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Group 36 / IN THE LIME LIGHT
Jiajing Y
Meeting 2

Our second meeting~28/02/2024

In this meeting, we initially delved into the poster's progress and gathered individual insights once more. Following that, our task was to plan future work and timelines to ensure the project's seamless advancement. We discussed and mapped out tasks needing completion, including the poster, budget plan, action plan, meeting schedule, and blog post. Through deliberation, appropriate tasks were assigned to each member.

Our subsequent meeting is slated for next week (06/03/24).
Posted 8 May 2024 16:11
Group 15 / CRAFT THE LOOP
Luke S
Day 2: Case Studies and Sketching Concepts

This Morning, we challenged students to find some case studies they thought were similar to the brief. Each student presented their findings, then we had a discussion about what we liked and what could be improved upon.

After lunch, it was time for a sketching workshop. Students sketched their ideas based on relevant case studies, and implemented them onto the site through the use of perspective drawings. This was a great opportunity to visualise their design in context and led to some great discussions.
Posted 8 May 2024 16:02
Group 28 / MERSEYWAY FACELIFT
Wenjingyu Z
Who is the client?

Our client is Stockport City Council.

What is the Project brief?

Our task as designers is to come up with an intervention for the Merseyway Shopping Centre’s façade as a part of an ambitious, larger strategy to improve Stockport. The aim is to increase footfall in a shopping centre which has become dispensable and unnecessary for a community which has opted for the ease of online shopping. Our mission here as architects is to come up with a strategy not only for the façade but what goes on behind it; to re-think new purposes for the shopping centre and what kind of businesses would attract people to the space.

The second part of the brief is to provide our client with ideas for an underused balcony, part of the shopping centre, which overlooks a main shopping street.

We will be picturing all different characters and scenarios of people and designing for them. For example, an 80-year-old person who wishes to purchase a CD. Where do they fit in to the scheme? Do they? What else could be placed along their journey so they spend time and money at the centre? A bakery? A grocery store? These are some of the questions we will be asking.

What are the outputs?

In terms of outputs, expect a lot of freedom, mostly collages, expressive, colourful, artistic showing people interacting with the building. Views from the city, i.e. from the train, in motion, rhythm.

(Posted 9 Mar 2024)
Posted 8 May 2024 15:56
Group 36 / IN THE LIME LIGHT
Jiajing Y
Meeting 1

Our first meeting ~ 14/02/24

As a group, we coordinated our future meeting times and established our overall brief. Our first initial task involved brainstorming ideas for our poster to create an identity and theme to our project. We all gathered in the studio, sketched ideas together and presented them amongst ourselves. We also set out a communication strategy with our external coordinators.

Our next meeting is next week (21/02/24)
Posted 8 May 2024 15:56
Group 30 / THE OPEN CANVAS
Banuchichak I
Action Weeks- Day 2

Today was a blast of creativity as we dived into drawing and sketching sessions and collage making. The sketches provided a vivid glimpse into the diverse interpretations and creative approaches everyone is considering.

Posted 8 May 2024 15:48
Group 26 / HYDE & SEEK
Yuxin D
DAY 2

We conducted a site analysis based on the site research on the first day, where we analysed the site's history, demographic, traffic and other information, from which we all found our points of interest as the start of the following design.
Posted 8 May 2024 15:43
Group 28 / MERSEYWAY FACELIFT
Wenjingyu Z
Exciting Developments & Next Steps..

After a productive first meeting with our supervisor, we are excited to share our next steps and the new roles for this week.

Action Plan Development:
This week Elaine & Wenjingyu are at the helm, drafting up the action plan for success!

Blog Catchup/Updates:
Maria will introduce and provide a project overview, as well as reflecting on our lessons learnt from the first tutorial. So stay tuned!

Treasurer & Ethics Application:
Being appointed budget holder, I will ensure our resources are managed wisely. Additionally, i'm starting on the Ethics Application, focusing on the Risk Assessment, Participant Information Sheet, & Consent Forms to uphold our commitment to ethical research.

There is some uncertainty around the Risk Assessment so we anticipate some guidance in our next tutorial later this week to clarify and strengthen our approach.

Although we have crit's approaching at the end of the week, we are still motivated to tackle these tasks head on! So, we invite you to follow our blog for detailed, updates, reflections, & progress we make!

(Posted 26 Feb 2024 11:11)
Posted 8 May 2024 15:42
Group 19 / REDISCOVERING CHADWICK DAM
James L
Day 02: Sketching, Concept & Research

Rolling into day 2 of MSA Live 24 we began the day having a collective exercise to apply our learnings from yesterday's site visit, allowing us all to collate our ideas and observations.

