Group 04
PARXX AND REC

In collaboration with Make Space for Girls, our project will examine Hulme Park and investigate how it may become more welcoming to girls. This is in response to a massive and overlooked inequality, which is that currently most public park facilities for teenagers are dominated by boys, and no attention is given to the inclusion of teenage girls. We called our project Parxx and Rec because we wanted to take inspiration from the show Parks and Recreation created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, with a feminist twist (hence the XX).

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Sally-Ann So Kei H / Nur Azureeni Binti D

Sally-Ann So Kei H
The social impact of this project is focused on Gender Equality as well as Good Health and Well being. Our work will contribute to ending discrimination against women and girls. Better access to parks for teenage girls provides opportunities to increase activity levels, vital to setting healthy patterns of activity for later life, reducing premature mortality and promoting mental health and well being. In addition, our work will contribute to providing universal access to safe, inclusive, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children.
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:55
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Research & Analysis: case studies that implement a feminist intervention on public parks would be investigated, and a framework would be derived framework to form the basis of the intervention to be applied to our local park. To tailor this framework to a local context, the opinions and ideas of local teenage girls will be collected to take into consideration.
Mapping & Sketching: A site visit will be arranged to the park, and a talk held by a member of the council will showcase the considerations the local council will have to account for in a project of this nature.
Modelling Dioramas: We have two sets of desired outputs for the project: individual investigative dioramas modelling concepts to be included in the final proposal, and a collective diorama representing the agreed interventions that could be applied to the local park
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:56
Sally-Ann So Kei H
THE TEAM
Our team is comprised of a group of six: two collaborators and four Master of Architecture students.Make Space for Girls was set up by Susannah Walker and Imogen Clark. The students are comprised of Sally Ho, Hanjun Kim, Reeni Dzulqanian, and Writushree Saha.
THE COLLABORATORS
Where most parks, play equipment and public spaces for older children and teenagers are male dominated, with an unlawful lack of consideration of space intended for femme occupation, Make Space for Girls campaigns for public spaces designed with girls in mind.
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:56
Sally-Ann So Kei H
One of the duo behind Make Space for Girls, Susannah Walker is an author and former TV producer, who was outraged when she realised that not only had her local council only provided outdoor facilities for teenage boys, but they didn’t propose to do anything about it either.
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:57
Sally-Ann So Kei H
The other one in the duo behind Make Space for Girls, Imogen Clark was a lawyer for many years, before leaving the law for opportunities in the charity sector. A life long feminist, Imogen studied for a post graduate certificate in gender studies at Birkbeck, University of London, which reinforced her belief that if we want to change the unfairness we see around us, we need to campaigning for structural change.
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:58
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Atelier // PRAXXIS
Qualification // BA(Hons) Architecture from the University of Kent
Skills // Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom), AutoCAD, Sketchup, Architectural detailing, Graphics
Fun fact // Out of the 19 plants that I’ve adopted since I started Masters, I’ve managed to keep 18 alive!
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:59
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Atelier // CPU
Qualification // BA(Hons) Architecture from Manchester School of Architecture
Skills // Adobe Suite, Sketchup, Rhino, Grasshopper, Vray, Lumion
Fun fact // I have a famous uncle
Posted 8 Mar 2022 15:59
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Atelier // &rchitecture
Qualification // Bachelor of Science (Hons.) Architecture from MARA University of Technology, Malaysia
Skills // Adobe photoshop, AutoCAD, Sketchup, Revit
Fun fact // I am an opposite from my twins, we have a different personality, interest and never had the same favorite food!
Posted 8 Mar 2022 16:00
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Atelier // Infrastructure
Qualification // Bachelors in Architecture (B.arch) from Techno India University, India
Skills // Photoshop, AutoCAD, Sketchup
Fun fact // Addicted to books!
Posted 8 Mar 2022 16:00
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Schedule for Week 1: Analyse & Distill
Posted 15 May 2022 15:31
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Schedule for Week 2: Compile & Model
Posted 15 May 2022 15:31
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Site Visit: Some Important Areas!
