Group 20
GREEN HAVEN

Join us in transforming a historic space into a vibrant community hub! This project aims to support Gorton’s diverse community, including older people, those with disabilities, refugees, LGBTQ+ individuals etc. By redesigning the historic site with accessible paths, a revamped patio and pergola, growing spaces, and a reflective area, our aim is to create a safe and inclusive space. The project will promote physical and mental well-being, reduce loneliness, and provide educational and volunteering opportunities that may lead to employment—all while connecting people with nature and preserving the site’s unique history.

Charlotte C / Hongli Z / Liam P / Tanishi S / Wei J

Wei J
Name: Wei Jiang
Course: March 1
Atelier: Some Kind of Nature (SKN)

Hi Everyone,

I completed my undergraduate degree at Ravensbourne University London, where I developed a strong foundation in architectural design and creative problem-solving. Before returning to university, I worked in a construction company, which gave me experience with the practical aspects of building and material applications. I have a passion for model making which brings concepts physical models.

This live project focuses on creating a community garden, a space that brings people together through installations. I believe it is the key space of a community that fosters human connections. I look forward to contributing through physical and digital models, helping to visualize design ideas and ensuring the constructability of our proposals.
Posted 4 Mar 2025 15:46
Hongli Z
Name: Hongli zhou (Harriet)
Course: MArch 1
Atelier: Infrastructure

Hi, everyone!

I studied my undergraduate degree at Newcastle University.After completing my undergraduate programme, I returned to China to work as an intern in an architectural firm. After gaining some internship experience, I decided to continue my architecture part2 at MSA.

Studying at MSA has allowed me to think about learning by placing architecture in a broader context. I am excited to be a part of the healthy me healthy communities CIC programme. During my undergraduate programme I also spent a lot of time learning about communities and their delicate relationship with people and nature. And how they will work together as a community to achieve sustainable development. This project will incorporate more factors to consider such as history, volunteers, possible community outreach links .... It will be very engaging.

Looking forward to working with the group to provide a green space that improves the health of the body and mind based on the research and the need to make a positive impact on the community as well as the residents.


Posted 4 Mar 2025 15:53
Tanishi S
Name: Tanishi Sharma
Course: MArch 1
Atelier: Flux

Hi, everyone!

I completed my bachelor’s degree in Architecture at Dr. D Y Patil College of Architecture, India. I interned at Shashi Prabhu Architects in Mumbai and later worked for a year at 23DC Architects in Punjab, India. Finally, I decided to enroll in the MSA Part 2 architectural program, focusing on the relationship between architecture, its history, and the environment.

I am excited about working with the Healthy Me Healthy Communities CIC program. Having a similar approach to Urban farming in my Flux atelier, where I have tried to build my narratives around the community's needs and the overall holistic development of the area. I am looking forward to achieving a similar social impact in this project to improve physical and mental health and well-being, community cohesion, and connection with nature.
Posted 4 Mar 2025 18:24
Charlotte C
Name: Charlotte Clegg
Course: MArch 1
Atelier: Continuity

I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Huddersfield and I am currently working as an architectural assistant at Squires and Brown Architects in Knutsford. We specialise in private education which has given me experience in some really interesting and varied projects. I am currently on maternity leave from the practice to take time out to look after my 19 month old son and newborn daughter, whilst still continuing with my studies at MSA.

I have an interest in building re-use, in particular looking at derelict or under used buildings and how these can be improved and adapted. I’m also interested in how architecture can help our communities and the relationship it has with wellbeing and nature, which is why this live project really excites me. My other main interest besides architecture is being a mother and enjoying time with my young family.
Posted 4 Mar 2025 21:43
Liam P
Name: Liam Powner
Course: MArch 1
Atelier: CPUai
Hi, I Studied my undergraduate Architecture at Salford University before joining AECOM where I still work part time as an Architectural Assistant. This project brief interests me in designing for wellbeing and community engagement with nature spaces
Posted 11 Mar 2025 08:57
Hongli Z
Partners : Gorton Center

The Gorton Center is a community facility in Manchester operated by Healthy Me Healthy Communities (HMHC). It began as a paint factory and has since been transformed into a hub for food, welfare, training and enterprise.

The space provides health and social services for local residents (many of whom are disabled, live with long-term unhealthy physical and mental health conditions, come from diverse ethnic backgrounds, are older, live in poverty, are refugees or asylum seekers and are LGBTQ). As part of HMHC's mission to reduce health inequalities and promote community engagement. It also organizes events, offers space for rent, and runs community grocers, among other activities.

Their vision is to have a good community garden for growing, learning, and healthy activities, and would have some integration with the historic paint factory.HMHC envisions the garden as an extension of their existing wide range of offerings for the local community and stakeholders.
Posted 11 Mar 2025 17:29
Hongli Z
First meeting

At the first meeting with our clients at Manchester Technology Center, Amanda, one of our clients, told us about their non-profit organization 'Healthy Me Healthy Communities'. They are dedicated to bringing vibrancy to their community and helping people with housing, and financial and mental health support. The clients then introduced us to the site and their expectations for the design direction.
Posted 11 Mar 2025 17:29
Hongli Z
First Site Visit

We visited the venue for the first time and kate harrison, service manager at Healthy Me Healthy Communities CIC, joined us for a tour of the current state of the garden. As well as the vegetables planted on the site, and some dilapidated pergola. and learnt in conversation how the previous gardens came to be. What their needs are today. What they most desire the garden to look like and what kind of space they envision that would help them work and be more beneficial to the community. And it gave us some ideas to think about.
Posted 11 Mar 2025 17:30
Hongli Z
Day 01 - Welcome New Members

On the first day we welcomed our new members. Did quick introductions to break the ice. After that we quickly shared the information we now have about Gorton Central. As well as what our clients expect from the project and more.

