Name: Taras Mandziuk
Course: MArch 1
Atelier: Infrastructure Space

I studied Architecture & Planning at the University of the West of England, graduating with both RIBA and RTPI accreditations, meaning I am qualified to work as both a Part I Architectural Assistant and an Urban Designer/Town Planner.

After graduating, I worked for 18 months as a Part I Architectural Assistant at BoonBrown; a medium sized practice in Somerset working in multiple sectors, including residential, retail, medical, and industrial projects.

My key interests are in community-centric architecture and urban regeneration projects. My work experience gave me an opportunity to develop professional skills within these interests on real-world projects, and now in my atelier at MSA, I am further developing my skills and interests.

I chose this MSA Live project as it is a great opportunity to actively engage in a scheme that will likely be built, and that will serve as a template for future development along Tyldesley High Street. I think my skills will be very useful to the group, and I believe that this project could potentially become a model for future urban regeneration schemes in other areas of decline.

Name: Lucy Zivrali
Course: Dog
Atelier: Emotional Support

Meet Lucy, Tyldesley Spark's official mascot.

She's a critical member of the team who's skills are particularly useful for surveying the site.

Getting to site...

Tyldesley lies just beyond the outskirts of Greater Manchester.

Conveniently, the V2 bus runs directly from outside Manchester Technology Centre to Tyldesley High Street and takes about 40 minutes.

We can cover the cost of your site visit if you use this method!

Part of a wider initiative...

Our project sits within a wider effort to regenerate Tyldesly High Street, which over time has seen low-quality shopfronts and businesses find their way into the conservation area.

Our scheme (highlighted orange) sits centrally amongst a number of sites highlighted by Historic England (blue) as opportunities for projects to restore the high street to its Victorian roots.

First site visit...

We met on-site with the collaborator to discuss the project, and conduct a LIDAR survey of the existing building.

Although showing signs of being unoccupied for 15 years, the building is in much better condition than we had initially thought, and the client talked us through their requirements for the renovation. We were also able meet the prospective tenant that will occupy the retail unit upon completion, so there are multiple layers to consider when designing the adaptive reuse scheme.

To the rear of the building is a courtyard and former stable building which are accessible from the street. It is clear that these have lots of potential, and as the collaborator is keen to see ideas for how this space could be converted into an exciting, community-based initiative.