Group 29
FOREST SCHOOL

Working alongside Burnside Centre, our mission is to reimagine an unused green space into an immersive forest school for young children, bringing their woodland fantasies to life. Guided by a nature-focused design, the project uses elements of nature to create a space where children learn through nature, encouraging emotional growth, creativity, and hands-on experiences. With applied funding, the proposed interventions have a potential to be realized, inspiring and uplifting the community.

Chuhan C / Daria-Ioana T / Hao W / Jane Jia En T / Louise H / Yan Hei Ashlie H

Hao W
Working alongside burnside centre, our mission is to reimagine an unused green space into an immersive forest school for young children, bringing their woodland fantasies to life. guided by a nature-focused design, the project uses elements of nature to create a space where children learn through nature, encouraging emotional growth, creativity, and hands- on experiences. with applied funding, the proposed interventions have a potential to be realized, inspiring and uplifting the community.
Posted 10 Mar 2025 13:33
Louise H
Hi, I’m Lou! I’m studying my Master of Architecture. I’m particular interested in Feminist spaces as well as biophilia in design. The Forest School project is very exciting for me as an outdoor activity instructor and Scout leader, because I love the concept of teaching children to be happy outside and using the life skills that you learn from a young age. I hope to bring my experience of the outdoors to this project, as well as my model making skills for the final output!
Posted 12 Mar 2025 15:04
Chuhan C
Hi, I’m Chuhan Cao, or Cecilia. I hold a Bachelor’s in Architecture from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) and am currently pursuing an MA in Architecture and Adaptive Reuse. My passion lies in architectural renewal and sustainability, particularly the adaptive reuse of traditional buildings. I believe these structures, rich in history and culture, can be revitalized through innovative design, modern technology, and sustainable practices to meet contemporary needs.

In projects, I am particularly inspired by designing spaces that connect with nature and cater to children and animals, fostering learning and play. I enjoy exploring a site’s natural elements and repurposing existing materials to create small installations, which deepens my appreciation for the harmony between design and the environment.

Proficient in digital and physical modeling, I help teams visualize concepts effectively. I excel at generating innovative ideas and translating them into practical solutions, blending creativity with feasibility. I look forward to collaborating on future projects to craft meaningful and engaging spaces.
Posted 12 Mar 2025 15:05
Jane Jia En T
Hi, I'm Jane Tiew Jia En from Malaysia—you can just call me Jane! I'm currently pursuing my Master's in Architecture as part of CPU Atelier, with a strong interest in the dynamic interplay between tectonics and spatial adaptability.

I'm truly excited about this project as it reimagines how children interact with their surroundings, transforming a simple courtyard into a vibrant, interactive learning space infused with greenery. This approach offers a refreshing alternative to conventional enclosed designs, fostering creativity, curiosity, and hands-on exploration.

I look forward to bringing our ideas to life through compelling visuals, leveraging my expertise in digital design communication—especially in Photoshop and renderings to create an engaging and immersive representation of our vision!
Posted 12 Mar 2025 15:19
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Hi! I'm Ashlie! I'm currently doing Master of Architecture, and I'm in the CPU[AI] atelier. What draws me most to architecture is its dynamic nature and the ability to shape experiences through innovative tectonics.

For this project, I’m eager to explore the creative use of natural materials to curate a diverse, nature-focused environment where children can learn and have fun. It would be interesting to test out how we could incorporate immersive and dynamic experiences into our designs.

I hope to bring creative design ideas to the project and apply my skills in modelling and rendering to form a compelling case for our proposals. Looking forward to collaborating with the team and seeing what we could create together!
Posted 12 Mar 2025 15:23
Hao W
Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Hao. I earned my bachelor's degree in architecture from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology and have worked in architectural design before coming to MSA. It is a great honor for me to join the "Forest School" team and collaborate with you. I am looking forward to meeting new students, exchanging relevant knowledge, and learning from each other. I am excited to meet you!
Posted 12 Mar 2025 15:33
Daria-Ioana T
Hi, I’m Ioana. I am currently in my first year, studying for the masters of architecture course and I have previously studied for Bachelors in Architecture at MSA.

I am really passionate about the Art Noveau style and organic, nature- based architecture as well as the intersections between architecture and philosophy.

In terms of the project a really interesting element is working with and crafting spaces for children, as well as thinking of different furniture options for the greenery spaces on site and how these can be used creatively throughout of the year.

