Group 01
HALF-TIME HUB

We’re teaming up with Gorgeous Gorse Hill to transform an underused space into a vibrant, community-driven hub. This flexible space will offer coworking, business support, education, and a place for everyone to connect. With innovative designs and a sustainable model, we aim to empower local businesses, provide hands-on training, and build a stronger community—ensuring the area thrives every day, not just on match days! Throughout the workshop, students will develop skills in physical and digital model making, project planning, teamwork, networking, presentation, and sustainable thinking.

Ahmed K / Aparna J / Ioi Kei P / James P / MSA S / Naba Arshad U / Saman S / Teresa T / Test S

Name: Teresa Trieste
Course: MArch Architecture
Atelier: Continuity

Hi, I’m Teresa. I’m currently in the first year of the master’s in architecture at the Continuity Atelier as part of the Erasmus program. I’m originally from Milan, where I also attend Polytechnic University. I’m excited to explore new perspectives here in Manchester and engage with different architectural approaches.
My architectural interests focus on the importance of respecting and conserving existing buildings. I recently completed a thesis on HBIM, which has deepened my commitment to preserving cultural heritage while incorporating modern technologies. Outside of architecture, I’m passionate about drawing and music, which I find really inspiring in my creative process.

I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to contribute to the Gorse Hill community. I believe there’s great potential in reimagining the disused space we’ve been given, showing how it can be repurposed rather than demolished, with a focus on environmental sustainability. I look forward to engaging with the community and working together to bring new life and value to the area.

Posted 7 Mar 2025 12:12

Name: Naba Arshad Usmani
Course: MA Architecture & Adaptive Re-Use

Hello! My name is Naba, and I'm from Mumbai, India. I studied Interior and Spatial Design for my undergraduate studies and after graduation worked for almost 3 years as a designer, strategist and researcher in the fields of interiors, conservation and heritage, especially Adaptive Re-Use. Additionally, I recently started a multi-disciplinary design studio in India and have developed successful projects which boast collaboration in design. I am very passionate about heritage and conservation, especially about the connection between the culture, community and the building in different contexts. Hence, I decided to pursue my Masters studies in Adaptive Re-Use here in the UK.

I’m excited about this opportunity to meaningfully contribute towards developing design ideas for the Gorgeous Gorse Hill community. Such projects offer a chance to develop spaces that not only re-use existing spaces, but also directly involve and help the community, making it a wholesome empathic process that deepens the impact of design on the people and the environment. I look forward to working with my team and making this a successful collaborative project.

Posted 7 Mar 2025 20:42

Name: Ioi Kei Pun
Course: MArch Architecture
Atelier: CPU[ai]

Personal Intro: Hi, my name is ioi! I was born in Macau and lived there for most of my life. I've always been passionate about travelling and seeing different parts of the world. This prompted my decision to pursue my undergraduate studies in Architecture in the UK at the University of Nottingham and to obtain professional experience working in an Architectural firm in Hong Kong. I am currently doing my Masters at the Manchester School of Architecture and I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me in the future!

Architectural Interests: I believe that Architecture is not static, but temporal and dynamic. I am interested in the temporal dimension of Architecture, through the exploration of fluid, adaptive spaces, and integrating ideas about continuity and gradation. I strongly believe that technology enables us to be better designers. I am passionate about computational thinking and incorporating the latest digital tools into my design workflow.

Working with the Gorsehill Community in the renovation of a rundown toilet block is a unique brief requiring an adaptive, dynamic intervention to balance the needs of the local community with the needs during match days in Old Trafford. This is an exciting opportunity and I look forward to our collaboration.

Posted 8 Mar 2025 07:54

Personal Introduction:
Hi! My name is Saman. I did my undergrad at MSA and graduated in 2023 before returning again this year for my Masters.

Architectural Interests:
I’m particularly interested in humanitarian architecture and social housing.

