Group 18
THE CANOPY COLLECTIVE

Growing Togetherness CIC in Buile Hill Park, Salford, welcomes everyone of all ages and backgrounds into their community. Our involvement is to design a structure within the community garden which provides shelter for the processing and working of the willow that they grow. This structure should be resourceful in its constitution and in keeping with the natural surroundings. We hope we can help them with this new intervention, which is just one part of their greater scheme of garden improvements.

Frances R / Huigen K / Renyou L / Tsz Kiu Jackie C / Wen L / William G

Frances R
Hi, Im Frances!

Alelier: Continuity

I competed my undergraduate at Oxford Brookes University and worked in practice for a few years before coming to MSA to do my part 2 in Architecture.

I am really interested in gardeing and growing produce so I am looking forward to working with Growing Togetherness CIC to not only improve their garden space, but also take away some tips for my own. I am also excited to be working with students from all year groups in the action weeks and hopefully come up with something that that Growing Togetherness CIC want to see built.
Posted 23 Feb 2025 19:08
Tsz Kiu Jackie C
Hello, I am Jackie!

Atelier: Flux

I graduated from the University of Hong Kong for my undergraduate and worked in practice for a year before pursuing my masters degree in MSA.

Having experiences in multiple participatory design engagements in my personal journey, I am really excited about the MSA live project with Growing Togetherness CIC and the community of Buile Hill Park. I am looking forward to working with our teammates and the community, and I wish we can create something together that benefit the garden and the people!
Posted 24 Feb 2025 12:34
Renyou L
Hi, I'm Julien!

Discipline: Architecture and Adaptive Reuse

I'm from China. Before coming to MSA, I completed my undergraduate studies in urban planning at Nanjing Tech University and worked in a planning institute for a period of time.

My hometown is surrounded by mountains, so I have always had a sense of affinity with nature. I am looking forward to working with Growing Togetherness CIC to apply my experience in architectural studies to community practice. I'm also excited to work with undergraduate students during the action week, so that we can enjoy the process together.
Posted 24 Feb 2025 17:05
Wen L
Hi, I'm Wen
I hold a bachelor's degree in Architecture from Sichuan Agricultural University and have gained several years of work experience at a Beijing-based architectural design firm. Subsequently, I decided to join the MSA Part 2 architectural program, focusing on the intricate relationships among architecture, human emotions and the natural environment.
I am delighted to be involved in the Growing Togetherness CIC project, a group of passionate individuals about nature. What particularly excites me is the vibrancy and charm of their garden, and I look forward to designing a space that more vividly conveys the theme of human interaction with nature. I am also eager to collaborate with students from various grades to create something truly exhilarating.
Posted 26 Feb 2025 16:10
Huigen K
Hi, I’m Huigen!

Atelier: CPU

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Taylor University Malaysia and pursued my Master’s in Architecture at MSA. Passionate about sustainable design and community-driven projects, I thrive on creating spaces that inspire and bring people together.

Joining the Growing Togetherness CIC initiative excites me because it allows me to collaborate with a diverse community, contribute innovative ideas, and see sustainable solutions come to life. Through this project, I hope to gain hands-on experience in community engagement, explore creative approaches to eco-friendly architecture, and help create a lasting social impact. I look forward to designing spaces that not only serve functional needs but also foster education, connection, and sustainability.
Posted 5 Mar 2025 22:22
Frances R
The Brief:
Growing Togetherness CIC in Buile Hill Park, Salford, welcomes everyone of all ages and backgrounds into their community to share the work and rewards of the garden space they collectively cultivate.
Our involvement is to design and present a proposal for a structure within the community garden which provides shelter for the processing and working of the willow that they grow. This structure should be in keeping with the natural surroundings and resourceful; made from found, natural or recycled materials. 
This community has big plans and bundles of enthusiasm for how they can further evolve. We hope we can help them with this new intervention, which is just one part of their greater scheme of garden improvements.
Posted 7 Mar 2025 12:44
William G
Hi, Im Will

Atelier: & Architecture

I studied architecture at Liverpool John Moores University before moving to Manchester to begin working as a Part 1 at AEW Architects, where I am currently employed while also studying at MSA.