We divided the project into 3 important parts. The masterplan and environmental design, the design of the outdoor classrooms, learning spaces, and the design of the pergola. Everyone chose different groups to discuss according to their preference.

The first day was spent exploring initial ideas, sharing and learning from case studies.
Posted 14 May 2025 11:17
Hongli Z
Day 02 - Site visit & Concept brainstorming

In the morning we revisited the site with BA1,BA2 and the new members of MLA1. Touring the site and discussing the possibilities of a preliminary programme. We also took measurements of some of the existing frames and parts of the site that need to be preserved, to understand the exact scale will help the design to move forward in the later stages.

In the afternoon we collated and discussed the photos, data, and inspirational groupings from the site visit. Understanding the current state of the site and the natural factors. Experimenting with sketching and modelling to test preliminary ideas. Incorporate the client's needs and envisage what the teaching space would look like. What will the flow route throughout the green garden look like? And will the façade of the pergola change? How to incorporate the existing structure.

These ideas will be deepened on the third day ....
Posted 14 May 2025 23:18
Hongli Z
Day 03 - Pushing the concept forward

We continued to progress the project within the group based on the ideas from the previous day. The design of the study space and the master plan were tested by testing ideas mainly through drawings and 3D models; while the design of the pergola was attempted to be explored through physical modelling.

During the day's work, we further refined the design concepts and considered in depth a number of details such as the comfort of the space and the choice of materials. Despite the division of labour amongst the teams, frequent communication was maintained amongst the teams as we progressed to ensure overall synergy.
Posted 15 May 2025 14:39
Hongli Z
Day 04 - Collaborative Dialogue and Steady Progress

We continued to move forward with the previous day's work. The masterplanning and landscape design teams worked closely with the classroom and pergola design teams to promote a cohesive overall vision and a harmonious site layout. The classroom design team made significant progress with 3D modelling, while the pergola design team tested various façade strategies, experimenting with different vine weaving patterns to create unique spatial effects as well as testing what kind of impacts can be made on the space with different vine weaving patterns.

In the afternoon, members of march1 gave BA members a tour of some of the Rhino software. As we aim to present our final work in a fully realised 3D format, this meeting helped to lay the foundations for digital modelling skills that will support future design development.
Posted 18 May 2025 16:31
Hongli Z
Day 05 - Preparation for the Mid-term Review

The masterplanning and landscape teams have integrated the final ideas from the first round of sketches and translated them into three-dimensional models. At the same time, final adjustments were made to the design of the classrooms to align them with the landscape prior to review. The pergola design, which had previously been completed through a physical model, was now refined and expressed in more detail through a digital 3D form.

The work of all three teams has been integrated into one comprehensive 3D model. To ensure that the client clearly understood our concepts during Monday's presentation, we also created a set of rendered visuals to more intuitively communicate the space and design intent.

With all the preparations complete, we look forward to our upcoming interaction with the client and anticipate new feedback that will help us further improve the design.
Posted 18 May 2025 18:11
Hongli Z
Day 06 - Presentation Day

On day 6 we arrived at our site in the morning. We would like to thank our client for preparing the space ahead of time and taking time out of their busy schedule to attend our presentation.

During the meeting we shared our design concepts and site modification options. This included discussions around the choice of materials and the architectural forms to be introduced to complement the existing environment. To further support our ideas, we added a number of precedent displays (particularly the interior spaces of the classrooms as well as the elevations) alongside the completed drawings and renderings to provide a wider context for our design decisions.

Our partners also took the opportunity to share their perspectives, contributing valuable insights and ideas. We were encouraged by the positive feedback from all participants, which recognised the strengths and usefulness of our proposal.

The presentation gave us a sense of the success of our collaborative efforts and celebrated the fact that we have made a lot of progress together.
Posted 22 May 2025 22:09
Hongli Z
Day 07 - Reflection, revision and finalisation

We chose to focus on refining the programme based on the feedback we received from the previous day's presentation. Receiving suggestions from the client, we improved a few points of the design and wanted to develop a more detailed version of the programme.

We worked on drawing up some technical details explaining how specific elements of the design would be constructed - paying particular attention to material connections, structural connections and other practical aspects of construction.

In the afternoon, we worked on the final publication. Collecting and collating drawings from all team members.

It was both a reflective and productive day, refining the concept, taking into account the development of the technology, and preparing the final presentation.
Posted 22 May 2025 22:21
Hongli Z
Day 08 & 09 - Most of the work done!

BA and MLA members have mostly finished their work. Everyone has been very enthusiastic and motivated to complete the two weeks of design work. At the moment we are in the finishing stage. We've been iterating on the models so that we can finally present our ideas in a comprehensive 3D rendering.

We will refine our layout on the last day!
Posted 22 May 2025 22:45
Hongli Z
MSA live last day!

Regarding our last day, two weeks of development and design, we started with the site visit and with the good co-ordination and co-operation with all the members, we managed to complete the project and put everything together on the last day.

Thanks to the BA and MLA members who worked together on this project, they were very active in coming up with ideas and had good inputs that were implemented into the project, which was essential for us to successfully complete this project.

We hope that our participation in the project has really helped the customers of Gorton centre by providing them with new ideas.

Thank you very much！
Posted 23 May 2025 18:05