Group 11
AGECROFT ANEW

Agecroft Chapel, a Grade II listed building, sits in the heart of a Cemetery, however it has fallen into need of repair and restoration. Currently, a wooden lantern on top of the building poses the threat of collapse. Through intervention, we hope to create interest on site and interaction with this building in order to raise money for the removal or restoration of the Lantern. This project will seek to engage with the immediate community of Salford and those with familial connections to the site. Through light structures facilitating a cafe, children's space and flower garden, we intend to draw business to the Chapel and create engaging ways for the community to interact with our design. We aim to bring a sense of connection between the cemetery and the local community.

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Eleanor W / Matthew B / Neel Anand N / Rumingyue R / Saghi M / Zachary Soong Yan N

Rumingyue R
Hello everyone, this is Team 11! We are visiting Agecroft Chapel in North West Manchester. This chapel is surrounded by a large cemetery and lawns, with lots of flowers and old trees in a very peaceful setting. We explored this area, firstly photographing and observing around the chapel and then walking around the cemetery to get a feel for the quiet atmosphere.
Our project focused mainly on the chapel. As the chapel is an old Victorian building, we wanted to preserve its stylistic features and improve them to make them more functional and architectural. We have also conducted interviews in the area to solicit some suggestions from residents. If you have any new ideas, you can contact us!
Posted 7 Mar 2025 18:47
Rumingyue R
Hi, this is our program discussion!

Today was the day of our discussion with the project leader. We used some manuscripts and pictures to show our designs. You can see we are discussing the design and style of the poster.
We were each given our own tasks to make sure we moved forward with our project in an organized way.
Posted 7 Mar 2025 18:57
Rumingyue R
Hi! My name is Rumingyue Ren. I'm from Hubei, China. I got my undergraduate degree in environmental design from Hubei Institute of Technology. Currently studying for a master's degree in MSA Adaptive Reuse. I am good at using computers to create visualizations. I have a strong interest in coordinating the relationship between architecture and the environment.

This cooperation will be a valuable experience for me, and I also look forward to making the ancient building of Agecroft Chapel better.
Posted 8 Mar 2025 19:47
Neel Anand N
Hello! I am a first-year Master of Architecture student. I completed my undergraduate degree in Ahmedabad, India, in 2023. After graduating, I worked at a firm specialising in conservation and adaptive reuse projects. My time in practice deepened my interest in this field, and I aspire to continue working in similar areas in the future.

I’m excited to collaborate on the Agecroft Cemetery Chapel project, as both the site and the building offer great potential. Its redevelopment would be of great value to the community.

As a team, I look forward to exploring fresh ideas for reimagining the Chapel. Looking forward to working with you during the Action Weeks!
Posted 8 Mar 2025 21:02
Zachary Soong Yan N
Hey, I'm Zach and this is my 4th year back in the MSA, with a little year-long break at an architectural firm specialising in the healthcare & education sector. I've had the fortune of working across multiple RIBA stages and look forward to sharing my experiences with you!

I'm really looking forward to helping Salford council give their historic Agecroft chapel a new life and identity—a piece of architecture they can confidently call their own for years to come. I hope my passion for creating something timeless via innovative design technology and contemporary biophilia will inspire you for a project or two!
Posted 9 Mar 2025 14:56
Matthew B
Hello there ! I am a first-year Masters of Architecture student. I completed my undergraduate degree in Bath which finished in 2023. Shortly after graduating, I worked at an architecture firm focusing on restoring and maintaining farmsteads by adding new additions and respecting tradition.


Continuing along this theme with the Agecroft Cemetery project is something I look forward to. The building and site offer an interesting and meaningful project which will engage with the community.


Looking forward to the action weeks where we can work together to create a proposal that will revitalise the area surrounding the chapel, bringing a sense of community around the building.
Posted 9 Mar 2025 16:14
Saghi M
Hi, my name is Saghi Moghaddamsalimi. I'M student on March 1. I gained my bachelor's degree at Art and Architecture University of Tehran South Branch And worked in practice for about2 years in construction and design section of cinematic sets. Generally, I like anything related to the art, Designing, advanced Technology and bio design.
looking at Agecroft chapel and its valuable meaning for the community makes me so excited to be part of this project. If you are also excited about this beautiful building and to see its journey in future stay tuned and don't miss out the action weeks.
Posted 9 Mar 2025 19:59
Eleanor W
Hi, I’m Ellie I am currently doing my MA in Architecture and Adaptive reuse.
My bachelors is in Interior Design which I finished in 2023, after finishing I worked as an Interior Designer where I developed a strong foundation in spatial planning, materials and user-centred design.
With a keen interest in designing interiors in keeping with their history I felt that the two went hand in hand.
I am excited to be working on the Agecroft Cemetery project as we will have the challenge of protecting the history of the building but making it useable and accessible for the community, while remaining mindful of the importance of the building.
I am looking forward to the action weeks where we can work together, brain storm ideas and come up with a proposal that is mindful, inclusive and timeless.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 01:16
Rumingyue R
Day 2