Project Involvement:
This project is both practical and exciting due to its real world approach and it offers the perfect opportunity to gain exposure to real life projects.

Posted 9 Mar 2025 13:21

Name: James Prideaux
Course: MArch Architecture
Atelier: SKN

Hi, I'm James. I was born and raised in Preston, Lancashire and is where I completed my undergraduate degree in architecture. After graduating I worked for 6 months as a planning officer specializing in determining householder applications and have been working at my current job for 2 years at a Manchester-based architecture firm called Horizon Fletcher Rae. During my time practice I have worked on numerous projects ranging from high rise residential developments, schools, industrial units, adaptive reuse for buildings of heritage value and master planning.

The project we will be working on is a great opportunity to collaborate with and alongside the local community in Gorgeous Gorse Hill to bring a new lease of life and purpose into the existing toilet block. Though a small project the impact could be great!!!

Posted 9 Mar 2025 14:46

Name: Aparna Jayanti
Course: MArch Architecture
Atelier: & Architecture

I am particularly interested in conceptual design and space planning, for all scale of projects. My professional experience of 3+ years gave me a better understanding of construction techniques, and detailing.
My expertise lies in bridging a gap between the past and the renewed styles, while retaining its essence.
I received my bachelor’s degree in architecture from India, where I developed skills such as; Revit, BIM based workflows, Adobe Suite, and other rendering engines. And further handled projects from India & USA.

I chose this MSA Live project as it aligns with my interests in flipping existing space to act more functional and diverse to its community. The idea of giving something back to locality, is definitly inspiring and exciting to work on.

Posted 9 Mar 2025 23:56

Name: Ahmed Adel Khalil
Course: MArch Architecture
Atelier: Infrastructure Space

Personal Introduction:
Hi, my name is Mido! I study architecture in Paris and am currently at MSA as part of the ERASMUS exchange program for this semester. Prior to my arrival, I completed an internship at Herzog & de Meuron.

Architectural Interests:
I am particularly interested in public facilities, heritage restoration, and urban planning. These areas allow me to engage with both historical contexts and future urban needs.

Project Involvement:
This project is both challenging and stimulating due to its realistic approach to architectural practice. It offers the opportunity to work collaboratively within a team while maintaining direct engagement with stakeholders.

Posted 10 Mar 2025 01:01

Hello reader.
Welcome to the Half-Time Hub, our MSA Live Project! With our amazing collaborators at the Gorgeous Gorse Hill, we aim to give a refreshing transformation to an unused site in old Trafford. The site in focus is a former toilet block, currently sitting idle, with an incredible potential to be transformed into a thriving ‘hub’, which gives the centre stage to the local community.
We want to re-imagine this forgotten space by exploring design strategies through creative placemaking, that prioritize sustainability, social engagement, accessibility and urban renewal. The projects would bring together students from diverse backgrounds and experiences, making it a wholesome process to develop empathic and effective solutions.
Follow our journey as we work closely with our collaborators at the Gorgeous Gorse Hill and develop a vision for an amazing and vibrant neighbourhood.
Stay tunes for updates!

Posted 12 May 2025 17:33

Meet the collaborators !!!!
Gorgeous Gorse Hill

For this project, we’ve had the privilege to collaborate with Gorgeous Gorse Hill, a passionate community group based in Old Trafford, Manchester. Made up of local residents, their mission is simple yet impactful: to make their neighborhood a more beautiful, welcoming, and vibrant place for everyone.

Gorse Hill, home to Manchester United’s football ground and Lancashire County Cricket Club, is a diverse and well-connected suburb. However, like many urban areas, it has its share of underutilised spaces, neglected greenery, and opportunities for community-driven transformation. That’s where Gorgeous Gorse Hill steps in.

Through a combination of gardening, public art, and community events, the group is actively revitalising the area. They transform waste ground, abandoned flower beds, and forgotten verges into thriving green spaces filled with insect-friendly plants, colorful flowers, and even fruit trees. Volunteers from the local community help maintain these spaces, ensuring they remain beautiful all year round.