Moving on from this we began to split the workload into our 3 teams, each with a large contribution to the overall narrative. The result was a wealth of research and a LOT of sketches - Plenty more to come!

Starting the day we were welcomed by our MLA1, BA1 and BA2, students to group 19. After a quick group briefing, we began to get our boots on ready to visit the site, not before a lovely introductory discussion about ourselves and our interests of course!
Posted 8 May 2024 15:40
Group 36 / IN THE LIME LIGHT
Jiajing Y
First Group Site Visit

We had the opportunity to visit our site in December, as well as the Lime Arts Studio.

The Programme Director of Lime Arts gave us a tour around the hospital to show us the installation pieces they created for Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. We also visited the courtyard that is located outside the Lime Arts studio. Our aim as a group is to redesign this courtyard space for NHS staff as a quiet space of reflection. We all took the opportunity to take photographs, sketch out ideas and discuss our next steps.

Address: Lime Arts + Wellbeing Centre , Peter Mount Building, (entrance across ground floor courtyard) East Road , Manchester M13 0HY.
Posted 8 May 2024 15:36
Group 30 / THE OPEN CANVAS
Banuchichak I
Action Weeks- Day 2

Day two kicked off with a lively catch-up session where we revisited the core purpose of our project. It was great to see everyone refreshed and ready to build on what we discussed yesterday.

The main activity for today involved getting those creative juices flowing. We asked the students to create sketches and collages inspired by the studies they researched yesterday. The results were a fantastic mix of creativity and insight, showing just how much everyone has taken the project to heart.
Posted 8 May 2024 15:25
Group 28 / MERSEYWAY FACELIFT
Samuel L
First meeting to kick start the project!

Today marked an exciting beginning to the Merseyway Shopping Centre project in Stockport. Our initial meeting wasn’t just a formal introduction but a dynamic session filled with energy and enthusiasm as each team member brought unique ideas and perspectives to the table.

Our group quickly bonded over shared interests and a collective vision for what we hope to achieve with this project. We understood the importance of setting a strong foundation, and so we meticulously outlined our action plan. This included establishing specific tasks, mini-deadlines, and regular checkpoints to keep our project on a clear and steady path.

This blog will serve as our digital diary, capturing every step of our journey, from brainstorming sessions to the execution of our ideas.

Stay tuned!
Posted 8 May 2024 15:14
Group 20 / GROWING TOGETHERNESS
Sarah N
Action Week: Day 1!

5. Today we met our BA1, BA2 and MLA students and had a chance to do some sketch concept ideas as a ice breaker activity. Emre led some ice breaker activities, getting our creative minds going with some drawing activities and creating some wild canopy ideas.

6. It was exciting to hear such different ideas for a canopy and start brainstorming our ideas for materials to kickstart our designing pre-model making.
Posted 8 May 2024 15:11
Group 22 / 01:01
Saul B
Day 2: Furniture 4 Reuse

This afternoon we explored the Furniture4Reuse space at UoM to investigate possible materials and components that may be used in our designs of multi-functional furniture, reusing existing tables and chairs in novel ways.
Posted 8 May 2024 15:01
Group 14 / POWER TO YOUTH
Hana Wajihah AB
Day 2 - Site visit

After splitting the groups, we walked to the Powerhouse and had a tour of the building site by Michelle, the youth & community manager. During the site visit, we met the staff and members of the community. Compared to the visit in January, we got to see the building bustling with activity and in action.
Posted 8 May 2024 14:59
Group 26 / HYDE & SEEK
Yuxin D
DAY 1 CONT.

On returning to Manchester, and after a well deserved lunch break, the group broke into 4 and undertook a SWOT analysis, discussing their experiences and observations from site.
Posted 8 May 2024 14:58
Group 22 / 01:01
Saul B
Day 2: Guest Lecture

This morning we had a guest lecture from Angus, ex-student of the MSA who now works at Tim Denton, a local bespoke furniture design company. It was great to hear from Angus about the process and reasoning behind his work, and review our initial designs with him.
Posted 8 May 2024 14:48
Group 14 / POWER TO YOUTH
Hana Wajihah AB
Day 2 - Splitting into groups and initial discussion

Today we split everyone into three groups to focus on the three outputs: A modelmaking group, a detail group and a 3D modelling/visualisation group.
Posted 8 May 2024 14:36
Group 26 / HYDE & SEEK
Yuxin D
DAY 1 REFLECTION

On the first day we travelled to Hyde in two groups; one by train and one by bus. Together we explored the key nodes and main routes from the bus and train stations to the city centre, which will form the basis of our main route design.
Posted 8 May 2024 14:22
Group 37 / BAM BRINNINGTON ACTIVE MOVEMENT
Sanah M
MSA Live Action Week Day 1

MSA Live action week began on the 7th May. We had the chance to meet with the BA1 and BA2 students who will be working with us for the next two weeks to produce the outputs for this project.

