MSA Live 25

Finley H

A playful twist on interactive learning, this board is a stage for imagination! The board features toss games in the bottom section and has hooks that feature as play or storage. The doors open to transform into a puppet show. The quirky hands on the sides can be used for hanging things or playful interaction. With funky playful faces and interactive features, this entertainment board can be easily moved across different rooms and sparks fun and excitement to any space!

Posted 23 May 2025 13:13

Sze Yik L

Product Description:

CHÅYA is a plywood and vinyl chair following the curving ergonomics of the body. The product is constructed without glue, only screws, for disassembly at end of life and allowing the recycling of the wood. The weaving vinyl provides comfort and structural integrity, while highlighting the reuse of the vinyl and the environmentally conscious attitudes of Plastic Shed.

Posted 23 May 2025 13:12

Pengcheng Y

May 23rd

Today we had the final handover with Caitlin, and she absolutely loved the designs! Every student is super proud of their own work and contributions — I really believe everyone’s learned a ton over these two weeks. Honestly, it’s been an awesome two weeks!

Posted 23 May 2025 13:10

Student Feed Back on MArch Students

Posted 23 May 2025 13:09

A well deserved pizza party to celebrate MSA Live!

Posted 23 May 2025 13:06

COLLABORATION 30X39
THE POSSIBILITY MACHINE X PLASTIC SHED

On Day 8 Possibility Machine and Plastic shed collaborated, hanging a recycled-plastic chandelier from the inside of the Possibility machine, exploring the endless possibilities of creative collaboration and drive!

Posted 23 May 2025 13:00

Day 8: Polishing, Assembling, and Preparing for the World

With the client visit just hours away, Day 8 was all about the final polish, bringing all the hard work of the past week into alignment and watching The Possibility Machine come to life in full.

🧵 Shelter – Maddie, with the support of Shiv and Hannah, mounted the fabric canopy onto the machine for the first time—carefully adjusting and tightening it to fit just right. The result? A beautifully strange, glowing shelter that transforms light into texture. The holes in the recycled outer layer cast dappled shadows through the clean inner surface, creating an environment that’s both alien and intimate. A huge well done to Maddie for bringing such a poetic and purposeful concept to life!

🛠️ Surface + Structure – Alyssa, Sana, Irmak, and Sofiah came together to assemble the final elements of the extendable table and mark-making surfaces. Their design resulted in a modular system of interchangeable panels, allowing the client to adapt and rearrange the surfaces based on activity, setting, or audience. Flexible, inventive, and future-ready, an excellent achievement from the team!

✨ Client Response – The client was more than overjoyed with the final outputs. Seeing the machine fully assembled and functioning, with each design element working cohesively, brought genuine excitement and gratitude. It was a powerful reminder of the real-world impact this collaborative project holds.

🌱 Core Values in Action – Today wasn’t just about finishing the build, it was a moment to reflect on what’s been accomplished. Every team held fast to our project’s core goals: mess-making, sustainability, creativity, and ethics. These principles align directly with the SHEAFS ethos of our school, and it’s a credit to the entire group that they were embedded not only in the final design but in the way the process unfolded.

🚚 Wrap-Up & Pack-Down – At the close of the day, Gongxin and Liu helped Joseph disassemble the machine and carefully transport each part from the MTC to his car, ready for tomorrow’s big site visit and soft launch. The final pieces are in place, the machine is ready to meet the world.

Well done, everyone. The Possibility Machine is almost out in the wild!

Posted 23 May 2025 12:43

Day 10: Submitted!

And we are done! Well done all!

Posted 23 May 2025 12:36

Detailed plans of the community marketplace and social housing

Axonometric of the steel-structure walkway within the community marketplace

Perspective drawing of the marketplace and garden

Posted 23 May 2025 12:31

Perspective renderings of the proposed community marketplace and garden

Posted 23 May 2025 12:29

We had a fantastic time sharing our final design concept with Jo from Valley Heritage this morning! It’s been a pleasure collaborating with Valley Heritage on design concepts for the Waterbarn Chapel. Special thanks to all the BA1 and BA2 students for their incredible effort and creativity over the past two weeks, you should be so proud of the work you produced!

Posted 23 May 2025 12:27

[Day 10] Team Lunch

To wrap up an intense and rewarding two weeks, we headed out for a well-deserved team lunch to celebrate the completion of our project. After days of sketches, models, presentations, it felt great to take a moment, relax, and appreciate how far we’ve come.

It’s been a full-on journey, and everyone’s hard work truly paid off. From early ideas to final presentations, the commitment and collaboration across the team made all the difference.

Great job, team!🙌 Here’s to everything we’ve achieved.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:24

Group 40 / GARDEN OF TRANQUILITY

[Day 10] Self Reflection

Hi, I'm Ian from BA1. During my time in MSA Live, I enjoyed my time here working with different people with different strengths, especially when a project involves an actual client. I'm grateful that my groupmates were really friendly and did not force any work on us but rather give us the freedom to be creative. As a team, I think everything went pretty smoothly and efficiently as well as the clients were very satisfied with our work. Throughout the process, I have learnt to enhance my skills further in procreate as well as being able to engage with regulars about their opinions of the site.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:23

Jacob N

Day 10:

The final day of MSA Live!!!!

Final Presentation Day!!!

Today, we spent the morning presenting to the students and teachers of Sale High School. Sale High School were thoroughly impressed with our final proposal and really enjoyed the presentation from the undergraduate students.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone involved in Garden of Tranquillity, and the final result could not have been done without you!!!!