Art also plays a big role in their work. Collaborating with local artists and schoolchildren, they’ve brought creativity to the streets of Gorse Hill—decorating bollards, roller shutters, and utility boxes with nature-inspired artwork, as well as commissioning large-scale murals that celebrate the area’s identity.

Through their ongoing efforts, Gorgeous Gorse Hill is proving that small, community-led initiatives can have a lasting impact. Their work not only enhances the local environment but also strengthens social connections and civic pride—making Gorse Hill a more engaging and inspiring place to live.

Posted 12 May 2025 17:41

Site Visit: Exploring the Potential for Transformation

As a group, we recently had the opportunity to visit our project site in Old Trafford, just a short walk away from old Trafford stadium. This location, especially lively on match days, presents both an exciting challenge and a great opportunity for regeneration.

We were met by Ruth, a member of Gorgeous Gorse Hill, who guided us through the site and shared insights into its history and potential. The site itself is an abandoned toilet block that has been out of use for many years. While it currently stands as an overlooked structure, efforts have been made in the past to improve its appearance—most notably through artwork painted onto its exterior. However, with this project, we now have the chance to go beyond surface-level enhancements and completely reimagine its purpose.

Our brief is to transform the space, breathing new life into it and creating something that benefits the local community. Given its prominent location in a high-footfall area, the site holds great potential to become a meaningful and functional space that integrates seamlessly into its surroundings.

This visit allowed us to not only assess the physical condition of the site but also to begin envisioning its possibilities. Seeing it in person helped us understand its context within the urban fabric of Old Trafford and consider how our intervention could contribute to the area’s ongoing regeneration.

With this first step complete, we’re now ready to begin developing ideas that will turn this forgotten space into something truly impactful.

Posted 12 May 2025 18:11

Meet the team!

You have met us individually, but we would love to introduce ourselves to you as a team. We are a group of Master’s students from MSA with diverse backgrounds in architecture, interiors and urbanism and come from different countries accross the Globe. The past few weeks were spent getting to know each other and sharing unique stories and experiences from our lives. It is interesting how all of us started growing as a team and are now here, pumped to welcome new members from BA and MLA.

We will be covering different aspects of several exciting things planned for these two weeks, so stay tuned!

Posted 13 May 2025 10:51

The prep and Julienne!

Over the past few weeks, we have met quite often to sort through the plethora of ideas that each of us had. With so many members come so many thought processes! While the task was mammoth, it became very smooth with the help of amazing collaborator Ruth, who was kind enough to join us on video meetings and discuss our plans.

Well, we must mention that these serious discussions were complemented by Julienne, the new mascot of our team and project and of course some amazing home cooked meals made by our team members. What could possibly be better? *chef’s kiss*

Posted 13 May 2025 10:58

Week 1. Day 1.
Part 1 : Introduction and Ice Breakers!

The first day kicked off with a welcome to our new team members from BA and MLA courses. We met up at Manchester Technology centre and started the day with a few ice breaker activities to get to know each other. The day involved abstract, interpretative sketches of objects as experiential worlds- exploring ways of making our ideas visually communicative. This activity helped us understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and identify how each of us can work together.

This was followed by the site visit.

Posted 13 May 2025 12:15

Week 1. Day 1.
Part 2 : Team Lunch & Site Visit!

What better way to start the second half than a group lunch at the fan favourite pub, the Bishop Blaize?

The lunch was followed by an afternoon exploring the site with the team. We introduced the team to Ruth, who was again kind to join us. The sun was out in its full glory so we were able to see many more creative initiatives that the community of Gorgeous Gorse Hill undertook to make the area brighter, inclusive and interactive.

Who would not love these murals? We ended our day here and discussed our plans for the next day for many more interactive sessions.