We started off the day with an ice breakers and informal chats to give everyone a chance to get to know each other. We then presented an introduction PowerPoint to our new team members to give them a better understanding of what the project is about and what we have done so far. We then gave them a chance to ask questions and share any ideas they may have. We had a lovely chat about the ideas they had in mind, some of their ideas were about including dog parks and using signages as a free tour guide around the area.

We then shared a task with the BA1 and BA2 students, we asked them to start a SWOT analysis of Brinnington and to create a mood board with precedent studies which they can present to us the following morning.
Posted 8 May 2024 13:59
Group 37 / BAM BRINNINGTON ACTIVE MOVEMENT
Sanah M
New Additions to the Team

Meet BA1 and BA2 students who will be working with us for the new few days.
Posted 8 May 2024 13:58
Group 37 / BAM BRINNINGTON ACTIVE MOVEMENT
Sanah M
Wishing Wall

On the 28th of April we attended a community event at life leisure where we had the opportunity to speak to members of the community about what improvements they would like to see in the area and about what we could do to encourage people to engage in outdoor activities.

The most common themes that were mentioned by the members of the community were to include more outdoor activates in the parks and safe spaces to walk.
Posted 8 May 2024 13:56
Group 35 / PARK&PLAY
Gaia DL
SITE VISIT

We had a fun day at Stockport, visiting the site and exploring the surroundings. The students came up with very unique ideas for the space, which was very exciting.!!!

#Fundayout!
Posted 8 May 2024 12:04
Group 35 / PARK&PLAY
Gaia DL
DAY 1

We had a very informal introduction to the group and welcomed the undergraduate students to Group 35!
We had some fun conversations and got to know each other, which was really nice.
We also gave a brief overview of our project and site and discussed some ideas before we headed to Stockport for the site visit at Merseyway Carpark.

#getingtoknoweveryone
Posted 8 May 2024 11:56
Group 21 / INBETWEEN
Jing Y
Post lunch, Group 21 descended on Stockport for the afternoon! A short walk from the train station past some exciting developments, we arrived at the high street a couple minutes walk away from the site! It was only a brief visit as the surrounding buildings are currently undergoing major refurbishments so access to the site was blocked off!
Looking forward to Thursday morning when we meet our collaborator on site to gain access to fully understand the site! After the site visit, the team ventured around Stockport going on a whistle stop tour to see areas of public realm that might inform the design process! It was a very enjoyable afternoon in the sunshine, what a way for the team to see the site for the first time!
Posted 8 May 2024 11:27
Group 21 / INBETWEEN
Jing Y
Here we go! Kicking things off bright and early at 10 today! Today was all about getting to know each other as a team and starting to break grounds on understanding the site! We started with an ice breaker to tease out people's interests and get an understanding of what interests them architecturally!

Following on from that we discussed the site, project outcomes and client expectations for the project. Having previously discussed everyone's interests architecturally, sparked a huge discussion between temporary and permanent solutions for the site and how to divide the groups!

To finish off the morning session, the team spent some time brainstorming, exploring and generating initial ideas for the site. This afternoon we take a trip to Stockport to see the site for the first time!
Posted 8 May 2024 11:26
Group 04 / THERMAL OASIS
Maisie M
-Day 1-

On our first day of the action weeks we welcomed our undergraduate students to Group 4!

Today involved getting straight onto site for a tour from our collaborator in order to get to grips with the design brief as well as to experience the user navigation of the site. We heard from our collaborator what needs to be included within our designs - can't wait to see what the design groups come up with!
Posted 8 May 2024 11:17
Group 38 / STITICHING NELSON'S SPIRIT
Shalom Aureole B
April 25, 2024: Exciting things are on the horizon, and we're thrilled to share the latest developments with you! The action plan is out! From colourful tapestries to innovative design ideas, it's going to be an exciting 2 weeks.
So, what's next on the agenda? It's time to roll up our sleeves, dive headfirst into action, and bring our plan to life.
Stay tuned as we embark on this exciting journey together. The best is yet to come!
Posted 8 May 2024 10:18
Group 22 / 01:01
Saul B
Day 1: Brief and Introductions

Great turnout for the first day of MSA Live, introducing the FDN, BA1 and BA2 students to the brief and discussing initial ideas for multi-use furniture.
Posted 8 May 2024 09:50
Group 40 / NAVIGATING STOCKPORT
Jason Y
Our day began at Rhode Island Coffee in Stockport, where we carried hard copies of the interactive surveys we've developed over the last few weeks. These surveys are crucial for gathering detailed feedback directly from the community, enhancing our understanding of their needs and perceptions. Today, we started visiting local communities and neighbourhoods around the proposed Wayfind Path, fully prepared to engage deeply with residents and collect their valuable insights.