Posted 23 May 2025 12:15

Muna M

Day 10: The Final Push

Masters team finalising the final submission and accompanying documents.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:13

Muna M

Visual of the Learning Space, separated with a semi-transparent curtain system to create a defined but permeable space.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:10

Emanuil Petrovich S

DAY 9

On Day 9, the students advanced their design work by translating their program analyses into spatial compositions within the Ince Chapels. Each student focused on a thematic category—Heritage, Arts and Culture, or Health and Wellness—and began developing architectural proposals tailored to their chosen theme.

Using isometric drawings, floor plans, sections, and elevations, they explored how their concepts could be physically and visually integrated into the existing chapel structures. These drawings formed a cohesive visual narrative, clearly expressing how each program would occupy and transform the space.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:07

[Day 10] Self Reflection

Hi all, I'm Claire from BA1. Working with Verde Vision was a great opportunity to engage with a real client and collaborate effectively in a group setting, which worked seamlessly as each role was successful fulfilled. Collaborating with the MArch & MArch AR students provided insights into future academic expectations as an architecture students.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:07

[Day 9] Collaborative Feedback Session

Huge thanks to Life Leisure for arranging today's meeting in such a cozy room with hot drinks and biscuits.

The feedback we received was thoughtful and constructive, and it gave us a lot to reflect on. Similarly, we hope our imaginations can inspire the workforce!

Thank you again!

Posted 23 May 2025 12:06

Xinran Z

DAY 8

In the morning of the second Wednesday, students engaged in a reflective session based on the site visit conducted the previous day. To capture the collective impression of the site, each student was asked to contribute a single word or phrase summarising their feelings and observations. These responses were compiled into a visually striking word cloud, which served as both a conceptual foundation and a creative prompt for the upcoming design work.

In the afternoon, we reviewed and finalised the overall layout for the group portfolio, ensuring a consistent and professional presentation style. Responsibilities were clearly assigned to each member to ensure smooth progress in the final stages. Following this, the undergraduate students began developing their initial design ideas based on their interpretations of the site context and user needs.

To explore different possibilities for the church’s future use, students were divided into three groups, each focusing on a specific function. Within these groups, students worked collaboratively to generate design concepts for both the interior and exterior spaces. Sketches, mood boards, and rough models started to take shape, illustrating diverse and creative approaches tailored to the chosen themes.

Each group produced inspiring preliminary outputs that demonstrated a growing confidence in design thinking and spatial understanding. More importantly, the process of collaboration fostered a strong sense of teamwork. As students shared ideas, solved problems together, and built upon one another’s suggestions, not only were their cooperative skills strengthened, but new friendships also naturally formed.

With a shared sense of direction and increasing momentum, the team entered the final stage of the project with high morale and a clear vision.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:06

See EJ

DAY 7 - Afternoon

After lunch, the team returned to the site with the stakeholders to further explore and test our initial design proposals. We were joined by representatives from Buttress Architects, who guided us on a tour of the cemetery, revisiting key features identified during Week 1.

Seeing the chapels in person added depth to our understanding of the site. We brought along our models and were pleasantly surprised by how closely they resembled the actual structures, affirming the accuracy of our interpretations and the strength of our design process.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:05

Group 05 / BOWLS TO BLOOMS

See EJ

DAY 7 - Morning

The team arrived early at the site to set up for our public engagement session at Ince Community Centre. The activity began at 11am, with residents gradually making their way in. We engaged in conversations with them, introduced the models we had prepared, and asked for their thoughts on the site's shared cultural memory.

We also used question prompts focused on the community, local cultures, and everyday life in Ince to spark discussion. These conversations provided valuable insights into the site’s current issues and areas where we could offer design interventions.

Although attendance was lower than expected, we made the most of the opportunity, embracing the realities of public engagement where flexibility and adaptability are key. The staff at the community centre kindly offered us tea and breakfast, creating a warm and welcoming environment for the session.

Posted 23 May 2025 12:01

Jonatan M

Day 9 Intensive Week - Construction Wrap Up!
Today saw us finishing the construction of the bench tops and the layering of 9 tonnes of soil and aggregate in the planter boxes. Splitting into teams, we shovelled the aggregate into wheelbarrows and created a 100mm layer at the bottom of each bed to create a penetrable drainage layer to ensure the water does not pool in the soil. This was then topped with a weed membrane to the corners of each planter to ensure damp soil would not wash into the aggregate. Finally, the beds were finished with 300mm of topsoil to allow for the growth of a variety of plants that will later be planted and fostered by the local community. In the meantime, benchtops were finalised with wooden planks that were securely fastened to a frame by 6 screws each to ensure safety and longevity. These tops can be lifted off to provide storage for soil and tools within the base as the church prepares to build a shed in the area we cleared on Friday. We’re proud to say that construction has been completed on time and within budget, and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in making this possible. We look forward to celebrating together at tomorrow’s community event!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:57

Group 11 / AGECROFT ANEW

Rumingyue R

Day 10

Today was the last day of MSA! We have really great final output! Everyone in the group contributed a lot to this project and our division of labour was very clear, so we worked very efficiently.At MSA LIVE it's not just about working on the project, co-ordinating the team and communicating with the council is just as important during the two weeks of work. We needed to improve our design through weekly presentations, incorporating the council's suggestions. Making sure we are heading in the right direction every step of the way.

Finally, I would like to say that MSA LIVE's group work gathered students from all over the world, and we could communicate with each other, learn from each other, and recognise more from the same project. We will work together to figure out how to solve the same difficulty, and we will also rejoice in the results of our common work.

It's a pleasure to meet you all.

Posted 23 May 2025 11:51

Day 7: Light, Layers & Last Touches – Prepping for the Client Visit

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming!

As the countdown to The Possibility Machine’s soft launch continues, Day 7 brought a focused and full-on day of making. With a client reveal on the horizon, the teams pushed themselves to get every component presentation-ready, balancing refinement, construction, and care.