I hope to bring conceptual thinking to the project and contribute with my digital & physical modelling, drawing and collaging skills. I am really excited and looking forward to the collaboration on this project.

Posted 12 Mar 2025 15:40
Louise H
The Site Visit
On 5th February, we went to explore our site, which was a garden recently cleared of brambles and overgrowth. Next to the built playground, fenced off around the edges, we could see some possibilities for the site. Tree stumps and brick edging, could this be used in the designs? And of course we have to note the little toys found throughout the land, a little unicorn duck being my personal favourite! The space has so much potential, we're excited to see where this goes.
Posted 12 Mar 2025 16:18
Louise H
Welcome to week 1 of the Forest School project !

We're so exciting to get started and see this unfold. We've been busy preparing for the first few days, keep your eyes peeled for more information soon !
Posted 9 May 2025 17:09
Louise H
We have a week full of fun activities and creative opportunities! We aim to end the week with a presentation at our collaborators in the Burnside Center showing off the work we’ve produced during this first development week :)
Posted 10 May 2025 12:58
Louise H
Hope everyone is getting excited for Day 1!

We will be starting the week with an intro into the project followed by….
SPORTS DAY!
We’re going to embrace our childlike competitive self’s and remind ourselves of the fun we had when in preschool and primary school. Get ready to show off your egg and spoon race skills!
Posted 11 May 2025 11:27
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 01: A fun-filled start to our 2-week project!

Today we welcomed some BA and MLA students to join us on this journey. Upon a warm round of self-introductions, we presented our project brief, introduced our collaborator and the site, and gave an overview of our plans for the 2 weeks. This was followed by an insightful presentation by Lou on the value of forest school, which gave the team a better understanding of how it benefits young children.

To bring playful energy into the day, we headed over to Whitworth Park for some nostalgic sports day fun, including mini races and a few rounds of charades!

In the afternoon, we gathered to brainstorm ideas for different components that could be included in our forest school proposals, with much consideration given to using sustainable materials and creating sensory experiences tailored to children. Based on our discussions, we wrapped up our first day by expressing our initial concepts through collages and sketches. A great start to the week!
Posted 13 May 2025 13:02
Louise H
Day 02: Preschool workshop morning :)

This morning we took a small group to the preschool and ran a forest model making session, letting the kids show us how they see a forest and what they’d like in their school!

We were shown by the kids what games and activities they like currently, and colour, sound and texture we found was very important!

We have learnt a lot from this morning and we’re very happy with how the activity went, off to report back our findings to the team now :)
Posted 13 May 2025 14:51
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 02: Site models

While some of us were at Burnside for a woodland workshop with the kids, the rest of us worked together to build site models.
Posted 14 May 2025 20:27
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 02: Reflecting on the workshop

After lunch, the two groups gathered to discuss findings from the visit to Burnside.

Regarding site context, we noticed that the vegetation cover has become much denser since winter, which prompted a discussion on how we might accommodate and celebrate it.

The workshop with the kids gave us plenty of new ideas to develop upon. We began translating their imaginative crafts and drawings into actual components within the site, bringing their perspective into our design process.
Posted 15 May 2025 21:46
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 03: The start of the two proposals!

The group was divided into two, each focusing on a distinct theme to explore different possibilities for the forest school space.

One team is developing a proposal centred around education. This includes looking into activities and equipment that supports sensory development, creativity, practical life skills, and physical development of kids, drawing on the core values of forest school learning.

The second team is focusing on fun & play, aiming to create a stimulating environment that engages all the senses. This proposal shall prioritize imaginative, interactive spaces where kids can explore freely and enjoy rich, sensory-driven play experiences, strongly responding to our observations from the interaction with kids in the forest model making session.
Posted 15 May 2025 23:21
Yan Hei Ashlie H
The education group wrote out a list of components and mapped them on the site based on the location of entrances, existing features, and proposed zoning. This process helped clarify the flow of movement through the site and ensured each element would serve its intended function while supporting a cohesive educational experience for the children.
Posted 16 May 2025 22:31
Yan Hei Ashlie H
The fun & play group strategically arranged elements on the site, thinking carefully about how to create a flow of playful discovery. The result is a design approach that prioritizes sensory-rich, imaginative experiences across different zones of the space.
Posted 16 May 2025 22:33
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 04: Refining ideas and preparation for a presentation to our collaborator

Both groups spent the day refining their proposals, clarifying key design ideas, and thinking more critically about how each element contributes to the overall experience.