During our visits, we also had a meaningful conversation with a part-time artist who commutes from the Lake District to work in Stockport. He emphasised how a wayfinding strategy could significantly benefit the area, especially in revitalising the often isolated and overlooked Underbanks. Our interactive surveys are central to this effort, ensuring that the community's voices are heard and guide our actions. This initiative is quickly becoming an exciting exploration into the heart of Stockport's neighbourhoods, filled with discovery and opportunities for meaningful change.
Posted 8 May 2024 00:47
Group 30 / THE OPEN CANVAS
Banuchichak I
Action Weeks- Day 1

Today was the first day of our project, and it was all about getting to know each other and the exciting journey ahead. We kicked things off with everyone sharing a little about themselves—what they like, what they’re good at, and what they hope to bring to the project.

After our round of intros, we dove into the details of our project. We showed the students a presentation about the site and talked about our mission and the goals we want to hit. It’s not just about the end results; we’re here to make something meaningful together.

We wrapped up the day by handing out a small homework assignment. Everyone has been tasked with doing some research on topics we talked about today, and we’re looking forward to hearing what everyone finds out tomorrow.
Posted 7 May 2024 22:54
Group 07 / UNFOLDING LOL
Christiana K

After lunch we went to class where we got to know the project better and analyzed all the information about the building. We also get to know each other better by doing some ice-breaking activities, sketching each other. Then we prepare for the next day's tasks.
Posted 7 May 2024 22:53
Group 03 / BEE CUP
Nupoor Vivek A
Posted 7 May 2024 22:44
Group 07 / UNFOLDING LOL
Christiana K
Day 1 - Meeting the Group & Site Visit

Meeting with the group of students nearby the site involving a dynamic approach to learning, integrating exploration, analysis, and discussion.
Begin with a brief introduction, welcoming the students and providing an overview of the agenda for the day. Explain the significance of the area and the building they will be visiting, setting the context for their exploration. Lead the group on a walking tour of the area surrounding the site, pointing out notable landmarks, historical features, and architectural elements. Encourage students to observe and take note of their surroundings, fostering an appreciation for the context in which the building exists.
Posted 7 May 2024 22:31
Group 38 / STITICHING NELSON'S SPIRIT
Wei Jie O
March 18, 2024: We've just wrapped up another meeting with our client to bring them up to speed on the project's latest developments. We discussed the specifics of our two-week action plan and reviewed the anticipated outcomes. A notable moment was when we presented our project poster for approval, with Callum offering insightful suggestions.

Additionally, we have set the dates for in-person visits to track our progress throughout the action weeks. This hands-on approach promises to provide us with a clearer understanding of how to refine our design strategy moving forward, incorporating valuable insights from our client.
We are eagerly looking forward to the action weeks !
Posted 7 May 2024 21:43
Group 10 / ACCESS ALL AREAS
Diana C
Week 01 Day 01

On the first day, we got to know each other and briefly discussed experiences about accessibility in architectural design. We presented relevant information about the Carlton Club and its accessibility challenges. We then began familiarising ourselves with the site through digital and physical modelmaking.
Posted 7 May 2024 21:41
Group 24 / MARPLE PLAYS
Lucy H
ACTION WEEKS DAY 01

A great first day for 'Marple Plays’ action weeks! It was great to get to know the newest members of our team - the students from BA and MLA. We kickstarted with a 'human bingo' ice-breaker to get to know each other. After a presentation from the March students to introduce the project and the sites, we divided into teams and allocated each team their site, ending the morning with a site analysis brainstorm.