🧵 Shelter – Maddie, with helping hand Taoran, continued developing the fabric canopy, adding an inner lining that provides a clean, functional surface for the client to work beneath. Supported by Hannah, Maddie carefully stitched and layered recycled materials, ensuring both durability and delight. The outer layer features thoughtfully placed holes, allowing light to filter through and animate the canopy, creating a soft, glowing environment that offers shade, atmosphere, and interaction all at once. Harry showed up for the photo-op and helped a little!

🛠️ Surface + Structure – Irmak powered through a big day of making. Sana, Alyssa, Regine, and Elena were missed but were busy powering through other extensions. Irmak, overseen and helped by Sofiah and Scott at B.15, the team prepped, laminated, cut, and assembled the components of the extendable table, one of the machine’s key public-facing features. From material handling to structural precision, their focus was sharp, and their energy tireless. Tuesday’s efforts were especially intense, driven by the goal of getting everything client-ready for final feedback and any last tweaks ahead of Thursday’s site visit and soft launch.

📚 Behind the Build – In the background, Gongxin worked diligently on the project’s publication, crafting a record of the process that will accompany the machine and tell its story. Meanwhile, Liu, finance partner and resident snack master, kept the team energised and hydrated throughout the day, ensuring no one flagged in the final push.

From the stitching table to the workshop bench, today was a powerful reminder of what collective energy, care, and a deadline can do. The Possibility Machine is almost ready to roll, and it’s looking good.

Stay tuned for the next big milestone!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:49

Group 23 / THRIVE GARDEN

Eirini T

DAY 10

Our final day pulling everything together putting the finishing touches on the publication and getting ready to present to the clients. It’s all coming together after days of hard work!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:48

Finishing off the publication and outputs

One the last day we let the BA students take the day off, allowing the MArch students to focus on the final documents for this project!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:42

Visuals from one of the proposals - a combination of several students' ideas. Representation of curtains on rails to create semi-permeable flexible spaces.

Posted 23 May 2025 11:40

Follow up email from our collaborator

Really nice for the team and BA students to see the how much our collaborators appreciated

Posted 23 May 2025 11:38

Orthographic drawing for beacon

After receiving feed back from our collaborator Pauline we created a set of measured drawings for the beacon so she can construct it on site!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:37

Day 6: Stitching, Strengthening, and Structural Ingenuity

Despite being a slow Monday (as they always are), Day 6 was all about momentum! Refining details, strengthening structures, and pushing collaborative making even further. The students continued to adapt and respond dynamically to the build’s evolving needs, pooling their skills and resources to make the most of recycled materials and collective energy.

🧵 Shelter – Maddie, Sofiah, and Taoran pressed on with the fabric canopy, continuing to source additional materials and stitch together the shelter in line with their original pattern-piece. They remained in constant iteration mode, tweaking and adjusting to ensure the structure fit the machine and its movements. Their patchwork shelter is growing into a beautifully messy, functional form, offering shade and sensory engagement all at once.

⚖️ Stability – With their wire-frame stability baskets complete and client-approved, Elena and Irmak officially wrapped up the stability component on Monday. Their thoughtful and lightweight solution met the design brief with elegance and efficiency, allowing them to now shift their focus and energy into new areas of the build.

🛠️ Surface + Structure – As a newly expanded group, Sana, Regine, and Irmak joined forces to continue the fabrication of key structural elements. (Elena was busy with design extensions - wish her luck!) Oversaw by Sofiah, the group focused on building strong, extendable supports for the machine’s table feature, an essential element for workshops and community engagement. Working with recycled bolts provided by the client and salvaged timber from B.15, the team demonstrated ingenuity and sustainability at every step.

Goodluck to Gongxin and Shiv today who are busy working on their dissertation extensions! 🍀

The build is entering its final stages, but the collaborative spirit remains high. With each screw tightened and seam stitched, The Possibility Machine grows more ready to roll into the world.

More soon from the workshop floor!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:35

Developing master plans

Master plans where developed further to ingrate our studies on local icons and symbols into the our drawings

Posted 23 May 2025 11:35

The External Team:

Michael Ngan
Joe Binks
Farah Kamilia Norazman
Mehak Aggarwal
Shimon Inaba
William Berkshire
Guzin Defne Uman
Mair Griffith

We took music outdoors by transforming a humble shipping container into a fully functional, inclusive music stage designed for both performance and play.

Our challenge wasn’t just aesthetic, it was deeply practical. How do we make a container fit within the site, alongside the school’s existing needs for storage and toilets? How can it be acoustically insulated enough for lively music sessions, while remaining easy to operate with minimal staff?

To start, we introduced attached storage directly within the stage unit so instruments and equipment can be safely stowed and accessed effortlessly. Mounted with a gentle ramp, it ensures full accessibility for students and staff with varying mobility needs.

For acoustics, we drew inspiration from the interior team’s design, continuing the hexagonal acoustic panels on the stage’s inner walls. This not only helps control sound quality, but visually ties the exterior and interior together, creating a unified design language.

The stage roof is topped with a green roof system (I mean, who doesn’t love it?) doubling as acoustic insulation and a visual echo of the school’s existing green wall. This living layer softens sound, cools the structure, and brings a natural calm to the performance space.

Hydraulic mechanism allows the stage to be folded out or packed away with minimal effort. Whether it’s a school concert or a spontaneous jam session, the space is designed to be flexible, accessible, and joyful.

This isn’t just a performance platform, it’s a new rhythm in the landscape of Delamere!!!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:29

Day 5: Stitching, Shaping, and Structuring: The Build Continues

As the build phase of The Possibility Machine gains momentum, Day 5 saw our BA students diving deeper into the making process, testing ideas, refining details, and bringing their collaborative visions to life.