We also began preparing materials for our interim presentation to our collaborator, which will be an important opportunity to gather feedback and strengthen our direction moving forward.
Posted 16 May 2025 23:15
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 05: Presentation day!

The team made our way to Burnside Centre to present our initial ideas and design proposals. It was a great moment to share all the hard work we've put in over the past week. Our collaborators were thrilled to see our progress and offered valuable feedback to help refine the proposals further and better align them with their needs. They highlighted specific components they loved, such as the communication wall for non-verbal kids and the set of numbered wooden stepping stones. They also gave us ideas on further developing some of our proposed components.

Following the presentation, a discussion with our collaborator reached a decision that moving forward, we will focus on developing one proposal. We will integrate the strongest ideas from both proposals, blending their best features to create a single, well-rounded design.
Posted 17 May 2025 14:29
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 05: Reflection

The team gathered to reflect on the notes from Burnside. While the discussions were still fresh in our minds, we began drafting a revised site plan that responds to the suggestions and ideas shared.

It was a productive end to the week, and we’re heading into Week 2 with clear direction and a shared excitement to bring our final proposal to life!
Posted 17 May 2025 14:42
Yan Hei Ashlie H
It was cool to see our project poster displayed at the reception of Burnside centre!
Posted 17 May 2025 14:50
Louise H
Week 2!

The start of a new week means the start of model making, considering the feedback we gained last week to prepare our final proposal for the site. In this week, we will try and add a couple workshops in for the BA students to learn digital skills such as photoshop! Let’s get started!
Posted 19 May 2025 17:58
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 06: Kicking off week 2 with some physical model making

Based on the draft plan we developed on Friday, combining our initial proposals from Week 1, we built a 1:100 physical model to help us better visualize the overall spatial arrangement and flow. Along with this, a revised site plan was drawn up in CAD. With this updated plan in hand, we began construction on our final 1:50 physical model which will represent our ultimate proposal for the forest school at Burnside.
Posted 19 May 2025 19:43
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 07: Physical model making continues

Today was all about continuing work on our 1:50 physical model. With most of the key elements now taking shape, we’re more than halfway through the build!

Despite the small scale, the team focused on adding as much detail as possible to communicate our design vision, spot the little ducks in the pond! It’s exciting to see the project come to life in physical form!

Posted 20 May 2025 18:15
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 08: Finishing touches!

Our 1:50 physical model is almost complete! Nearly all the components of our final proposal have been assembled, and we added some color to key elements to reflect our vision of a fun, vibrant space for children. The final piece to be added is the mound at the corner of the site, which we've chosen to 3D print for more precision. There was a little mishap with the 3D printer today, but it's back on track and our model should be ready by tomorrow, we can't wait to see it in place!

While our physical models are nearing completion, our digital model is also progressing well. We're on track to begin rendering and visualizing the design tomorrow. Exciting day ahead as we pull everything together!
Posted 21 May 2025 19:28
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 09: Workshops and preparation of final presentation

This morning, our MA students led a workshop session, sharing their workflows for creating diagrams and rendering using Rhino, Illustrator and Photoshop. It was a great exchange of skills, with all students learning and taking inspiration from one another.

Armed with new techniques, the team spent the afternoon producing final drawings to clearly communicate the ideas behind our final proposal. From detailed plans to expressive visuals, everyone contributed to refining how we present our design.

It's the final stretch!
Posted 22 May 2025 20:39
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 09: Physical model complete!

The 3D printing went smoothly, and the final piece is now in place. We will be bringing the model over to Burnside for the presentation tomorrow, we hope our collaborators love it as much as we do!
Posted 22 May 2025 20:43
Yan Hei Ashlie H
Day 10: FINAL PRESENTATION!!

Today marked the grand finale of our 2-week project! We returned to Burnside Centre to present our final proposal. We were joined by the directors of Burnside who were all really pleased with the outcome. Their positive feedback and enthusiasm for the project was really rewarding for us. With the fundings secured, we’re excited to see how our ideas will take shape and begin to make an impact for the community.
Posted 23 May 2025 15:50
Louise H
And that’s a wrap!

2 weeks later and we have completed the forest school project! We have loved the experience and working with our collaborators at the Burnside Centre. We’re excited to see our ideas implemented on site :)
Posted 23 May 2025 17:45