The afternoon was spent sketching and developing initial concepts for a series of ‘public realm interventions’ in Marple, which each group presented at the end of the afternoon. This sparked some inspiring conversations between the groups and we were blown away with everyone’s ideas and creativity. We are looking forward to testing these ideas as physical models tomorrow!
Posted 7 May 2024 20:45
Group 13 / SAVING HEIGHTS
Taisiia-Lukiia S
Great start to the MSA Live 24! We began with the presentation in the morning and got to know our new team members. Followed up with the site visit and met our collaborator, Christine, to get more insights for the projects. And finally the sketching session in the afternoon. 
Posted 7 May 2024 20:38
Group 24 / MARPLE PLAYS
Lucy H
MEET THE COLLABORATORS

Formed in 1961, Marple Civic Society is a volunteer organisation of Marple residents, who are passionate about shaping the future of Marple to make it as vibrant and sustainable as possible. They believe that everyone in Marple, residents young and old, businesses and community groups, can help to identify the town’s challenges and offer ideas for tackling them, taking the stance that working together to adapt to the changing world is the way to create a healthier, happier and more sustainable community for current residents and for future generations.

Their projects to date include: involvement in canal restoration; campaigns to protect pedestrianised space; development of a “Vision for Marple” (which has spawned a series of regeneration projects); workshops and open meetings to inform and encourage local engagement with local issues; engagement with local councillors and council officers regarding the Marple Community Hub and Marple traffic schemes.

We are excited to be collaborating with such an inspiring, knowledgeable and passionate organisation!
Posted 7 May 2024 20:30
Group 19 / REDISCOVERING CHADWICK DAM
James L
Making some new friends along the way.
Posted 7 May 2024 20:28
Group 40 / NAVIGATING STOCKPORT
Jason Y
Journey to wayfinding: Action Plan Unveiled!
We are absolutely thrilled to share the beginning of the action plan we've passionately crafted to chart our journey and celebrate each step of our wayfinding project. It's not just a roadmap; it's the heartbeat of our team and the adventure ahead!

Our action-packed journey begins with a dynamic first day filled with exciting interactions. We’ll be welcoming our innovative new team members from Landscape Design, BA1, and BA2. The day is set to spark connections with an ice-breaking session, followed by an engaging project introduction, a hands-on site visit, and a session of interactive sketching to capture fresh impressions from the site. It's essential that we all align perfectly with our shared visions and goals right from the start.

Moving forward, we'll dive into the brainstorming phase, where we'll break into small, focused groups of three to explore various facets of wayfinding. Each group will tackle dedicated tasks, honing our initial concepts into something tangible. We're all buzzing with anticipation for the next step—rolling up our sleeves for hands-on 3D concept modelling and production, all set to unfold over the next six days. And we can’t wait to showcase our progress to Peter, our esteemed client from Stockport.
Posted 7 May 2024 20:20
Group 19 / REDISCOVERING CHADWICK DAM
James L
Day 01: A Great Day To Visit Chadwick Dam!

Starting the day we were welcomed by our MLA1, BA1 and BA2, students to group 19. After a quick group briefing, we began to get our boots on ready to visit the site, not before a lovely introductory discussion about ourselves and our interests of course!

After being properly introduced to one another, we made our way to the park area for the afternoon, not a bad day for it! After taking the train to the site we separated into two distinct teams to navigate the south of the site, We informed the students of the site whilst on tour, as well as asking for their initial ideas and preconceptions of the park. After the South site tour, we met up with our collaborator Hayley from Tameside Council, of which she cheerfully guided and helped educate the students further regarding the task required for Chadwick Dam's development.

Following our sunny trip, we returned to Manchester for a quick discussion about the coming days, setting up three teams to tackle each requirement and setting up the student itinerary for the next two weeks. Exciting ideas are ahead.
Posted 7 May 2024 20:10
Group 17 / MERSEY GREEN
Mustafa Cem T
DAY 1
MSA Live has begun! We have now been joined by our BA1, BA2 and MLA Students and have begun our action weeks by visiting the site, meeting with our collaborators and exploring the Heaton Mersey Park. Along the way, we collected images and made sketches of the site, whilst discussing possible ideas for our reuse of the Pavilion and strategies to encourage more community engagement in the park.
Posted 7 May 2024 19:55
Group 18 / GORTON GREENWAYS
Irina-Elena P
Day 1

The first day on site was a busy one for the second group as we volunteered to clear a portion of the Yellow Brick Road making it more welcoming for the community and had some fun gardening on site! Thank you Healthy me Healthy Community for a lovely day of volunteer work and to all students for their work and enthusiasm!
Posted 7 May 2024 19:45
Group 18 / GORTON GREENWAYS
Irina-Elena P
Day 1

