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
Lucy H
Meet our collaborators!

Dave is a co-founder of Local Food First CIC with a specific interest in the links between growing, cooking and nutrition and the role these can play in a sustainable future. Dave is passionate about supporting a fair food system for all, where issues such as food security, the impact of food on climate change and inequality are fully addressed. Before founding Local Food First, Dave worked in various community food support roles, ran an organic fruit and veg delivery business and spent many years retailing wine. He tries to make wine out of the grapes he grows in Stockport, not with much success!
Posted 12 May 2025 15:07
Lucy H
Meet our collaborators!

Lina is a co-founder of Local Food First CIC, a community-driven initiative focused on sustainable food growing and waste management. Passionate about the environment, Lina is dedicated to exploring how local food production and responsible waste practices can contribute to a more sustainable future.
Before founding Local Food First, Lina worked in various community food support roles. Her background also includes running a convenience store in Colombia, where she developed a deep understanding of food systems, and over 20 years in the accountancy sector, where she was a committed sustainability champion who advocated for eco-friendly workplace practices, encouraging businesses and work colleagues to adopt greener habits and reduce their environmental impact.
Lina’s work continues to focus on education, engagement, and action, empowering communities to make sustainable choices in food growing, waste reduction, and environmental responsibility.
Posted 12 May 2025 15:08
Marwa Sanad Abdul Hameed AS
Our first site visit!

We first visited Wildbrook in February and toured the site and all its facilities with our collaborators, Dave and Lina. The site is situated in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and it serves its local community. Working with the charity Fareshare, Wildbrook curate food parcels designed to provide support for communities experiencing food insecurity.

Whilst on site, we saw Wildbrook's facilities, including polytunnels, raised planting beds, a smaller orchard, composting stations and plans to expand much further. Dave and Lina shared with us their plans to renovate the existing building to support their indoor programmes, including a community kitchen and co-working space. We looked into existing challenges on the site that pertain to distributing water across the growing hub. We also discussed plans for our Action Weeks with the collaborators, forming a plan for the outputs requested for the scheme.
Posted 13 May 2025 11:03
Wenchi Y
Finalising Plans for the Actions Weeks
During our planning meetings, we discussed amongst ourselves what outputs we would be able to produce for the client within the duration of Action Weeks. From there, we came up with drafts for the two-week schedule and considered what daily activities and targets we could achieve when the rest of our team joins us. With our meetings with Eddy, we were able to refine our schedule to consider how to integrate different activities throughout the two weeks that go beyond production. His insight helped us to form a comprehensive strategy for beginning action week.

We can’t wait to get started!
Posted 14 May 2025 10:29
Minrui C
DAY 1

For the first day of Action Weeks, we began by introducing ourselves and getting to know one another. Discussing skills everyone would like to learn, their current focus within their own projects and a brief introduction to each as a person.

We then outlined the project scope, detailing the site of focus, the collaborator requests and our aims and schedule for the next two weeks. After lunchtime, we then began researching water collection and redistribution programmes designed to combat the water distribution problems currently faced on site. Forming a basis of understanding for our site visit planned for the following day. This brought everyone up to a level playing field so that everyone could get the most out of the site visit.
Posted 14 May 2025 10:42
Xiangyong H
DAY 2 –Visiting the Site

For the second day, we started off the morning by continuing off with our research efforts from the first day. We presented our findings and learnings to one another and explored precedents and ideas that could be relevant for Wildbrook. In the afternoon, we visited Wildbrook with the whole team for the first time, seeing it in its fully green and blooming state! Our clients, Dave and Lina, toured around the growing hub, explained to us what has been done, what has been updated since last time, and what they are hoping to do in the future. We discussed challenges in terms of irrigating the different growing and production areas, as well as identifying how we can design water collection and redistribution programmes that are flexible and adaptable for future developments and expansion.
Posted 15 May 2025 11:43
Xiangyong H
DAY 2 –Volunteering

Composting

Whilst on our site visit, Lina – one of our collaborators from Local Food First – guided us through a composting discussion, explaining the five ‘ingredients’ required to create a good compost; Nitrogen, Carbon, Water, Oxygen and Heat. Following the talk, Lina formed a smaller group to take on a Practical Composting Tutorial, creating large cubes of compostable materials constructed from pallets and any food waste or organic materials sourced from the local community and the surrounding area. Getting to be really hands on and jumping on the cubes to compress them as tightly as possible to ensure good compost production.

Planting Seedlings

Another task whilst on the visit was to assist in planting seedlings. The seedlings had been ordered so that they could be grown and cared for onsite and then sold to the local community. Planting the seedlings of many types of flowers, a team was assigned to fill the plant pots with soil, grinding down the larger lumps first. Then sectioning and potting the seedlings into groups or individually into the pots, making sure they are secure within their new homes.