Posted 15 May 2022 15:32
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 1 - Parxx and Rec met MSFG through an online call. MSFG introduced their charity as well as the problem issues they aim to address: the lack of inclusion of teenage girls in parks. With their previous research guiding them, they advised Parxx and Rec on the common themes to making that came up when conducting workshops with teenage girls. After their presentation, MSFG and Parxx and Rec had a Q&A on other potential factors that may encourage the inclusion of teenage girls.
Posted 16 May 2022 21:03
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 2 - Site exploration and idea development
Parxx and Rec had a morning visit to the site: Hulme Park. Starting off with a walk around the park to familiarise ourselves to the spaces and amenities, the BA students were then tasked with sketching areas of the park that they thought were particularly welcoming or unwelcoming environments. Finally, they engaged with some spatial exercises which focused on helping them rationalise the scale of the park on a map; this was done by forming a human chain to see how many people's wingspan it would take to reach from one end of the skate park to the other.
Posted 17 May 2022 20:28
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 2 - Workshop with Trinity High School
The majority of Parxx and Rec spent the afternoon brainstorming ideas for the individual and collective dioramas. Two members, meanwhile, held a workshop with a Year 11 Design Technology class from the Trinity Church of England High School, based just a 15 minute walk from Hulme Park.
After recapping the presentation that MSFG conducted the week before, as well as introducing Hulme Park and its amenities, the students were asked to fill out a questionnaire with open-ended questions regarding their general use of local parks. Later, the students were split into a groups of 4-5, and were asked to sketch and use plasticine to demonstrate how we could make Hulme Park more inviting to them. They came up with ideas like: mazes, climbing walls, outdoor gym equipment, ponds, dog play areas, and benches to sunbathe on.
Posted 17 May 2022 20:29
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Individual Dioramas
Using materials such as cardboard, balsa wood, freshly picked leaves and coloured paper, the BA students spend day working on individual dioramas, each visualising a principle that has previously been identified as a feature that would make a park more inviting for teenage girls. Together, they provide the start of a framework of which can be applied to Hulme Park.
Posted 18 May 2022 20:19
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Fleur's diorama
"I made a park scene with a pavilion on top of a little hill to provide shelter and a place to meet. I have lots of trees to make it a pretty and peaceful place so people can enjoy nature. There is a bench swing so several people can sit on it at a time, meaning it is a social place for play. There is also a bench to rest on. "
Posted 18 May 2022 20:20
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Joyce's Diorama
"My diorama shows variations of swings based off of the single swing held up by trees in Hulme Park. I added another similar swing to the existing one since most people wouldn't go on a swing alone so having 2 next to each other would encourage more people to use them. An arch frames these 2 swings which makes this area more attractive. I also added a bench swing and a hanging wheel swing, since they act as both a "play" facility as well as general seating - both of which are large enough to seat more than one person. Having multiple swings rather than just the 1 means less waiting in case multiple people want to use it at once but for those who could potentially still need to wait, I added a round bench nearby."
Posted 18 May 2022 20:21
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Neila's Diorama
"The proposal encourages teenage girls to play on the swing in Hulme park. Located on top of a small hill, the swing is relatively isolated and stands out to passersby, making it intimidating to use."
"I proposed a series of platforms that gradually go up the hill to transform the secluded area into a meeting point for teenage girls. The platforms increase accessibility, and the surrounding social activities will make teens feel safer / more comfortable playing."
Posted 18 May 2022 20:25
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Cristina's Diorama
"I have focused on the idea that teenage girls want to be "hidden but seen". In my diorama it shows a swing set where two, possibly three people can fit. Contained in an area which is surrounded by trees, the trees providing a feeling of safety and privacy, where they are hidden, as well as providing shelter from the elements. But, it is not entirely closed off so they are seen. By having large swings everyone can sit together and chat without anyone feeling excluded, it also incorporates a sense of play."