We started the day early with a team meeting on campus and the split the group in two. Half of us stayed on campus to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming community consultation that we have planned and also look into concepts for the design we have to prepare. Thank you everyone for your work!
Posted 7 May 2024 19:44
Group 23 / EMPORIUM
Amber R
A great first day!
Posted 7 May 2024 17:29
Group 23 / EMPORIUM
Amber R
Our first day has flown! After our ice breakers, we travelled to the emporium and introduced the rest of the group to Scott and the shop owners. We took a tour round the building, then ate lunch, had a tour round a local art museum and then a small tour round Sale. Groups have been assigned in preparation for tomorrow!
Posted 7 May 2024 17:29
Group 23 / EMPORIUM
Amira AN
After a wonderful introduction with our students we began the day with a word cloud which quickly helped us get a grasp of what everyone's initial thoughts were on what the word 'emporium' means to them. Already faced with such enthusiasm, we then moved onto a relaxing drawing session which explored everyone's concept of what an emporium means and got our creative hats on. We then all carried our excitement through with us onto the tram to visit the site at Sale.
Posted 7 May 2024 17:28
Group 15 / CRAFT THE LOOP
Danni Y
Day 1 : Sunny Site Visit at Station South

Today we welcomed BA1, BA2, and MLA1 students to group 15. To get them engaged (and find some good food recommendations), we started with a discussion on everyone's favourite restaurants within Manchester. After everyone was feeling more comfortable , we introduced the brief and clients.

Our afternoon was spent in the sun at Station South. After cycling to the site, we began with a tour. We then asked students to sketch their initial discoveries. This led to a interesting discussion about what possible avenues to explore over the next two weeks.
Posted 7 May 2024 17:28
Group 08 / LITTLE ARCHITECTS
Dakun W
Day One!

It was lovely to get to know the students from BA and MLA, our newest additions. All of them were excited and full of energy! Today, we played many games for icebreakers and got to know each other a bit better. We all had a great time, and are excited to start the project!

In the afternoon, we introduced the brief and talked about the project and its execution. Finally, we planned our activities for the upcoming week and ended the day by sectioning the group according to their interests and abilities, ahead for tomorrow. Full steam ahead from now on!
Posted 7 May 2024 17:15
Group 33 / IN POCKET
Zihan Z
We conducted a case study in the afternoon. We explored the organizational arrangements and stage positions of the orchestra. We also conducted preliminary verification of the feasibility update for the expansion of the existing auditorium.
Posted 7 May 2024 16:25
Group 14 / POWER TO YOUTH
Hana Wajihah AB
Day 1 - Group & site introductions

What an outstanding group of students we have! Our first day we encountered a few obstacles and had to improvise along the way as we couldn’t make it to the site today. Instead, we talked about what the students wanted to learn from the two weeks, gave them an overview of the site and asked them to annotate and pick out potential study areas of the building for the outputs. We also showed them the site photos we took during our visit in January in preparation for the site visit that we had to push back to tomorrow morning!
Posted 7 May 2024 16:22
Group 32 / REIMAGINING ALSAGER
Min Jing T
ACTION PLAN

WEEK 1:
The first week focuses on researching the site and developing project concepts. The team will split into two thematic groups, each with a different focus, to gather diverse approaches to the site.

WEEK 2:
The second week begins with some MArch 1 students bringing the conceptual work from the first week to Alsager to present to members of the community, gathering feedback to further develop the projects. On Thursday, the team will visit Alsager to meet with our collaborator and receive their feedback on our project.
Posted 7 May 2024 15:56
Group 39 / DEEP DIVE
Shreya Reddy K
More Photos of Day 1 !!

Posted 7 May 2024 15:52
Group 32 / REIMAGINING ALSAGER
Min Jing T
FINAL PLANNING MEETING

Prior to the action weeks, the team had an online meeting with collaborators to conduct a final check on the key dates and key outputs for the action weeks.
Posted 7 May 2024 15:46
Group 39 / DEEP DIVE
Shreya Reddy K
DAY 1 OF DEEP DIVING

Deep Dive team is happy to finally meet the rest of the team and are excited for our site visit to Crewe tomorrow! After a round of icebreakers, we went on to introduce the site and then split into three groups tackling Crewe's site, vibe, and design outputs.