Posted 13 May 2025 15:07

Day 2.
Part 1 : Pass the pen - The team starts a creative dialogue

The second day started with a brainstorming session with the junior team about our observations and analysis from the site visit conducted on the previous day. Group discussions were followed by insightful individual discussions so that every thought is heard. The team brought interesting insights to the table - what they really like about their communities and what they feel it needs.

Accessibility, identity and vibrant public space were themes we discussed and sketched in conversations and in short drawings. Best of all was seeing our collective enthusiasm shaped into actual ideas, a reminder of why community collaboration is so critical to this project.

Such discussions guided our design process and reminded us that the best ideas come from listening.

Posted 13 May 2025 23:21

Day 2.
Part 2 : The dialogue continues...

After the initial brainstorming and collective discussion, we started taking a structured approach to the project. In order to approach a vision like that for Gorgeous Gorse Hill, it was important to understand the values that this project entails. The work was divided into research and concept development. The site, the region, the history, future plans were researched and every cultural aspect was highlighted to figure the 'value' factors of the project.

Ideations were formed based on the research, architectural understanding, and precedent studies, and were presented in order to continue the creative dialogue. Miro Boards were used to bring these together in one space and sketches emerged as one of the most creative ways to express the vision.

It is needless to say that Gorgeous Gorse Hill is already feeling more Gorgeous!

Posted 13 May 2025 23:32

We are super pumped to invite our collaborators and reveal our initial visions for the Gorgeous Gorse Hill!
This gives us a wonderful opportunity to open up the floor to discussions between designers and users, and build up on the project together!

Posted 13 May 2025 23:40

Day 3.

Workshops, Concepts, 3Ds, AI!

In architecture and design, we learn something new in every project we take on, no matter how big or small. And it is always a positive sign that the process is going well ahead.

Today, we decided to show a few cool techniques for concept development to the undergrad members of our team using methods involving 3Dimensional modelling, AI image generations and overall image development. This, combined with initial ideation helped us further develop the understanding of developing visual design narratives, something that we really looked forward to during our time in undergraduate studies.

Posted 15 May 2025 01:37

Day 4.

Part 1 : What is adaptive re-use?

The day continued the design iterations with a presentation on Adaptive Re-use, the strategies that we are using for this project. It was quite interesting to see how the team interacted with this and further developed their design ideations. We are confident with the types of work that have come up ahead of the meeting with our collaborators.

The ideations and iterations continued throughout the day with sharpening the concepts. Today, we organised a team lunch in the greens. How can one just not enjoy the sun when working on such a 'gorgeous' project?

P.S. Did anyone notice our colour co-cordinated clothes? An obvious support for the team we love? :)

Posted 15 May 2025 23:48

Day 4 - Ice Cream Break!

Architects and designers are often considered very serious and philosophical - which we are!

Buuuut

we can also be easily swayed by ice-cream when the van jingles those tunes, during serious discussions!

Jokes apart, its always great to boost the team morale with short breaks and sweet treats!

Posted 15 May 2025 23:54

Day 4.

Part 2 : ...and the design continues.

With a much encouraging ice-cream break, we were ready to start fresh with the presentations by our team members. The design proposals were followed by a constructive and engaging session of critiques. As designers, it is important for us to be as critical and appreciative of each other's designs as possible so that the end result is an inclusive comprehension of ideas curated for the needs of the clients.

It was an amazing day understanding where we stood as a team and are quite excited for the showing our work to our collaborators!

Posted 16 May 2025 00:08

Day 5 - Presentations!!

After a week of brain-storming, discussions, ideations, conceptualisations, crash courses and workshops, the day finally arrived when we presented it all to our collaborator Ruth. We are glad that members from the Gorgeous Gorse Hill community were able to join us and give amazing feedbacks that made this process worth every second.

We discussed four comprehensive options around the toilet block and were able to understand the qualities that our collaborators and community members liked. Going forward, these ideas would be combined in one design, a manifestation of the qualities that stops out the most.