Posted 18 May 2022 20:26
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Misheel's Diorama
"The diorama is intended to convey an accurate atmosphere of the park. Hulme park is dominantly green, so I tried to bring more fun and colour to it without overshadowing the existing greenery. There is some addition of flowers to mimic flower beds for more visual aesthetics and biodiversity. The diorama also explores different types of swings, which was one of the most requested equipment in the park."
Posted 18 May 2022 20:27
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Alex's Diorama
"Through my diorama, I aimed to play around with some of the ideas that we had drawn up as a group. These involved; level change, swings, inclusion with seclusion and sectioning. I also played around with the idea of utilising objects for multiple uses I.e a roundabout that acts as a seating arrangement."
Posted 18 May 2022 20:29
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 3 - Hamzah's Diorama
Posted 18 May 2022 20:31
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 4 - Site Analysis
The BA students were paired off and were assigned a specific aspect to identify throughout the site. These aspects included 'Roads, Entrances & Paths'; 'Trees, Hard & Soft Landscaping'; and the 'Levels / Contours' of Hulme Park. The first group found that Hulme Park is surrounded by roads on all sides, as many entrances (with one of them blocked) and quite an extensive network of footpaths throughout the site. The second group found that the site predominantly featured soft landscaping, with small interventions of hard landscaping dotted throughout. They also found that the site is host to a good number of trees. The third group found that there are four main areas of level change throughout the site: the highest one being in the southern half of the park, and the other lower three being in the southern portion of the north half of the park. These will inform the application of interventions to Hulme Park.
Posted 19 May 2022 15:07
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 4 - Individual sketches
In the morning, the BA students were asked to draw concept sketches applying the principles we identified previously to Hulme Park. Concept sketches of the upgraded facilities were then been presented to the whole group.
Posted 19 May 2022 16:15
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 4 - Group sketches
In the afternoon, the students were divided into two groups. After narrowing down to two locations on site to put the interventions, the groups attempted to combine and distill their earlier individual concepts to create two interventions. The agreed upon themes that both groups agreed to adhere to were 'stepped seating, shelters, and swings' as well as a potential 'ribbon' motif.
Posted 19 May 2022 16:16
Nur Azureeni Binti D
OUR LOCATIONS FOR WEEK 2!
Posted 23 May 2022 00:37
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 5 - Starting to Finalise Designs
Based off the initial collaborative designs formed on Day 4, the groups came together to make the two interventions more cohesive through colour and form - adopting a warm pinks to oranges to yellows palette as well as agreeing on forms that follow an organic and curving form. They also formulated a couple of ideas for the entrance of the park. This would help make it more inviting so people will be more likely to enter, therefore making it a safer area for teenage girls.
Posted 23 May 2022 16:50
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 5 - Starting to Finalise Designs
The BA students came up with the idea of stepped seating in order to help engage the current swing set with the rest of the park more. They liked the idea of the steps also being utilised as an area that people can socialise on and around.
Posted 23 May 2022 16:52
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 5 - Starting to Finalise Designs
The BA students designed a swing seating area which incorporates fun and functionality, it gives people a place to come together and meet but it also has an aspect of play in it. They made this organic circular shape with a curved opening which invites people to come in, but it almost seems natural and not forced. The circular shape creates a sense of community and togetherness, and follows our common theme which is circular shapes, they have also decided to stick to one colour scheme to link the interventions which are in separate parts of the park.
Posted 23 May 2022 16:52
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 5 - Starting to Finalise Designs
The BA students designed a seating intervention near the swing set. They chose to add a seating area near the swings because when visiting the swing on site, those not using the swing were standing around just watching so it’d be nice to have seating close to the swings for onlookers, and in general, it’s good to have more seating around the park. The area includes a shelter, round benches and colourful seating of different levels. It is comprised of round shapes to reflect the shape of the swing set.