It was lovely to see all the groups get together at the end of the day to share their findings on Flag Lane Baths, and can't wait to 'DEEP DIVE' further into Crewe's rich history!
Posted 7 May 2024 15:36
Group 11 / GOOD MORNING SALE WEST
Tara Louise S
Day One!
Visiting the Sale West Site with the team to see building and woods. Looking over the current floor plan and talking with the Sale West community chairs to understand the area and needs for the building. Dividing up tasks for the week and taking photographs of the site.
Posted 7 May 2024 15:01
Group 26 / HYDE & SEEK
James David W
DAY 1

Today marks the first day of MSA Live 24. We met for the first time, and after a short icebreaker activity, broke off into two groups to travel to Hyde; one by train, and one by bus. We explored the journeys through to the town centre from each direction, experiencing the difficulties in wayfinding first-hand, before convening at Hyde Town Hall. After a trip around the centre and associated market precinct, the groups continued on to find the other mode of transport back to Manchester.
Posted 7 May 2024 14:37
Group 32 / REIMAGINING ALSAGER
Min Jing T
SITE VISIT - 2/19

On our initial site visit to Alsager, we had the opportunity to tour the town with our collaborators from Studio Lab - Alex M. and Alex H. Alsager is a small town located to the south of Manchester that hosts the annual Alsager Summer Carnival and Music Festival. There are several parks in Alsager, and the largest one is Milton Park, where our skatepark site is situated adjacent to. The site has two main sections: a small concrete skatepark mainly occupied by teenage students, and an empty space being used as a car park. We managed to capture some photos and drone footage to fully understand the experiential quality of the site.

Following the tour, our team sat down at Alex H.’s Two Door’s studio to further discuss the scope of the project and their visions. We identified some opportunities to revitalize the usage of the site, setting the stage for our collaboration.

Find the article from the local press here:
https://alsager.nub.news/news/local-news/new-arts-enterprise-and-architecture-students-have-designs-on-success-helping-to-shape-the-future-229200
Posted 7 May 2024 14:36
Group 11 / GOOD MORNING SALE WEST
Tara Louise S
Our teams Action Plan for the second intensive week!
Posted 7 May 2024 14:27
Group 11 / GOOD MORNING SALE WEST
Tara Louise S
Our teams Action Plan for the first intensive week!
Posted 7 May 2024 14:26
Group 33 / IN POCKET
Zihan Z
We appreciate everyone who joined us on the first day. It was a pleasure meeting you all. This opportunity allowed us to present the project to the team and hopefully ignite the same enthusiasm we feel. Keep an eye on our blog, where we'll be posting daily updates on our progress.
Posted 7 May 2024 13:58
Group 22 / 01:01
Saul B
Day 1: Initial Concepts

It's been a great afternoon developing concepts and making paper models, investigating materials and form.
Posted 7 May 2024 13:08
Group 14 / POWER TO YOUTH
Hana Wajihah AB
Action Plan for Week 1

During the first week, we will focus on getting familar with the site and begin planning the focus areas for the 3 outputs in small groups. Small workshops will also be held by the MArch students to introduce the FDN/BA1/BA2 students to different softwares and skills throughout the week, before presenting the progress to the architects on Friday morning.
Posted 7 May 2024 12:57
Group 14 / POWER TO YOUTH
Hana Wajihah AB
Here are some of the design and software skills you will develop and learn over the 2 action weeks!

Apart from teamwork and working collaboratively with each other and the clients, we will focus on SWOT analysis, design development, technical resolution and graphic presentation skills - all which are valuable in both architecture school and in a professional context. We will also be providing different workshops for different softwares in order to support you in creating the outputs that will be presented to the collaborators at the end of the project.
Posted 7 May 2024 12:49
Group 29 / GREAT HORTON REIMAGINED
Jake O
Action Plan

The action plan has been curated in order to achieve all of the project objectives. Providing a breakdown of daily activities across the two action weeks.
Posted 7 May 2024 12:46
Group 29 / GREAT HORTON REIMAGINED
Mingrui L
Risk Assessment
We have analysed the various risks that could occur at different levels. Our group will be involved in site visits, due to the large number of members in the group we have chosen to travel by bus, and any activities will be organised to facilitate control and to avoid risky areas such as high traffic flow, and for potential visits to the construction site we will strictly adhere to site safety requirements such as wearing helmets, and appropriate footwear, such as steel cap toe boots. Our designs also include a lot of modelling work, which requires the use of dangerous tools such as knives, glue guns and large cutting equipment, to minimise the risks we opt for safer, simpler modelling methods and avoid the use of high risk cutting equipment. All kinds of activities have different potential risks, even serious ones that can endanger lives, so for larger groups, it is necessary to choose safe and better controlled activities.
Posted 7 May 2024 12:19
Group 32 / REIMAGINING ALSAGER
Min Jing T
SKILLS AND ACTIVITIES

You will have the opportunity to participate in various methods of design:
- Hand drawing
- Digital drawing and collage
- Physical modelling
- Digital modelling
- Ai tools incorporation