🧵 Shelter – Maddie and Taoran began assembling the recycled fabric canopy, laying out and stitching pieces onto a carefully shaped pattern-piece, developed with the support of Sofiah, Shiv, and Hannah. With extra hands from Gongxin, Liu, and April, the fabric collage began to take form—an evolving patchwork of colour and texture that will provide both shade and play for the machine’s users. Hannah continued to support the Shelter team with hands-on guidance throughout the day.

⚖️ Stability – Irmak and Elena made strong progress refining their wire-frame “stability baskets.” These baskets are designed to hold site-sourced weights like rocks, grounding The Possibility Machine against wind and uneven terrain. The duo experimented with form and fit, developing a modular structure that is as functional as it is adaptable.

🛠️ Surface – Sana, Regine, and Alyssa cut and prepared their repurposed timber panels, carving out the mark-making surfaces that will invite public interaction. With design help from Shiv, They also developed and constructed a key structural element: a module to support the machine’s extendable table. The workshop build was expertly overseen by Sofiah and Scott, who provided practical guidance and ensured safe and effective construction throughout.

As always, the day was fuelled by collaboration, adaptability, and inventive problem-solving. With every fabric strip sewn, wire bent, and surface 'squiggled', The Possibility Machine edges closer to its full, multi-functional artistic form.

More to come as the build takes shape!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:29

Pictured: We ended the project where it all began — with a group photo at the entrance of the Portland Basin Museum.

Posted 23 May 2025 11:27

Pictured: Group photo with our collaborator after the final presentation!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:26

BA Students: From Concept to Construction: Shelter, Stability, Surface

After presenting their proposals to the client last Thursday, our brilliant BA students swiftly transitioned into the next stage of the project, design resolution and build prep for The Possibility Machine. With energy, imagination, and a lot of hands-on hustle, they’ve begun gathering materials, planning their interventions, and gearing up to bring their ideas to life on site.

Working in three focused groups, Shelter, Stability, and Surface, each team responded to the client’s evolving brief with care, creativity, and collaboration:

🌀 Shelter – Led by Maddie (with some hands-on support from Taoran), this group developed a beautifully holistic fabric shelter that fits seamlessly onto the existing trolley frame. Meeting the client’s needs for shade and playful interaction, Maddie sourced recycled textiles through some ingenious Lowry building “dumpster diving,” turning fabric scraps into a controllable mess-making canopy.

⚖️ Stability – Irmak and Elena formed the grounding force of the build, designing and prototyping wire footings to stabilise the machine in unpredictable outdoor settings. Their design responds directly to the mobility and safety challenges of the site, providing much-needed anchoring.

🖍️ Surface – Sana, Regine, and Alyssa reimagined The Possibility Machine’s creative core: its surfaces. Using repurposed timber and incorporating fragments of Joseph’s collaborative artwork from the previous iteration, they developed a series of playful, squiggly workspaces perfect for mark-making and engagement.

Throughout the process, the students have worked not only with the client but with one another, adapting designs to ensure coherence across groups and contributing to a shared vision (their scale model is testament to this!) With guidance and support from Sofia, Shiv, and Hannah, they've navigated everything from sourcing to problem-solving with curiosity and dedication.

Tomorrow, the real-world testing begins. But already, their thoughtful, initiative-driven work shows how design can respond to community, context, and collaboration in powerful ways.

Stay tuned as The Possibility Machine comes to life!

Posted 23 May 2025 11:21

The Interior Team:

Alya Rafaie
Atifah Jalil
Aleksandra Kucma
Priscilla Sabbatini
Holly Froggatt
Nazdami Orynbek
Nur Rafiqah Najwa

We took on the challenge of reimagining the existing interior into a more accessible, inclusive, and joyful environment for both students and staff.

Our design process was anchored by a key concern raised by Beth, Delamere’s passionate music teacher:

“Every time we have a session, we have to bring all the musical equipment in and out of the room.”

In response, we revamped the storage by integrating open, built-in units that make instruments easily accessible without the need for constant moving. We also identified underused corners of the room and transformed them into quiet nooks and a sensory corner. Designed as small, comforting spaces with gentle lighting for children who may feel overwhelmed during louder sessions.

This empowers them to engage with the musical environment in a way that feels safe and supportive.

Anddd the most important element for a music space! To enhance both acoustics and atmosphere, we introduced hexagonal flower-inspired panels along the walls. These tactile, soft-surfaced elements help manage sound and bring a touch of nature indoors creating a space that feels alive, yet serene.

This wasn’t just about redesigning a classroom, it was about rethinking how music is experienced :)

Posted 23 May 2025 11:02

Group 40 / GARDEN OF TRANQUILITY

Hoi Fai Y

That’s a wrap on MSA Live!

After two exciting and eventful weeks, our MSA Live project has officially come to an end, and of course, we celebrated the only way that felt right…with a well-deserved Papa John’s :P

Let’s be honest, the pizza was essential, the deadline adrenaline was real!
Now, we’re shifting gears and focusing on pulling our publication together. We’re aiming to showcase our concepts in the most professional and polished way possible.

Fingers crossed for minimal stress and maximum sleep as we bring it all home!

Posted 23 May 2025 10:41

Jacob N

Day 9:

PIZZA DAY!!!!!!

After a long, hard two weeks, we decided to treat ourselves and the students to a yummy lunch!!! The students have been working extremely hard to ensure the final presentation is ready to show Sale High School the result tomorrow.

It's been an action-packed two weeks, and could not have been possible without the undivided attention from the students!!!!

