAD tools as well as how to export drawings to scale.

The tutorial was also recorded so all the students could look back at it while working on their own plans & elevations of the pods!

Tune in tomorrow to see how we have progressed!

Posted 17 May 2021 20:37

Sketchup Tutorial!

Following on from the skills we practiced in AutoCAD, today we had a SketchUp workshop by our MA student, Millie.

The session involved importing our drawings we have produced in AutoCAD into sketchup, so we can model the pods in 3D. SketchUp can also be a great tool to continue the development of the designs as it becomes easier to visualise the the design!

We can't wait to see each pod start to take form...

Posted 18 May 2021 14:17

Plan Development!!

Today we took our hand-drawn sketches and used them to create plans of the 3 pods on AutoCAD.

Drawing out the plans on AutoCAD allowed us to check dimensions and make any adjustments required easily and quickly.

The team made an excellent start!
Take a look at some of the drawings we have created so far.

Posted 18 May 2021 17:08

Three Designs!

Alongside creating AutoCAD plans, we also used SketchUp to model our developing designs for each of the pods. This allows us to visualise our ideas in 3D and look further into the structure and spatiality of the pods.

The team have created amazing designs and we are looking forward to developing them further.

Posted 18 May 2021 18:00

Design Tutorial: Model Making Pod!

Take a look at a snap shot from our tutorial with the team who is working on the Model Making pod!

Each team has been placed into different breakout rooms (online) to work in. The Master students have been popping in and out of these rooms, providing support and any help required.

Tune in tomorrow to see our final outcomes!

Posted 19 May 2021 13:23

Design Tutorial: Canvas Pod!

Take a look at a snap shot from our tutorial with the team who is working on the Canvas Pod!

Each team has been placed into different breakout rooms (online) to work in. The Master students have been popping in and out of these rooms, providing support and any help required.

Tune in tomorrow to see our final outcomes!

Posted 19 May 2021 14:02

Design Tutorial: Sensory Pod!

Take a look at a snap shot from our tutorial with the team who is working on the Sensory pod!

Each team has been placed into different breakout rooms (online) to work in. The Master students have been popping in and out of these rooms, providing support and any help required.

Tune in tomorrow to see our final outcomes!

Posted 19 May 2021 14:03

InDesign Workshop!

Today our MA student Athena showed us how to use InDesign. We learnt how to use all the basic tools as well as more advanced techniques.

The session involved, importing images into frames, creating master pages, how to check if there are any spelling mistakes or file errors and lots more.

The tutorial was once again recorded so that all the students could look back at it for both this project and future ones.

Posted 20 May 2021 16:26

Model Making Pod: The Process!

As we draw near to the end of our project, we thought it would be nice to reflect on the design process to see how the pods have evolved. The Model Making Pod provides a space for children to get physical with model making. The idea of foldable tables, from the walls, have been focal from start to finish! Shelves at either side of the pod are perfect for storing materials and stationery. At the end of the day, this pod can be folded down and packed away, creating something new for the children to explore.

We can't wait to share the final designs with you!

Posted 20 May 2021 17:47

Canvas Pod: The Process!

As we draw near to the end of our project, we thought it would be nice to reflect on the design process to see how the pods have evolved. From initial sketch models, the Canvas Pod has retained its hexagonal shape and multi-levels. The walls act as canvases for the children to draw on. The different heights create exciting areas for discovery and play.

We can't wait to share the final designs with you!

Posted 20 May 2021 17:48

Sensory Pod: The Process!

As we draw near to the end of our project, we thought it would be nice to reflect on the design process to see how the pods have evolved. The initial idea was to create a sensory experience for touch, smell, and sight. The final pod has managed to include texture walls, areas of contrasting light, and even a plant wall for refreshing smells!

We can't wait to share the final designs with you!

Posted 20 May 2021 17:48

Our First Output - The Sensory Pod

This pod was designed to encourage young people to play and interact with the space using different senses. The pod is made up of three segments which pulled apart work in a different way to how they are put together. We have a green wall, a climbing net frame and a platform where young people not only play but also can spend some time designing or exploring the built environment!

Look at our previous posts to see how this pod was developed!!

Posted 21 May 2021 10:20

Our Second Output - The Model Making Pod

This pod was designed to extremely benefit TASC but also to become a space for the use of the Local Community. This retractable pod can be pulled apart and folded together making it super easy to transport to different settings.
When pulled apart, it becomes a functional shelter with several shelves to store model making materials as well as models but also with the smart use of removable surfaces, young people can decide to position them at different heights and design their own seating, tables, shelves or exhibition spaces.

Look at our previous posts to see how this pod was developed!!

Posted 21 May 2021 10:24

Our Third Output - The Canvas Pod

With this pod, we wanted to give young people the freedom to draw and sketch, create and analyse! This pod has removable faces attached to the exciting hexagon frames with Velcro. Each face has a different finish and allows the users to draw in different mediums, making the pod versatile but also the functional pulling apart aspect allows young people to decide what face goes where and how the space is planned out.

See our previous posts to see how this pod was developed!!

Posted 21 May 2021 10:27

Pods Unite!

As well as each amazing pod functioning separately we wanted the option for them to come together. This enables the children to engage in different activities and encourages interaction between different ages, skills and personalities. We want to create a space where children and communities can come together, to share ideas and imagination, creating endless opportunities for design and play!

Posted 21 May 2021 11:57

Recap of activities & skills!

During these exciting two weeks we have learnt a variety of skills.

Take a look at the blog poster to see what personal development skills we have learnt.

Posted 21 May 2021 12:32

The Three Pods!

Each pod can function separately, placed in different locations on the site. This hosts a range of play experiences for the children and allows them to engage with each pod in a new way. These pods facilitate a range of activities and interactions that will support their learning, exploration, and development!

Posted 21 May 2021 13:39

Wendell Wen Yan L

Over the past fortnight, we have produced excellent work by understanding the real need of children as users through applied research. Please look forward to our publication that showcases our design process and final outputs!

Posted 21 May 2021 14:31

Final Output- Publication for our Partner TASC

We produced a separate publication for TASC to show how Archikids developed a series of movable pods for them! We included all the process work as well as initial concept designs to show the progress all the team members have made since the beginning of the event!

These pods could be developed further if desired and even potentially built in the future.

Posted 21 May 2021 17:16