Name: Ellesse
Course: M.Arch
Atelier: Continuity

Hi everyone!

I'm Ellesse. I am currently studying my Master of Architecture here at MSA. I previously studied my Bachelor of Architecture at Salford University and, after graduating, did a placement year working as an architectural assistant at Stockport Council. During my time there, I worked on a wide range of projects at different RIBA stages, I took pride in knowing that all the projects would make a positive and lasting difference to the people of Stockport.

I'm interested in community-focused design, the impact that spaces can have on people and ensuring that all spaces are accessible to everyone within a community. I enjoy sketching to explore my ideas and concepts. I am currently in the Continuity atelier.

I'm looking forward to working with a great team! and collaborating to deliver a vibrant, inspiring area where the youngest students of Prospect Vale primary school can learn in a functional, creative environment.

The project will not only enable a positive educational environment for the students but also, allow parents and the wider community to see the positive impact on the children’s growth and well-being.

Catchup 2 - Our first site visit to Prospect Vale Primary School.

All of the team members met at the site on the 27th of January with the Headteacher. Luke (Headteacher of the school) gave us a tour around the site and into the chosen rooms for the project.
During the visit, we were able to understand the scale of the project, assess the suitability of proposals and understand the requirements of the space. We were also able to gain first-hand experience from teachers who use the space daily and understand some of the constraints they are having with the current design of the space.
Luke shared with us the feedback from teachers and students using the space, this enabled us to understand what worked well in the space and where there were necessary changes needed.
We were also able to access the current outdoor space and see first-hand the current lack of indoor-outdoor connectivity and how this can be rethought.

Catchup 3 - meeting as a group

Before our first meeting with Emily, we got together as a group of master’s students to reflect on the incredible experience of our site visit. It was a great opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas, align our project aims, and discuss the potential impact we could have on the children’s lives. We also used this time to delegate tasks within the group, ensuring that everyone had a fair role and that each member could contribute equally. It was clear that everyone was just as eager and motivated to help in whatever capacity they could. The meeting left us feeling inspired and united in our goal to create a meaningful and lasting change for the kids.

Meeting 1 - Meeting the Collaborator:

Near the end of last year, we had the exciting opportunity to meet our enthusiastic stakeholder, Luke, who shared his vision for the project. It was a fantastic chance for us to understand exactly what he had in mind and align our design approach with his goals. We also took the opportunity to present some of our initial ideas, which sparked a really productive discussion. Luke’s passion and clear direction gave us a strong foundation to build on, and it was a great way to kickstart this exciting project that we hope will have a lasting impact on the school’s future.

Catch up 4 - Meeting with Emily

We had our first catchup with Emily to discuss our MSA Live project at Prospect Vale Primary School. We ran through the stakeholder’s vision for creating a more engaging and functional early years learning environment, focusing on both indoor and outdoor spaces. Emily gave us some valuable feedback on our initial ideas, including creating interactive learning zones, sensory-friendly areas, and flexible play spaces. We also discussed how to use the project outputs to help the school secure funding. It was really helpful to get her insight, and we’re feeling confident about the direction we’re heading in!

Catchup 5 – MSA Live project aims with Emily

After the first few weeks of group work and collaboration, we had developed a set of base images and draft posters for our MSA Live project. We presented them to Emily, who gave us valuable feedback on which design worked best. After considering her input, we agreed on a final poster that reflected the culmination of great teamwork and creative thinking. Emily’s feedback helped us refine the concept and make sure it aligned with the stakeholder’s vision and MSA live brief. We also discussed the next steps, including our plans to get creative with the kids at the school by running fun, hands-on workshops to engage them in the design process. It’s exciting to see the project taking shape!

Today we met up with Luke on Teams to finalise the action week schedule and activities, and it was great to see how excited he was about the project. Balancing our timetable with the school’s commitments was tricky — some days were already busy, so we had to stay flexible without losing structure. The meeting was really productive, helping us strike the right balance and clarify the final outputs Luke is expecting. It’s exciting to see everything coming together!

Catch up 6 - Final Meeting with Emily

Our final meeting with Emily was all about tying up loose ends. We made sure to have most things in place — from the ethics and action week plan to the budget — so we could get her feedback on nearly finished drafts. It turned into a really useful Q&A session, giving us the chance to ask any remaining questions and show her what we’ve been working on. The process of collaborating with Emily and bouncing ideas off her really highlighted how effective teamwork and planning can drive a project forward.