As part of our redevelopment of Agecroft Cemetery Chapel, we conducted a community survey to gather feedback. A third of respondents visit the site at least once a year, mainly to attend funerals or visit graves. Many voiced concern over the chapel’s poor condition and stressed the need to preserve its architecture and history for future generations. There was strong support for improvements such as better seating, rest areas, and enhanced interior conditions. Respondents also suggested hosting regular events to bring the chapel back into active use. A particularly popular idea was to create a heritage or local history exhibition within the chapel, celebrating its stories and significance. This valuable feedback will guide us in shaping a respectful and meaningful transformation of the space.
Posted 19 May 2025 12:16
Rumingyue R
The group was invited to Salford Council together on a weekend when the weather was perfect. We were very honored to be there. We had a meeting in the big meeting room with the person in charge, which allowed us to learn more about the place. The person in charge spent the morning giving us detailed information about the site and the local culture. After lunch, the people in charge discussed and answered our questions, which helped us a lot in our following design. Before leaving, we visited some of the displays in the council building and the formal meeting hall.
Posted 19 May 2025 13:38
Rumingyue R
Day 1

This was an uplifting group event! The whole group came together to visit Agecroft Chapel. All of us observed the old building very carefully and walked around the surroundings. The caretaker of the place gave us an introduction to the vicinity of the chapel and the traffic, and we had a great time of chatting.
Posted 19 May 2025 13:39
Rumingyue R
These are some of the requests that the council made when we were meeting with them about the space. We think that these requirements can better help us clarify the direction of the subsequent design. In particular, how to create a place that the public will want to visit requires us to think more about the convenience of the internal facilities.
Posted 19 May 2025 13:43
Rumingyue R
Day 3

Based on what we had learned about the site over the previous two days, we made some sketches to expand the group's ideas. We thought more deeply about the space inside the chapel and in relation to the needs of the visitors. The group members provided great ideas!
Posted 19 May 2025 13:47
Rumingyue R
Day 4

We got a lot of inspiration from the sketches we made the day before. We completed the initial division of the space and formulated the function of each area. The coffee shop and the outdoor garden were the most important areas that were added. We made the interior of the chapel look better and have a clearer flow.
Posted 19 May 2025 14:02
Rumingyue R
Day 5

Today is our first presentation. We cover site analysis, architectural analysis of the chapel, SWOT analysis, cases studies, preliminary design of the project and subsequent directions. In the presentation, we showed the model and some renderings so that the council could see our design better. They gave us some advice, such as harmonizing the relationship between different functions. While preserving the historical heritage of the chapel to the greatest extent possible, we can also take into account the new remodeling to bring a better experience to the visitors.
Posted 19 May 2025 14:25
Rumingyue R
We were inspired by a case study! A board able to see through could be placed on the front of the chapel, not only to make it more interesting for visitors to explore, but also to serve as a representative sign of the Agecroft Chapel. It's an interesting design and is positioned on the most characteristic elevation of the chapel. The design is unique and we wanted to bring some special elements to the Agecroft Chapel.
Posted 19 May 2025 15:09
Rumingyue R
Day 6

On Day 6, we reflect on and make adjustments to our Day 5 presentation. The council gave us some suggestions, such as the structure of the interior needs to be more compatible with the new functions. Also, for our newly added coffee shop, we need to give a clearer positioning, harmonize the relationship between the coffee shop and the visitors, and show more clearly how the place attracts the visitors.
We are discussing strategies to improve not only the previous design, but also the subsequent models and renderings.
Posted 20 May 2025 14:56
Rumingyue R
Day 7

On day 7, we created renderings with more detail based on the model. At the same time, we chose some perspectives that looked good for the effect. We used different software in rendering the model. Although it was a challenging process, we helped each other to make sure that the final renderings would meet our expectations.
Posted 20 May 2025 15:25
Rumingyue R
Day 8

On the eighth day, we worked more in detail on designing the interior of the chapel. Not just the layout of the space itself, but the integration of the new space into the overall interior of the chapel. Based on the original coffee shop, we improved the size of the space to make the layout more flexible and to be used as more than just a coffee shop.
Posted 21 May 2025 17:12
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
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