Posted 23 May 2025 10:24

Hoi Fai Y

After a successful client review, we took time to reflect on the feedback and began arranging our boards to see how they interlink and tell our story.

The models have really helped us visualise the journey, we had fun testing, experimenting, and bringing our finalised designs to life.

Michael loved the outcome. He’s proud of our progress and said he’s genuinely enjoyed being part of the process with us!

Posted 23 May 2025 10:21

Group 06 / PLAYSCAPE

Ellesse L

Final day - Submission and Final outputs (A proud moment for the team)
23/05/2025

Today, we feel a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and commitment. From our first conversation as a group back in January, we knew we wanted to create learning spaces that went beyond traditional expectations. We aimed to design classrooms that inspire curiosity, encourage collaboration, and support the diverse needs of students and staff using the spaces.

As we look at our finished renders, we’re genuinely proud of what we’ve accomplished. Each aspect of our design reflects thoughtful decisions: from natural lighting and flexible furniture layouts to well thought out storage solutions, colour palettes, and accessibility. We wanted our design to reflect the vision that was expressed from the Headteacher (Luke) and the teaching staff at the school. And that we did!!!

Working together as a group has been a big part of what made this project so rewarding. Every member brought something unique to the table, different perspectives, strengths, and creative approaches to designing, and that blend of ideas is what brought our vision to life.

We are very proud as a group, and our hard work is reflected in the final pieces that we have created :).

Posted 23 May 2025 08:42

Group 33 / SKATE X ALSAGER

Today marked the final chapter of our collaboration, as M.Arch and BA students came together one last time to present our outputs to Sally Judge, the wonderful Head Teacher of Delamere School.

From drawings and renderings to hand-crafted models, we shared our vision and were met with warmth, encouragement, and the exciting possibility of making it real. Sally spoke of securing funding to create a space where Delamere’s children can enjoy music in comfort and joy (we are SO looking forward to it too!!!)

We wrapped it all up the best way we know how: with pizzas, doughnuts, and smiles all around.

Posted 23 May 2025 04:21

Peiqing L

DAY 9:
Today, we wrap up the design work for the model, section, elevation, masterplan drawings, and renderings, all created at a 1:20 scale. We also begin documenting the sketches and writing a description of the conceptual journey from day one. NEARLY THERE!!!

Posted 23 May 2025 00:29

Group 01 / HALF-TIME HUB

Naba Arshad U

Day 9
The vision is here..

As the day of the Final presentation approaches the team has been working hard to compile entire result of what was developed over the past two weeks. The visuals, 3D models, and drawings are all coming up together for the final design. The phases are developed Abd ready to present.

Can't wait to see how it goes tomorrow at the Bishop Blaize. Keep an eye out for the poster!

Posted 22 May 2025 23:51

Group 21 / THE SHED AT THE LANDING

Zofia M

Action Weeks: Day 8

Today, we focused on preparing for the on-site workshop with volunteers on Thursday. At this workshop, we will be making mycelium bricks. We spent the day getting everything ready, including creating the forms for the bricks and sourcing all necessary materials, such as mycelium spawn, coffee grounds, and wood shavings. Alongside these preparations, we researched the properties of various natural building materials and their applications. The Landscape Architecture students shared their perspectives on how these natural materials can complement the existing and designed landscape. The day was highly collaborative, blending our insights from various courses of study.

Posted 22 May 2025 22:45

Group 20 / GREEN HAVEN

Hongli Z

Day 08 & 09 - Most of the work done!

BA and MLA members have mostly finished their work. Everyone has been very enthusiastic and motivated to complete the two weeks of design work. At the moment we are in the finishing stage. We've been iterating on the models so that we can finally present our ideas in a comprehensive 3D rendering.

We will refine our layout on the last day!

Posted 22 May 2025 22:45

Group 06 / PLAYSCAPE

Ellesse L

A Milestone Achieved: Final Presentation, Client Handover & A Well-Earned Pizza Celebration for the team
22/05/2025

After several days of hard work, designing the spaces for the brief, our final architectural presentation and handover to the client approached very quickly. And we’re happy to say: it couldn’t have gone better.

The Final Presentation
There’s something uniquely satisfying about walking a client through a shared vision from several design team members and collaboration. The presentation began with a recap of the journey — from initial concepts and site analysis to the evolution of the design language and material palette. With visuals, models, and a well-crafted narrative, we highlighted how each decision supported the project’s goals, both functionally and in terms of meeting budget requirements. This happened through presenting a phased approach to the design.

What made this presentation particularly memorable was the client’s reaction. They were genuinely moved by how their vision had been translated into a thoughtful, tangible space for the school's students and staff. They appreciated not just the aesthetics but the attention to detail: how the larger window openings would allow light to enter the existing dark area, the orientation of the workspace for collaboration and sensitivity to sensory pupils, along with the storage improvements and the subtle material transitions that would improve the feel of the space, creating a much more welcoming environment and allow users (students/pupils) to be able to take a journey around the space and explore.

Handover: The Project is Now Theirs
With all documentation finalised — including drawings, specifications for materiality and storage solutions, and the digital model — we officially handed the project over in various forms (A2 poster, booklet, presentation etc). It’s always a bittersweet moment to come to the end of an exciting project, but also deeply fulfilling. After all, our role as designers and the purpose of architectural design is to focus on the people. About creating environments that support and inspire.

Celebrating with Pizza (Of Course!)
Once the nerves settled and the final words of gratitude were exchanged between the collaborator and the team, it was time to do what every hardworking team deserves after a job well done: celebrate.

We headed back to the studio to indulge in some well-earned PIZZA. Laughter replaced presentation nerves, and a reflection of our time spent together took place.

