Group 16
BRADFORD TAKEOVER

Our Project is an exciting opportunity to reintroduce Bradford's historic buildings to the general public and bring together the the 30 wards that make up the city in the context of the 'Bradford Takeover Festival'. Inspired by the major events to celebrate the city's designation as 'City of Culture', we aim to break down barriers between the districts diverse communities by using wayfinding interventions, scattered through the urban landscape guiding people on an engaging journey through the rich history of the town. By working closely with the local community, we aim to open the boundaries of the historic spaces - inviting people to explore, interact with, and learn about the city through playful, game-like activities. Our vision is to create a interactive, socially engaging, and accessible journey around the city that both honour the city's heritage and allows the districts cultural influences to re-imagine Bradford's urban fabric. As part of this project, we will produce a physical, treasure hunt-style game that takes participants through key sites across the city. This will involve designing puzzles and wayfinding elements using model-making techniques to bring the journey to life in a tangible and immersive way.

Gabriel T / Jirong P / Junyi L / Laura-Elena P / Shreya T / Ziyang Z

Laura-Elena P
MArch 1, Infrastructure Space

Hey! I’m Laura, a MArch 1 student in the Infrastructure Space atelier. I completed my BA at MSA and am excited to continue my journey here!

I’m particularly interested in large-scale land management and the ways design can shape landscapes to be more functional, immersive, and meaningful. I love creating narratives through design—whether that means reimagining how spaces evolve over time or crafting environments that tell a deeper story. Sustainability plays a huge role in this, ensuring that the places we design don’t just serve people but support all species that inhabit them.

In my free time, I love getting lost in hands-on creative work—carving linocut prints, giving stick-and-poke tattoos, or simply spending time in nature. I find inspiration in organic forms, textures, and the patterns found in the natural world, which often influence my creative work both in and outside of architecture.
Posted 9 Mar 2025 22:10
Gabriel T
MArch 1, Continuity

Hey! I’m Gabriel, and I am a March 1 student studying in the atelier Continuity. I completed my undergrad at Leeds Beckett University and excited to continue my studies in Manchester.

I’ve always been interested in the architectural language of adaptive reuse projects, especially the juxtaposing language of the old and the new. I think it’s important to celebrate the existing layers of the history of the building, and also allowing the imperfections of the past to shine through its design. This is why I wanted to engage with this project as it is holistic with my beliefs as the buildings in Bradford contain a deep relationship with the evolution of the town and needs to be resurfaced to the diverse community.

I have a keen eye for the small details in things, which perfectly translates into my love for photography, films and sketching. In some of my free time, I enjoy being active outside of the studio, like training in volleyball, keeping fit in the gym and also reading books to inspire my creativity towards my design in architecture.
Posted 9 Mar 2025 22:10
Junyi L
MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse

Hi, I’m Junyi Liu from China, currently pursuing a Master’s in Architecture and Adaptive Reuse at the Manchester School of Architecture, with a focus on heritage conservation and reuse. With two years of experience in landscape architecture and project work in interaction design—such as sound visualization and spatial interactivity—I aim to integrate my previous expertise into new projects, bringing practical insights and creative approaches to the process.

I’m particularly interested in the Bradford Festival planning project as it offers a unique opportunity to engage with diverse cultural communities. The interactive nature of city festivals aligns closely with my research interests, especially in enhancing user experiences through thoughtful design. Additionally, this project allows me to explore innovative ways to activate cultural heritage within different cultural contexts.
Posted 9 Mar 2025 22:15
Ziyang Z
MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse

Hey! I’m Ziyang Zhou, a MA student in Architecture and Adaptive Reuse
. I am excited to continue my study in MSA!

I am particularly interested in repurposing and shaping architectural and spatial approaches that can make existing buildings more sustainable and more adaptable to different users and needs. I like to think about how people think about reuse and urban development in different cultural contexts and different urban forms. Places and memories are important to me in my thinking and design process, which helps us to connect the past with the future, while preserving the local character and culture.

At other times, I love the outdoors, whether it's hiking or sitting in the park, I enjoy these times of being close to nature. When I'm at home, I like to play with Lego and some video games. All these can give me some design inspiration. I also enjoy sports, swimming or basketball, the dopamine from these activities makes me happy!
Posted 9 Mar 2025 22:21
Shreya T
MArch Year 1, &Atelier

Hi! I’m Shreya, a MArch 1 student in the &Atelier. I studied undergraduate at the Amity School of Architecture and Planning in India.

I’m passionate about community-driven architecture, drawing inspiration from my background in India to design spaces that foster relationships between people. The Bradford Takeover project excites me because it aligns with my interest in connecting people with their heritage in playful, engaging ways. I see architecture as a tool to bridge cultures, species and the environment and create sustainable and mindful commons.