I love being outdoors and am passionate about sustainable design, so I’m really excited to be working on a community project like this. I’m eager to collaborate closely with Growing Togetherness CIC and help bring their vision to life. I’m also looking forward to learning from both my group and the Growing Togetherness CIC team, as their knowledge will offer valuable insights and inspire new ideas that I can apply to any future sustainable projects I work on.
Posted 8 Mar 2025 14:25
Frances R
6 has become 16!

Today we welcomed more MSA students to The Canopy Collective! We introduced the brief and outlined the structure for the two action weeks. We’re visiting our site for a community consultation meeting later in the week so we got to know each other, did some desktop research and looked at president studies. Tomorrow we start designing, watch this space!
Posted 12 May 2025 15:16
Frances R
Day 2:
In preparation for the community consultation on Thursday, today we started to explore ideas around nature and structures. We searched for inspiration outside and sketched, modelled and discussed initial concepts in a beautiful green space around the MSA campus. We discussed and combined ideas and started to work well as a team. Bring on day 3!
Posted 13 May 2025 18:37
Frances R
Day 3:
Inspired by precedent studies, today we got making! We explored forms, multi-purpose structures, scale and thought about materiality and application on the site at Buile Hill Park. Tomorrow we’re visiting site as a group so we’ll discuss and explore how our concepts can adapt to the place and people we’re designing for. We’re looking forward to meeting the community!
Posted 14 May 2025 13:17
Frances R
Day 4:
Community consultation day! Today we got to meet lots of enthusiastic local community members. Our collaborator kindly hosted us for lunch and, in between sandwiches, we got to talk about some ideas, wants and needs for the covered structure we’re designing in the garden/allotment area. We had a busy few hours enjoying the sunshine and speaking to members of the running club, the ukulele club, those there for a cup of tea and even the BBC! Some of the group got so engrossed in the croquet, I think they might still be there! We look forward to coming back and presenting our ideas in a week’s time.
Posted 15 May 2025 18:33
Frances R
Day 5:
We spent the morning consolidating and digesting information from site and reviewing comments received from the community consultation. Having already made a start on designs, we reviewed these with the new information and thought of ways of adapting the proposals to best suit. We’ll continue this process on Monday and start refining the design as a team.
Great first week, well done everyone!
Posted 16 May 2025 14:48
Frances R
Day 6:
Moving forward with the design for the shelter, today we’ve consolidated a design as a group through iteration and discussion. We’re beginning to refine the design, think about appropriate materiality for the site and think about how local trades can construct it, a big part of Growing Togetherness’ ethos; a circular economy.
Posted 19 May 2025 13:17
Frances R
Day 7:
Today we worked on refining the proposal whilst keeping the site in mind. Choosing 'shelter', 'natural' and 'water catching' as 3 key terms to return back to during the design development, we pressed forward with the structural shape and materiality. We’ve also noticed more input and opinions from the undergraduate students throughout the action weeks which is really encouraging. Only one more day of development and collation before we present to the community, tomorrow will be the final push!
Posted 20 May 2025 13:23
Frances R
Day 8:
Action day! We’ve spent a few days refining the design, today was about representing the final proposal. Some of us went to the model making workshop and some to the computer, and we came together to collate the presentation. We’re really looking forward to presenting to the collaborator and community tomorrow- we hope they like it!
Posted 21 May 2025 17:22
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
Frances R
Day 10:
The close: today we’ve collated our submission and reflected as a team. We’ve really enjoyed having two weeks of uninterrupted time to spend on this project. Our collaborator- Growing Togetherness CIC, and the community surrounding this organization, has been so welcoming and enthusiastic about the project and moving their site forward. We hope that our design can contribute to the eventual building of this shelter on the site, but either way, it has been fantastic to see how the model of a circular economy is being put into practice I local communities. It’s also been great working with multiple year groups and we hope that they got as much out of the experience as we have. I think that we’re all ending MSA Live encouraged about taking on live projects in the future.
Posted 23 May 2025 14:32