We are all extremely happy with the outcomes of the project and presentation, and the positive reaction of the clients from Prospect Vale! Who were pleasantly surprised and very grateful for transforming their ideas into a visual design that can be used for future improvements at the school.

Posted 22 May 2025 22:24

Group 20 / GREEN HAVEN

Hongli Z

Day 07 - Reflection, revision and finalisation

We chose to focus on refining the programme based on the feedback we received from the previous day's presentation. Receiving suggestions from the client, we improved a few points of the design and wanted to develop a more detailed version of the programme.

We worked on drawing up some technical details explaining how specific elements of the design would be constructed - paying particular attention to material connections, structural connections and other practical aspects of construction.

In the afternoon, we worked on the final publication. Collecting and collating drawings from all team members.

It was both a reflective and productive day, refining the concept, taking into account the development of the technology, and preparing the final presentation.

Posted 22 May 2025 22:21

Group 20 / GREEN HAVEN

Hongli Z

Day 06 - Presentation Day

On day 6 we arrived at our site in the morning. We would like to thank our client for preparing the space ahead of time and taking time out of their busy schedule to attend our presentation.

During the meeting we shared our design concepts and site modification options. This included discussions around the choice of materials and the architectural forms to be introduced to complement the existing environment. To further support our ideas, we added a number of precedent displays (particularly the interior spaces of the classrooms as well as the elevations) alongside the completed drawings and renderings to provide a wider context for our design decisions.

Our partners also took the opportunity to share their perspectives, contributing valuable insights and ideas. We were encouraged by the positive feedback from all participants, which recognised the strengths and usefulness of our proposal.

The presentation gave us a sense of the success of our collaborative efforts and celebrated the fact that we have made a lot of progress together.

Posted 22 May 2025 22:09

Group 01 / HALF-TIME HUB

Aparna J

Invitation to the community of Gorgeous Gorse Hill !

Posted 22 May 2025 21:02

Group 03 / BRICK BY BRICK

Chia-Yu L

05.22 _ VISUALISING THE FINAL DESIGN

Today we began our session in the CAD Lab, continuing the process of bringing our nursery design to life by producing final outputs. The focus was on translating our collective ideas into a coherent visual format using SketchUp and Rhino, helping us to refine and communicate the spatial qualities of the proposal more effectively.

The team split into two groups to streamline progress.

Group 1 began by taking yesterday’s final plan and developing it into a 3D model. This move into three dimensions allowed us to better understand the spatial relationships and identify areas that required adjustment. One key discovery was that some furniture arrangements that looked fine in plan appeared overcrowded in 3D. This prompted a review and rearrangement of furniture layouts to improve comfort and circulation, reinforcing the importance of visualising spaces beyond the flat plan.

Group 2 jumped straight into modelling the canopy using Rhino. Thanks to its modular nature, the canopy was quick to assemble, allowing the group to move on to basic rendering using Enscape. These early renders helped bring the design to life and provided immediate visual feedback. People, furniture, and context were added to give a sense of scale and proportion. Building on this momentum, the group also began modelling the façade based on yesterday’s design work, incorporating it into the overall rendering.

Later in the day, the team explored AI tools for visualisation. With guidance from one of the MArch students, we learned how generative AI can quickly produce visual representations of design ideas—offering a fast, effective way to communicate atmosphere and intent.

Although the model wasn't fully completed by the end of the day—as things took a bit longer than expected—we had contingency plans in place. Tomorrow, we’ll continue refining the model and produce final renders to complete our visual package.

Posted 22 May 2025 20:56

Group 29 / FOREST SCHOOL

Yan Hei Ashlie H

Day 09: Physical model complete!

The 3D printing went smoothly, and the final piece is now in place. We will be bringing the model over to Burnside for the presentation tomorrow, we hope our collaborators love it as much as we do!

Posted 22 May 2025 20:43

Group 29 / FOREST SCHOOL

Yan Hei Ashlie H

Day 09: Workshops and preparation of final presentation

This morning, our MA students led a workshop session, sharing their workflows for creating diagrams and rendering using Rhino, Illustrator and Photoshop. It was a great exchange of skills, with all students learning and taking inspiration from one another.

Armed with new techniques, the team spent the afternoon producing final drawings to clearly communicate the ideas behind our final proposal. From detailed plans to expressive visuals, everyone contributed to refining how we present our design.

It's the final stretch!

Posted 22 May 2025 20:39

Group 11 / AGECROFT ANEW

Rumingyue R

Day 9

The clock is ticking down to day nine, and the results of our project so far are very exciting. So far we have great renderings and models, as well as planning drawings. We've picked the best of many perspectives for our final output. We spoke to the council this afternoon about the design so far and they are all very happy with it. It just needs a little final adjustment to make it perfect for submission.

Posted 22 May 2025 20:38

Group 18 / THE CANOPY COLLECTIVE

Frances R

Day 9:
Community presentation day! Whilst setting up we were invited to join a guided meditation session in the garden. Something most of the group haven’t experience before, it was a strange and entertaining experience; a relaxing way to start a presentation! Presenting in front of those we consulted and new faces too, we delivered our pitch and we think it went well! We got questions about the design language to which we answered to their satisfaction, and questions about feasibility to which our collaborator jumped in to explain how they intend to make our ideas a reality! Our collaborator Mark was incredibly supportive throughout the presentation and was great at explaining how our project feeds into the wider plan for Seedley Pavilion and the garden. We’ve been made to feel so welcome by the community and we hope that some of our group will think to stop by and get involved, as they have done the days that we’ve been on site.

