Hi, I'm Ariana, and I'm from Peru. I moved to the UK four years ago to complete my undergraduate degree in architecture at MSA. After graduating, I moved to London, where I worked as a Part 1 architectural assistant and absolutely loved the experience.

After a year in practice, I decided to return to MSA for my master's, choosing CPU as my atelier for this year. It has been an incredible experience, surrounded by inspiring people and an environment that constantly enriches my knowledge.

My passion for architecture began in childhood, as I was always fascinated by construction sites and the development of different projects up close with my family. I’m excited to continue on this path, refining my skills and applying them to future projects around the world.

On December 4th, our team met with collaborators from Friends of Waterhouse Chapels, Peter Fleetwood and Nigel Roberts. We began with a brief introduction to the Waterhouse Chapels, outlining potential works, key stakeholders, and National Lottery funding.

We then discussed the project's significance and its potential impact on the community. From these conversations, we developed an initial concept strategy, positioning the chapels as a functional space that celebrates the works of Alfred Waterhouse.

To move forward, we arranged a site visit to further assess the space and explored the possibility of coordinating a meeting with Buttress to support their process and guide the following stages of our development.

DAY 3

Building on the critical observations of the site from Day 2, Day 3 shifted focus towards understanding the demographics and community. Students explored the social context of the chapels and their surrounding area, aiming to build future design decisions in the lived realities of local people.

The day began with an investigation into the demographics of the area using digital tools such as Digimaps and Snazzy Maps. These tools enabled students to visualise patterns of age, ethnicity, household composition, and socio-economic data, highlighting how spatial decisions can and should respond to the needs of the Ince community. By overlaying this data onto the site, students began to ask: Who lives nearby? Who visits? Who feels welcome here and who doesn’t? As a result, students developed a map integrating all of the data.

To expand this thinking, we looked at two precedent studies. These projects exemplify how temporary and adaptive design interventions can foster community engagement. We analysed how these spaces invited participation, created atmosphere, and responded to their urban or cultural context.

In the afternoon, we introduced iterative AI image generation tools to help students develop speculative design concepts rooted in the earlier demographic findings. This session was not about finalised proposals, but rather about translating insights into early design language. "How might a space reflect the diversity of its users?" "What forms could community participation take?" Using AI as a generative partner, students began to sketch and model initial responses to these questions, visualising architecture as a mediator of community identity and memory.

Overall, Day 3 encouraged students to think beyond the physical attributes of the chapels and begin considering the socio-spatial relationships that underpin meaningful design.

DAY 6

The day began with a lesson on AI, where we introduced students to tools that could support the development of their initial design ideas. Using their own hand-drawn sketches and photographs of handmade models, students learned how to generate visual outputs that helped them explore early concepts related to arts and culture, health and well-being, and heritage. These AI-generated visuals encouraged students to reflect on their ideas, test variations, and consider the relationships between form, space, and materials. The process worked alongside traditional methods, offering new ways of thinking and storytelling that will continue to be developed by hand.

After this, students moved into the model-making phase, building on their research and site work from earlier in the week. This part of the day focused on turning abstract ideas into physical models to better understand spatial relationships and structure. Using available drawings and site information, students carefully studied the material before cutting and assembling their models. A 1:100 printed site plan was used as the base for the site model, while the church was represented using foam board and wooden sticks to convey its overall form and key features.

Throughout the day, students worked collaboratively in teams, sharing tasks and supporting one another. Despite limited materials and time, they remained organised and adaptable. The day helped deepen their understanding of the site and its architecture, while also strengthening their spatial thinking, teamwork, and both physical and digital making skills.