May 9th (Morning)

This morning, we began by introducing ourselves and having a group discussion about the progress of the BA1 and BA2 students in meeting their deadlines, as well as their experiences in Manchester thus far. Next, we delivered a presentation about what meanwhile space is and the existing vacant spaces in Chorlton, discussing several precedents to inspire their creativity and encourage them to consider various design opportunities. We also discussed the project client and their expectations and introduced the students to the project site by showing them maps and pictures to help them become more familiar with it before visiting in person this afternoon.

May 9th (Afternoon)

The afternoon consisted of a tour of Chorlton headed by our MArch students Matt and Karol. This guided walk provided an introduction to the site, highlighting the needs and specific issues that required attention. This gave us a better understanding and sense of the site. We took a break in the Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre precinct, our site, where we sat, sketched, chatted with locals, and conducted a SWOT analysis of the area.

May 9th (Late Afternoon)

After our site visit, before heading home, we stopped at a nearby pub for a drink. This allowed us to further engage with each other. The MArch students discussed the differences between studying in Atelier and working in practices, and the undergraduate students shared their experiences in architecture so far. This strengthened our relationships with the students and left us feeling excited and eager to collaborate. We ended the day on a very positive note - looking forward to getting cracking in the morning!

May 10th

We began the day by reviewing photos from our site visit and then created a Miro board to share our ideas for potential interventions that could be further explored. As a collective we discussed people's visions and ideas for the vacant spaces in Chorlton and starting thinking about different user groups. After a thorough discussion, we concluded the day with some fantastic ideas that could be further investigated. On to tomorrow!

May 18th (Afternoon)

After a strenuous two-week effort, we have successfully completed the conceptual drawings and finalised our presentation. We are now gearing up for the client meeting scheduled for this evening. Working as a team has been a delightful experience, the undergraduate enthusiasm and fresh perspectives have added value to our work. It's been a pleasure working with this talented group, and we are excited to showcase our collective efforts during the presentation. See you at 5pm!

Output: Final model

Our model making team (Dom, Jiacheng, Ellie, Alessandro, India and De-Winton) constructed a site model of Chorlton, out of recycled and off-cut materials, to suggest potential locations for of our design proposals. We’ve continued the colour coding from our timeline of implementation onto the model by abstractly constructing the proposed interventions in their corresponding colour. The strings represent the routes visitors can take to interact with the proposed interventions.

Our research and presentation has been designed to instigate conversations around meanwhile use in Chorlton and provide examples of how this could be integrated into the local area. All interventions have therefore been modelled as moveable objects so the model itself can be used as part of engagement activities in the future.