Posted 22 May 2025 20:11

Group 15 / STREET AND A HALF

Chenyi Z

Day 8 - Physical Model Making

After finishing the assembly of the model, the BArch students also processed the details of the model. They used corresponding colors to highlight the different functions of different areas. In order to better and more clearly express their specific ideas for the project.
At the same time, during the whole project closing stage, they were more focused and active, and we felt their enthusiasm for the project.

Posted 22 May 2025 19:58

Group 15 / STREET AND A HALF

Chenyi Z

Day 8 - Physical Model Making

Based on the basic model developed earlier, the BArch students used machines in the B.15workshop to make a more detailed physical model and give it actual colors. This method can better explain the idea of the project and how it can give new life to the abandoned area.
At the same time, they were more focused and active throughout the project closing stage, and we felt their enthusiasm for the project.

Posted 22 May 2025 19:57

Group 17 / MARKET STREET REFRESH

Clara Evangeline Dorathy ARD

Day 9
Today was a much anticipated day for our entire group and the clients. We were very excited to present our ideas, and we started off the day by meeting our lovely clients online. We took turns to deliver the presentation speaking about the historical aspect , the present character and our future design objectives, concepts and the outputs on how to bring the life back to Droylsden. Our focus was to reimagine the current carpark into a place where the local residents and the nearby community can pull in by creating an active environment. The clients were satisfied with the overall master planning, and we also had a feedback session at the end which was helpful. We are grateful to our wonderful clients from Tameside Council for their valuable feedback, engagement and involvement.

To celebrate the presentation, we had to get ourselves a treat. We had a group lunch and some talks. Later on, some people worked on making a physical model of a community garden as an expression of our idea and rest concentrated on working on the final publication InDesign files.

Posted 22 May 2025 19:54

Group 35 / UNDER THE POET'S TREE

Qiuyi W

22/05/25 | Getting ready for Hand Over

Now that we have the physical model sorted, the students began finalising all the outputs ready to be given to the Poetry Library tomorrow. The final package includes the “exhibition-style” poster which helps explain the project, two construction manuals which will guide the user on the construction techniques needed, and a set of detailed drawings which include a kit of parts. This package will provide the Poetry Library all the information they need to take the project further in the future.

As a fun exercise and a break from being inside the classroom all day, some of the students were tasked with finding some smaller elements that would help bring the model to life. This included small pegs where the zines could be hung, and some thread that could be intertwined within the branches of the tree, acting as more storage space.

The group are excited for tomorrow where they will be presenting all their work to Martin and the wider Poetry Library team, it will be great to get the output handed over to them. We have been in communication with their marketing department which will be a nice way of showing the project we have been working on to a wider range of people.

Posted 22 May 2025 19:32

Group 07 / TYLDESLEY SPARK

Xueying H

Pictured: Some photos from our food parties!

Posted 22 May 2025 18:25

Group 28 / TEA AND TALES

Xiang L

Day 9
Drawing Production!!

The undergraduate students have completed their work, and together we produced many great results! At noon, we had a group lunch. Tomorrow, we will carry out the final wrap-up work!

Posted 22 May 2025 18:24

Taras M

Day 9 roundup

Client presentation day! Today we presented our proposals to the client, talking them through our design process and inviting feedback. They were impressed by the amount of work we had managed to produce in the short timeframe, how well we had worked together to produce a coherent output, and how thoroughly we had considered the various options.

Tomorrow…

Following the clients’ selection of the proposal to extend the existing building to accommodate two larger apartments, we will produce a full suite of drawings from our presented proposals, which will then be incorporated into the upcoming Full Planning Application.

Posted 22 May 2025 18:21

Group 07 / TYLDESLEY SPARK

Xueying H

Day 9: Presentation Day

Today is the final day of our MSA Live project. We presented our outcomes to our collaborators.

In the morning, we worked together to complete and finalise our outputs and held a pizza party! In the afternoon, we moved to our site and presented our work to our collaborator, Rachel and the museum curator.

They were impressed by the creativity and clarity of our presentation, and our outcome effectively communicated our concept and design intentions. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, and it felt rewarding to see our hard work recognised.

Pictured: Us doing the presentation!

Posted 22 May 2025 18:16

Taras M

An internal render of our proposal. The yoga/fitness studio space being proposed will act as a satellite space for the nearby Pelican Gym and Wellness Centre, offering a more private, accessible environment for the community.

Posted 22 May 2025 18:15

Xueying H

Day 8: Intensive working day before presentation day

As we approached the final presentation day, today was all about creating final visuals and putting them together in one formal presentation slide. The teams are deep in final preparations: doing digital collages of mural design, finishing final renders, creating diagrams to showcase their ideas of modular furniture, modifying GA drawings, etc.

We’re nearly there and can’t wait to share the full outcome with our collaborator tomorrow!

Pictured: working progress of our final presentation!

Posted 22 May 2025 17:38

Pengcheng Y

May 22nd (afternoon)

In the afternoon, we arranged the products in the store model to see the final overall effect. We also put together everything we’ve worked on over the past two weeks into our publication. Plus, we printed the product guidebooks and made a video of the products in the new store to hand over to Caitlin tomorrow. Can't wait to see how she reacts to the final look!

Posted 22 May 2025 17:28

Pengcheng Y

May 22nd (morning)

We finally finished all the models as planned! They all turned out amazing — whether they’re ready to go on sale or used as functional furniture for the new store.

Posted 22 May 2025 17:27

Group 38 / CORE COMMUNITY ENERGY PROJECT

As we approach the finish line in Day 8, today was all about tying everything together. The teams are deep in final preparations: physical models are getting their last touches, digital visuals are being polished, and everything is being compiled into a cohesive presentation for tomorrow’s big reveal with Delamere School.

Alongside this, our publication is also taking shape capturing the fun, challenges, and learning-rich experiences that have defined this second action week. It’s been a fulfilling journey of collaboration, creativity, and growth.