Beyond architecture, I like exploring new Hobbies like Hiking, Urban Sketching, running, cycling, boxing, wood carving, photography, and creative writing, anything that gets me out of my comfort zone and builds new memories. I love long conversations, small walks and little crazy adventures.
Posted 9 Mar 2025 22:29
Jirong P
MArch 1, Some Kind of Nature

Hello :) I’m Jirong. I am a student at Atelier SKN and completed my undergraduate studies at Newcastle University.

Since my undergraduate years, I have been deeply passionate about the revival of urban culture. I believe that a city’s cultural appeal isn’t defined by its size or population, and Bradford 2025 exemplifies this as a vibrant and ambitious project. Being a part of such an initiative allows everyone to immerse themselves in this dynamic atmosphere!

In addition to the architectural software skills, I enjoy expressing my ideas through hand drawing and creating physical models. I truly appreciate the "work in progress" process, as it enables me to experience a project in greater detail and depth.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 01:15
Laura-Elena P
Exploring Bradford: A Site Visit That Sparked Our Vision

Our recent visit to Bradford marked a turning point in the development of our project. The route we took, thoughtfully curated by Jade Jade Ibegbuna, our collaborator from The City Council, took us on a journey through some of the city’s most iconic historic buildings—and left us inspired to create a similar experience for the wider public.
As we moved through these incredible spaces, we were struck by how many of Bradford’s residents might not even know they are welcome to explore them. This realisation became a key part of our motivation: to design an experience that invites people to rediscover their city and feel a sense of belonging in its remarkable heritage sites.

The city is experiencing a cultural renaissance, embracing its diversity, youthful population, and rich artistic heritage. Bradford’s strength lies in its people—one of the most diverse communities in the UK, where cultures, languages, and traditions come together to form a vibrant social fabric. It’s this diversity that makes the city so dynamic and full of creative potential, and it’s central to the story we want to tell through this project.

We visited Bradford Live, currently undergoing renovation and due to reopen soon—we were incredibly lucky to get a glimpse inside before its official launch, thanks to Christophe. We also explored the Media Museum (with Dean), the Alhambra Theatre (with Laura and Penny), and City Hall (with Len). Each building offered a glimpse into the city's rich architectural heritage and the care that went into shaping its identity.

More reflections on each building (and the amazing people who guided us) coming soon—huge thanks to Jade, Rachel, Christophe, Dean, Laura, Penny, Len, Jamie, and everyone who joined our community roundtable.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 20:13
Ziyang Z
Bradford City of Culture: RISE

Bradford 2025 is the centrepiece event for Bradford as the UK's City of Culture, an event that combines art, culture, history and modern creativity. It not only pays homage to Bradford's history and cultural traditions, but also injects new vitality and unlimited possibilities into the city through its diverse activities and innovative programming.

The opening show “Rise” featured 200-strong cast, including professional performers and the people of Bradford. Dynamo (Steven Frayne, who is Bradford-born), kicked off the event with a mix of magic to celebrate the magic of Bradford, as well as music and aerial stunts. The Dreams I Had,” a theater project honouring playwright Andrea Dunbar, explores the impact of local theater. “Bassline Symphony” A fusion of classical and Bassline House music, showcasing Bradford's unique musical culture. “Bradford Progress” creates a dynamic musical journey through sound and community connection, while ‘Memories of the Future’, choreographed by Akram Khan, combines dancers to showcase the future and cross-cultural exchange.

With "Rise", not only enhance the city's cultural impact, but also promotes economic growth and community integration. Bradford 2025 will be a feast for the eyes and the soul that should not be missed as it reinvigorates the city through historic restoration, artistic innovation, and community engagement, showcasing Bradford's unique cultural landscape to the world.

There is a great half an hour documentary of the event, capturing the background of the initial launch. Please follow the link if you would like to get more context of the event!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0026z4c
Posted 10 Mar 2025 21:17
Gabriel T
Meet Our Collaborator!

Hi everyone, please meet our lovely MSA collaborator for this project, Jade!

"Hi, I’m Jade Ibegbuna, Head of Cultural Partnerships at Bradford Council. I have the pleasure of working with so many incredible cultural and community groups across the district whilst enabling projects (such as this one) to innovatively amplify our Bradford story. I am a proud Bradfordian, passionate about changemaking and I’m also a Clore Fellow 2025: https://bit.ly/43M3vBC

Working as a collaborator on MSA Live is an absolute joy as I get to work with amazingly talented minds and creative energy – the passion, care and imagination that the students show for Bradford shines through and is reflected throughout their designs. Bradford 2025 is the UK ‘City of Culture’ so this year’s MSA Live designs are being created at a pivotal moment in Bradford’s history.

MSA Live is a fantastic programme, fantastic students and a fantastic team – I am very much looking forward to what this year brings."
Posted 15 Mar 2025 13:59