We will also give tutorials on the following:
- Mapping
- Photoshop
- 3D Modelling (Introduction to Parametric Architecture and Digital Modelling)
Posted 7 May 2024 11:52
Group 32 / REIMAGINING ALSAGER
Min Jing T
THE COLLABORATORS

StudioLab is an emerging local interest group with an interest in arts, architecture, technology, and the alternative. Conceived as a collective, currently comprising of Home Coffee & Studio and Studio 100a in Alsager. Their aim is to educate, collaborate and facilitate creativity by offering studio space but to also inspire real-world change by engaging with the people and places around them through projects and initiatives.
Posted 7 May 2024 11:51
Group 32 / REIMAGINING ALSAGER
Min Jing T
PROJECT INTRODUCTION

Aims: The goal of our project is to introduce positive change to Alsager by designing a space for the community. What that entails is a space for: leisure, daily activities, meeting, artistic expression, events. One of the main aspects is creating a place for the young people of Alsager, who currently do not have many options for entertainment, as part of that the current skatepark will be redesigned.

Process: The work process will start with an urban planning exercise that will showcase how the site is related to the rest of Alsager. Through this, ideas for the site will be generated. We will then proceed to sketch and model both physically and digitally the proposals we come up with.

Outputs: The team will create an urban map, design sketches, physical models of the proposals and the master students will show and guide you through the production of digital renders of the final designs.
Posted 7 May 2024 11:48
Group 04 / THERMAL OASIS
Ding L
Posted 7 May 2024 09:36
Group 04 / THERMAL OASIS
Ding L
Posted 7 May 2024 09:36
Group 29 / GREAT HORTON REIMAGINED
Zahra Ibrahim M A
Ethos Form

As engaging with people in Bradford was an important aspect of developing this project, the ethics application was carefully completed by addressing all parts of the application cautiously.

Communication with the project’s participants was through our gatekeeper and no personal information, other than names was collected from the participants.

We have ensured that our collaborator ‘the gatekeeper’ has provided everyone participating in this project with two main documents; the Participant Information Sheet and the Consent Form to complete before participating.

The two provided documents gave the participants an overview of the project, including the project's general aim, what is expected from them, their right to withdraw at any time, and how their data will be used and managed.

The data collected from them was managed and analysed by the MArch 1 students only to ensure confidentiality.
Posted 7 May 2024 02:54
Group 07 / UNFOLDING LOL
Christiana K
Group meeting - Preparations for the action week

During the group meeting to prepare for the action week, the analysis phase involves examining various aspects to inform your planning and decision-making. This includes reviewing how previous action weeks have gone, understanding what worked well and what didn't, assessing the skills and resources available within the team, and considering any external factors that could influence your plans. By thoroughly analyzing these elements, we could better understand the starting point and make informed decisions on how to approach the upcoming action week effectively.
Posted 6 May 2024 21:32
Group 29 / GREAT HORTON REIMAGINED
Yanxi L
Budget and Finances

We identified the action plan first, so we'll probably know exactly what we're budgeting to spend on. From there, I can draw up the budget proposal. Our site is in Bradford, which means we may need an extra budget for transportation on the site visit day. I therefore requested a quote from SMC Coach. Other than that, most of the rest of the budget will be spent on materials to make the model and the expense of printing, etc. In this process, I have been communicating between groupmates, collaborators, school, and the coach company. I learned how to organise budgets and finances.
Posted 6 May 2024 19:15
Group 29 / GREAT HORTON REIMAGINED
Jake O
Project Mangement

In preparation for MSA Live, my role has included project management.

This has included liaising with our collaborator, receiving feedback on the poster design, and assigning individual roles to ensure the outcome goals are hit prior to commencing the two action weeks.

Through these tasks I've learnt valuable skills in resource management, communication and delegation.
Posted 6 May 2024 18:51
Group 18 / GORTON GREENWAYS
Irina-Elena P
Thank you to all team members who made time to meet us last Friday, ahead of the action weeks. It was very nice to see you all. This way, we got the chance to introduce the project to the rest of the team and hopefully get everyone as excited as we are! Please keep an eye on our blog, as we will upload daily posts showing our progress.
Posted 6 May 2024 16:22
Group 03 / BEE CUP
Xin L
Overview of Action week
Posted 6 May 2024 11:19
Group 03 / BEE CUP
Xin L
Action Plan of week 1&2
Posted 6 May 2024 11:18
Group 03 / BEE CUP
Xin L
Detail action plan of week 2
Posted 6 May 2024 11:16
Group 03 / BEE CUP
Xin L
Detail action plan of week 1
Posted 6 May 2024 11:16

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