Group 19
WILD BROOK

Local Food First CIC (LFF), in partnership with Oldham Council Community Food Growing Project, are renovating an abandoned community allotment in Oldham to create the Wildbrook Community Food and Growing Hub. This site aims to improve access to affordable and nutritious food, principally through growing projects along with improving access to green space and nature. This is crucial as the neighbourhood of this site is in one of the most deprived areas in England and Wales and displays high levels of health inequality and food insecurity. As the capacity and demand to grow more produce increases, LFF is aiming to create a rainwater capture scheme to store and distribute water across the site and this project will explore creative design solutions to support this aim.

Lucy H / Marwa Sanad Abdul Hameed AS / Minrui C / Wenchi Y / Xiangyong H

Lucy H
Name: Lucy Hollins

Country: England

Course & Atelier: MArch, FLUX

Current Project in MSA:
My current project within studio focusses on food insecurity, the lack of community building and a way in which we can address these concerns. The design I have created is a multipurpose building, housing a food bank, a cooking school, and a circular retail quarter, all three segments combining to address the stigma surrounding asking for help and to bridge the gap of food insecurity between those who require help and those who can provide it. The ideology of my scheme aligns completely with this project.

Software + Other Skills:
Adobe Suite, Revit, Sketchup, Autodesk

Short Introduction:
Architecture and the possibility to incite change through design is something I am very passionate about, creating connections between people and places in ways other disciplines could not.

Outside of architecture, I love painting and sketching for fun as I find it very relaxing. I also love baking and love to test new recipes. I am very excited to work on this project with Local Food First and hope that we can create a scheme that will make a difference for the site.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 12:45
Marwa Sanad Abdul Hameed AS
Name: Marwa Sanad Abdul Hameed Al-Saqqar

Country: Iraq

Course & Atelier: MArch, Some Kind of Nature

Current Project in MSA:
My current project in studio is an adaptive reuse one that proposes a model for regenerative farming and circular agriculture to respond to the effects of agro-industrial globalisation. The existing abandoned structure of a walled garden already exhibits the proper foundations to propose a model as to how architecture can contribute further to addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis through the design of sustainable forms of food production and illustrate how adaptive reuse can be the driver towards implementing nature-friendly farming practices and promoting circularity (cradle-to-cradle) through the design and landscaping. The project evolves from its original function towards a community-oriented space where all walks of life can gather, learn, grow, harvest, cook, rest, and most importantly, care —becoming a community, regenerative farm and centre for agriculture and horticultural education. This studio project’s aspirations are closely intertwined with what Local Food First advocates for at Wildbrook and in this MSA Live project.

Software + Other Skills:
Adobe Suite, AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Vray, Enscape, Twinmotion, Lumion, Therm 7.6, and other construction and fabrication skills (laser cutting, CNC, 3D printing, wood construction, sewing, and knitting).

Short Introduction:
I have been working in the architectural industry for a few years, so it has been quite some time since I have been back in academia. It is interesting to see how much pedagogy has shifted to reprioritise architecture’s impact on society and build meaningful relationships —beyond human connections. I am very passionate about exploring the power that architecture has in shaping spaces politically, socially, and environmentally dissecting how design can be used as a tool for violence and oppression while also having the potential to foster resistance and advocate for community and kinship. I am very excited to work with everyone on this team to support Local Food First’s endeavours to develop a wonderful farming space that works with nature rather than against it and address food insecurity within the region.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 12:51
Wenchi Y
Name: Wenchi Ye

Country: China

Course & Atelier: MArch, Some Kind of Nature

Current Project in MSA:
My current studio project is to renovate a building in a forest near Glasgow. This building is a monastery that has been abandoned for a long time, and we are thinking about how we can bring it back into the community, make it more influential and bring back the prosperity of the past. Eventually we decided to transform it into a mixed-use building with a theatre, outdoor activity centre, and gallery space. Extending its radiation to the city of Glasgow and brings more revenue to the site.

Software + Other Skills:
Drone, photography, Rhino, Adobe Creative Suite, Vary

Short Introduction:
Hey, I'm Wenchi, from Zhejiang, China. I finished my undergraduate study in the University of Liverpool last year. During my undergraduate study, I visited many places in Europe and saw stunning scenery. We are looking forward to your joining our team. I believe we will have interesting interactions and learn different things during the two-week cooperation.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 12:54
Xiangyong H
Name: Xiangyong He

Country: China

Course/Program: MA Adaptive Reuse

Current Project in MSA:
I am currently working on the adaptive reuse design of a 1970s coal mine factory site. The factory is located in Xinjiang, China, and like many former industrial sites, it is situated in an area that lacks vibrancy due to its proximity to old residential buildings and outdated amenities, in stark contrast to the booming new city centre area. My goal was to revitalise the industrial area, address the infrastructure and commercial gaps while commemorating the coal mining culture and creating a link to the city centre area.

Software + Other Skills:
Sketchup, Rhino, photoshop, AutoCAD, Enscape.

Short Introduction:
I have three years of experience working in architectural design, with exposure to projects with a focus on commercial buildings. I enjoy sports, love drawing and enjoy meeting new friends.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 13:02
Minrui C
Name: Minrui Chen

Country: China

Course & Atelier: MA Adaptive Reuse

Current Project in MSA:
I am currently involved in a historic building transformation project in Stockport, which aims to bring a derelict monolithic office building back to life. My design philosophy is to transform the local culture and urban memory into the architectural language by digging deeply into it and subtly integrate it into the old building in a micro-interventional way. On the basis of protecting the original building structure, I hope to preserve the historical memory of the building through careful design, but also inject new vitality into it, making it a link between the past and the future. This process is not only the transformation of the building itself, but also the continuation and innovation of the urban context.

Software + Other Skills:
Sketchup, Rhino, photoshop, AutoCAD, Enscape, Lumion.

Short Introduction:
I am an architectural practitioner with nearly one year's work experience, and I have accumulated some project experience in practice. I have a special interest in small buildings, especially those that reflect humanistic care and respond to social issues.
In my spare time, I love sports and often play basketball to keep my vitality. I also like to experience different life stories through movies. In my spare time, I often travel with friends to explore different urban landscapes, while also delving into cooking in the kitchen and enjoying the fun of creating delicious food. These diverse interests and hobbies enable me to maintain keen observation and creativity in my work.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 13:06