Name: Naba Arshad Usmani
Course: MA Architecture & Adaptive Re-Use

Hello! My name is Naba, and I'm from Mumbai, India. I studied Interior and Spatial Design for my undergraduate studies and after graduation worked for almost 3 years as a designer, strategist and researcher in the fields of interiors, conservation and heritage, especially Adaptive Re-Use. Additionally, I recently started a multi-disciplinary design studio in India and have developed successful projects which boast collaboration in design. I am very passionate about heritage and conservation, especially about the connection between the culture, community and the building in different contexts. Hence, I decided to pursue my Masters studies in Adaptive Re-Use here in the UK.

I’m excited about this opportunity to meaningfully contribute towards developing design ideas for the Gorgeous Gorse Hill community. Such projects offer a chance to develop spaces that not only re-use existing spaces, but also directly involve and help the community, making it a wholesome empathic process that deepens the impact of design on the people and the environment. I look forward to working with my team and making this a successful collaborative project.

Hello reader.
Welcome to the Half-Time Hub, our MSA Live Project! With our amazing collaborators at the Gorgeous Gorse Hill, we aim to give a refreshing transformation to an unused site in old Trafford. The site in focus is a former toilet block, currently sitting idle, with an incredible potential to be transformed into a thriving ‘hub’, which gives the centre stage to the local community.
We want to re-imagine this forgotten space by exploring design strategies through creative placemaking, that prioritize sustainability, social engagement, accessibility and urban renewal. The projects would bring together students from diverse backgrounds and experiences, making it a wholesome process to develop empathic and effective solutions.
Follow our journey as we work closely with our collaborators at the Gorgeous Gorse Hill and develop a vision for an amazing and vibrant neighbourhood.
Stay tunes for updates!