Watering

The final task assigned whilst on our visit was to water all the planting inside of the polytunnels. Observing the challenges of transporting the water across the length of the polytunnels. Due to the dry, hot weather, a high volume of water was needed and so we used hoses and watering cans to ensure that all the plants were thoroughly watered.
Posted 15 May 2025 11:53
Lucy H
DAY 3

For the third day of the first action week, we compiled all the observations noted down by the students from the site visit to form a plan of action for collecting and distributing water across the site. Collating all the information onto a diagrammatic site plan, we formed groups, and each began work on the individual roof systems across the site that would be best suited to collecting the water deposited. Beginning to diagram suitable outputs that could best communicate the strategies proposed to our collaborators and any future users.
Posted 15 May 2025 12:23
Lucy H
DAY 4

For day four, we carried on working on the outputs decided on the day before. Beginning to generate the necessary drawings and visuals required to effectively communicate the designs suggested. We worked in a variety of medias, some sketching by hand, some physically modelling and some modelling digitally through several softwares. Ensuring each output had the full complement of drawings required, we aim to place ourselves in an effective position for collating all of our materials to begin the document next week.
Posted 16 May 2025 10:25
Lucy H
DAY 5

Continuing from day four, on day five we started to organize our materials for placement into both the publication and the output booklet for the collaborators. Beginning to set out templates, render visuals and finalizing plans and elevations, we began addressing any gaps in our materials and discussing how best to fill these for the documents we need to produce. We are very excited to return next week and are keen continue with the final design work!
Posted 16 May 2025 12:42
Lucy H
DAY 6

Returning for the second week of MSA Live, on Day 6 we continued refining and organizing our materials for inclusion in both the publication and the output booklet for our collaborators. We completed our template layouts and began to populate the document with our refined information picked from the work completed in the previous week. Throughout the day, we also identified and addressed any remaining gaps in our content, discussing ways to complete the required documentation and then completing these objectives. Reconfiguring our poster, we have synthesized a new design for the booklet requested for our client, information that will form the backbone of our publication.
Posted 19 May 2025 15:59
Wenchi Y
Day 7
First of all, we conducted research on the water storage tank, studied some cases, and applied some of them to our site to achieve efficient rainwater collection.
Secondly, we held a brainstorming session to discuss the collection and utilization of water resources on the site and presented it through the masterplan.
After that, we improved the framework produced on Monday, adding more pictures and text. We are a little closer to fully completing this task.
Posted 21 May 2025 12:05
Wenchi Y
Day 8
We further refined the content that needed to be submitted and conducted an experiment on one of the rainwater collection systems. The results of the model showed that the rainwater collection system of this building could collect rainwater efficiently.
Posted 22 May 2025 15:46
Xiangyong H
DAY 9
We completed all the presentations by refining the final text in the Indesign document, and in the afternoon we had a visit from the client to present all the results of our research during this period, and together we discussed the possibilities for the subsequent construction of the farm, and the client was very satisfied with our work.
Posted 22 May 2025 15:52
Marwa Sanad Abdul Hameed AS
DAY 10

After the success of yesterday’s presentation, a few minor changes were needed to the booklet before sending the final version to Dave and Lina. We spent this last day consolidating our work for the MSA Live publication and completing all the logistics and administrative tasks necessary for us to submit.

Over ten days, our collaborative journey was filled with moments of cultural exchange, deep learning, and achievement. From thorough research, brainstorming, and volunteering ... to concept development, modelling, and visual production, the two weeks cultivated a holistic design approach that relies on scientific research and technological evidence. The final strategy guide provided for Local Food First CIC will support the collaborators with a compilation of all information needed/relevant to Wildbrook and offer design proposals that they can share to collect much-needed funding and gain support in implementing a rainwater collecting and harvesting system across the site.

We are deeply grateful to our dedicated group members from BA1, BA2, and MLA (Man Yuet, Sarawand, Junxiao, Ane, Joshua, Yidan, Jiawen, and Jinchen), whose tireless efforts and creativity fueled the success of this project. We extend heartfelt appreciation to the invaluable contributions and expertise of our collaborators, Dave and Lina, whose support, guidance, and teachings have enriched this collaborative exploration and journey. The experience gained during MSA Live 25 has been enriching for us all. It reflects the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and real-world applications. Although our time technically ends after the Action Weeks, we established a long-lasting relationship with LFF moving forward. We will all carry the lessons learned, conversations shared (both relevant and not), and a sense of satisfaction with the achievements together.

Thank you for joining us on this journey!
Posted 23 May 2025 15:00