Posted 23 May 2022 16:54
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 5 - Starting to Finalise Designs
The intervention on the football field has more active features, including a netball field, skate park, and gym equipment. The netball field doesn't have the standard dimensions and guides to give it an informality of play. The change of levels in the hill and the stepped seating provide a better view for the people on top and give slight privacy to the adjacent zones. There is a fully floored beginner-friendly skating area with a pingpong table and a small bump to practice different tricks. The hut shaped features are for private activities with friends. The swing zone integrates both communal and singular swings. The overall zoning plan of the intervention tried to imitate the bean shape of the existing skating park. There will be a connecting multifunctional ribbon feature that goes up and down. Lastly, the colour scheme of the intervention is the same as the other one, creating continuity and coherence between the two designs despite the different functions.
Posted 23 May 2022 16:54
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 6 - Presentation with Make Space For Girls and members of Hulme Council
Today, the BA students compiled their developed interventions as applied to Hulme Park into a presentation. This presentation was then presented to Susannah from Make Space For Girls and Pauline and Ekua, who are members of the local council. As part of the students' visualisation of their ideas, they included sketches, digital models and 3D models.
The students received positive feedback from both MSFG and the council members. As part of the feedback, the students were asked to consider features such as the provision of safe toilets, the consideration of lighting, the inclusion of a food and beverage area for those who wish to make a day trip to Hulme Park and other such considerations. Other more practical considerations were posed such as: the cost of the project and where funds may be obtained in order to build the interventions, the ease of maintenance, and whether we could implement features to make these interventions net carbon zero.
Pauline invited us to create an exhibit showcasing these different intervention types on the 4th of June, as part of a Jubilee Bank Holiday event. Located in Hulme Park, our presence at this event will be critical in gaining feedback from the local community around Hulme Park with regards to how they would like to make their park more welcoming to girls. In preparation of this event, we have decided to change the outputs slightly, initially we sought to prepare rendered perspectives and models of interventions applied to Hulme Park by the end of the two weeks. As of the invitation to this event, we will still model an intervention, but we will also create A1 posters featuring different types of interventions, to be printed out.
Posted 23 May 2022 17:26
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 7 - V-ray tutorial & Output planning
In the morning, Hanjun hosted a V-ray tutorial for the BA students in the morning. He used one of the Sketchup models previously created by one of the BA students for this project: a staggered pavilion sheltering seating. After demonstrating some key formatting of the Sketchup, he then showed us how to use V-Ray. He also demonstrated how to finish off the render with some edits in Photoshop. Some students took notes during the tutorials while the others trying out the v-ray using their own laptop.
In the afternoon, the BA students were divided into 2 groups to discuss and plan the final outputs. Half of the BA's chose to make the posters highlighting the overall framework, and the other half chose to create the physical model, which would the application of these interventions to Hulme Park. The model group discussed the style, materiality and construction of the model. The poster group made sure to condense the framework ideals into different features (and different categories within those features), and created some initial thumbnails/story boards of the proposed posters.
Posted 24 May 2022 15:42
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 8 - Continuing to work on final outputs (model and posters)
The BA students continued in their two groups to work on the final model and posters. The model making group initially made some material tests, then started to form the base and contours of the park out of cork. The posters group finalised the theme and colour scheme of the posters in the morning. They used SketchUp models to create the basis graphics for the posters.
Posted 25 May 2022 17:46
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 9 - Continuing to work on final outputs (model and posters)
The students continued to work on the final model and posters for the final outputs. The model group had already cut the base, stacked seating, huts and the multi-level area. Today, they were working on the swings and starting to colour the base. The poster group were adding details to their base drawings, like colour, human figures, and light flares.
Posted 26 May 2022 16:36
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 10 - Finishing final outputs (posters)
Finishing touches were made to finalise the posters. Seating, lighting and swings were added to the posters along with the completed survey and QR code. These posters will be printed out and presented at Hulme’s Jubilee Culture and Diversity Event after MSA Live.
Posted 27 May 2022 15:59
Sally-Ann So Kei H
Day 10 - Finishing final outputs (model)
Finishing touches were made to finalise the model. The flooring of the intervention was coloured in using colouring pencils and trees were added to the cork base. The Ribbon was cut out of foam sheet to add a sculptural aspect to the intervention. The end to the project will be celebrated by going for a group meal.
Posted 27 May 2022 15:59