This marked the end of an intensive yet exciting week one.
A lot was explored, a lot was learnt.
We look forward to the second week of MSA Live, hoping to further develop the design and grow together as a team.

Posted 17 May 2025 00:48

Day 6

The second week begins!

After an amazing meeting with our collaborators last Friday, the team was fresh and ready to work on the feedbacks we recieved. A lot of discussions occupied the day.

A lot.

But that's what happens when a bunch of designers get together - we collaborate. Everyone has their own strengths and the project enabled us to use them. The result was a carefully curated yet culturally ambitious design - a co-working space with a cafe. Expandable and in phases. Takimg careful consideration of the landscaping, plantations and what Gorgeous Gorse Hill is well known for - its art. A hub for residents, artists and the community.

The team is super excited to see how this takes shape!

Posted 19 May 2025 23:20

Day 7

Final Design development and VR Prep.

Continuing on the design development from Monday, today was dedicated to making the idea concrete. So far, we have a gist of what the team has been developing but one also has to experience it. So here comes the exciting bit to an already exciting project- virtual reality. The progress of the project was tested out on the equipments so that we are able to give our collaborators the experience that we envisioned.

Needless to say, the speed is picking up!

Posted 20 May 2025 22:46

Development in 3D,

What we see here is a sneak-peak of the final 3-dimensional model. As a team, it is our strong belief that design has to be a process that explores every angle of the project. An empathic approach is very important for us to understand challenges, requirements and expectations. A holistic vision is achieved in this way, and the same process has helped us reach the final phase of the project.

We cannot wait to reveal the designs to our collaborators!

Posted 20 May 2025 22:47

Day 8 - Almost there..

The final design is in its last few stages. The day started early with a team meeting on our tasks and way forward for the presentation on Friday. We divided ourselves into smaller groups and allocated work based on skillsets identified through various activities and discussions conducted last week. The day was occupied with making physical site model, 3-dimensional design proposal along with supporting drawings and visuals. The design is divided into 4 phases, which empathically caters to the needs and evolution of community, while giving utmost importance to the artworks and the greenery around. As the final design is evolving, the excitement is increasing. But one thing is for sure- the team is giving its best.

Posted 21 May 2025 19:01

Invitation to the community of Gorgeous Gorse Hill !

Posted 22 May 2025 21:02

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

Day 10. Part 1.

Final Presentation at Bishop Blaize

Today marks the day of the final presentation, the one we really looked forward to. The team worked really hard to develop the final design and make all the visual including 3-D graphics and walkthroughs. The morning started beautifully at the Bishop Blaize and we welcomed member of the Gorgeous Gorse Hill community. The presentation went really well and this proved that team work makes the dream work. We are incredibly grateful to Ruth Hannan our collaborator and to the amazing members of the community who joined in today and made this entire process so worth it! It was incredibly exciting to work with them and it will always remain as a beautiful memory from our time in Manchester.

Posted 23 May 2025 17:19

Day 10. Part 2 .

Onto the final changes and submissions.

As a part of the module, the publications and final outputs were almost complete and the team was excited for the final submissions.

Posted 23 May 2025 17:20

Day 10. Part. 3.

And that’s a wrap!

We did it!

Presentation? Check
Submissions? Check
Pizzas? Check
Timely puns? Check
Memories? Check

It was an amazing two weeks of MSA Live, filled with so many creative discussions, critiques, jokes, travelling and memories. These memories were shared over pizzas We loved working with Gorgeous Gorse Hill. The diverse identity of the team added to the fun. The experience from this project has given us a lot to learn and to be curious about, which will definitely help us in the future!

Posted 23 May 2025 17:20

MSA Live Group 01 The Half Time Hub

Signing Off.

Julienne from the team of Half Time Hub wishes everyone well!

Good-Bye for now!

:)

Posted 23 May 2025 17:22