We’re nearly there and can’t wait to share the full outcome with Sally tomorrow!

Posted 22 May 2025 17:25

Yap ZH

Day 9: Refining the First Draft

We’re so close now! Today was all about refining and tidying things up, making everything feel more consistent, cohesive, and just generally slick. To be fair, the BA students had already done loads earlier on, so most of them took a well-deserved breather today. It’s now the postgrads holding the fort, making sure everything’s polished to perfection for the final push!

We’ve managed to refine about 80% of the booklet, aiming to wrap it all up tomorrow, Day 10, the grand finale of MSA Live! Then it's food, drinks, and a proper celebration. We’ve earned it.

On top of that, we took a bit of time to reflect on the BA students' engagement and contributions, not going to lie, most people have been absolute stars. Some even went above and beyond (you know who you are 👏). Hopefully, the review reflects all that effort with some well-deserved extra marks!

Posted 22 May 2025 17:15

Group 38 / CORE COMMUNITY ENERGY PROJECT

Yap ZH

Day 8: First Draft of the Booklet

We’ve (finally!) managed to gather about 80% of the material from our teammates, not bad considering we set ourselves the goal of finishing the first draft today (we’re a very sensible bunch, promise). This means we can spend tomorrow filling in the gaps rather than scrambling last minute, because a Friday rush-job is a big NO NO for our group. Hopefully, we’ll be chill by then… and maybe even have time to celebrate the end of our Live Project!

We also gave some of the 3D visuals a little glow-up, polishing them for the 10 images requirement in our submission, gotta make sure they stand out!

Posted 22 May 2025 17:01

Group 09 / WINDOW INTO LINDOW

Muye W

Day 9-Final Collaboration & Review

The group confirmed the final outcome. Each group should collaborate to complete the final presentation content of the entire project, ensuring that all components ((website, pamphlet, models, and drawings) are ready. The final output includes complete content and a clearly structured display plan.

Posted 22 May 2025 16:57

Group 34 / COMMUNITY WAVES

Wilfred George W

Day 8 & 9 (21/05,22/05)

Today, both the Bachelor's and Master's students went all over the city distributing the posters and leaflets we had designed.

We split everyone up into groups of 2-3, and assigned each group an area of the city to distribute - ranging from, Hulme, University Campus/Oxford Road, Moss Side, Rusholme, City Centre, Northern Quarter, Fallowfield and Withington.

We targeted areas with lots of footfall where the prints could remain protected, such as shops, restaurants and barbers.

This task allowed students to engage with the public and promote our project with Radio Diamond.

The following day, Masters students will finish the publication and submission.

Posted 22 May 2025 16:48

Project Completion!!!

There we have it. After two full weeks of design development, community engagement, and client collaboration, we have successfully delivered and even exceeded the brief expectations of this project, reflecting all of our ambitions and talents as students here at MSA.

We would like to say thank you to all undergraduate students who have joined us on this journey. Their commitment and skills have impressed all of us master's students, and we doubt without their help, we would have been able to successfully deliver on three schemes.

As we move on to our final submission work, we hope that the Tameside Council will be able to use our work to help further any plans they have for unlocking a genuinely unique and culturally rich area, and that they consider working is MSA on any future projects they have in mind.

Thank you!

@Group 12

Posted 22 May 2025 16:44

Day 09 - PM: Final Client Presentations

During the afternoon session of the final day, we greeted Dan and Ayeesha at the Geoffry Manton Building and were eager to show them our projects. With a short introduction about the project and how, as a group, we have approached the brief and hopefully exceeded their initial expectations. In turn, each group clearly presented their ideas, showcasing the various approaches to a broader vision that have been logically informed by our initial Phase One approach to the brief.

As a group, we were overwhelmed by Dan and Ayesha's positive feedback. They provided constructive comments on our work and reassured us of the success our work would have in their continued pursuit of transforming the Chadwick Dam area. During the presentation, we summarised our project with a brief cost analysis of each scheme following some contractor consultation and Simon's background in project development to aid in the feasibility of our schemes, solidifying our outputs attention to the brief and ensuring Dan and Ayeesha have all the required materials to take this portfolio back to the council and aid in any future and ongoing project work.

Posted 22 May 2025 16:35

Day 09 - Lunch: Mini Social and Celebrations

As this was our final big day in the MSA Live Module, we felt like treating ourselves to a pizza party to say thank you for all the hard work every single member of group 12 has put into this project. Though this was not only a thank you for all the effort, we have had a few birthdays during the action weeks, and despite this, we have had consistently high attendance from all participants!

Posted 22 May 2025 16:21

Anisha Ann Varghese AAV

Locked in and focused publication mode: ON

We’ve officially started working on our publication! It’s coming together with a mix of renders, drawings, collages, sketches, and, of course, our final models.

We’re aiming to finish it by Thursday so we can celebrate with a well-earned long weekend.

The BAs have been amazing, helping us pull everything together and jumping in with research, visuals, and layout. We even had some quick tutorials on InDesign, SketchUp, and Rhino to keep things moving smoothly.

Our client review went really well too! Michael was pleased with our progress and could really see how the project is coming together, and he even mentioned how much fun we seemed to have throughout the process!

Posted 22 May 2025 16:15

Day 09 - AM: Mock Presentations

As part of our preparation for the client review, we came together in the morning to finalise and presentation work and undergo a few mock presentations by the undergraduate students to ensure everyone felt comfortable and knew their project inside and out in anticipation of any questioning and criticism from the client.

This was the first instance each group had seen the completed work of each group, and as masters students, we were so impressed with the rapid delivery and high quality of visuals we had held our students to.

Posted 22 May 2025 16:11