Name: Marwa Sanad Abdul Hameed Al-Saqqar

Country: Iraq

Course & Atelier: MArch, Some Kind of Nature

Current Project in MSA:
My current project in studio is an adaptive reuse one that proposes a model for regenerative farming and circular agriculture to respond to the effects of agro-industrial globalisation. The existing abandoned structure of a walled garden already exhibits the proper foundations to propose a model as to how architecture can contribute further to addressing the climate and biodiversity crisis through the design of sustainable forms of food production and illustrate how adaptive reuse can be the driver towards implementing nature-friendly farming practices and promoting circularity (cradle-to-cradle) through the design and landscaping. The project evolves from its original function towards a community-oriented space where all walks of life can gather, learn, grow, harvest, cook, rest, and most importantly, care —becoming a community, regenerative farm and centre for agriculture and horticultural education. This studio project’s aspirations are closely intertwined with what Local Food First advocates for at Wildbrook and in this MSA Live project.

Software + Other Skills:
Adobe Suite, AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Vray, Enscape, Twinmotion, Lumion, Therm 7.6, and other construction and fabrication skills (laser cutting, CNC, 3D printing, wood construction, sewing, and knitting).

Short Introduction:
I have been working in the architectural industry for a few years, so it has been quite some time since I have been back in academia. It is interesting to see how much pedagogy has shifted to reprioritise architecture’s impact on society and build meaningful relationships —beyond human connections. I am very passionate about exploring the power that architecture has in shaping spaces politically, socially, and environmentally dissecting how design can be used as a tool for violence and oppression while also having the potential to foster resistance and advocate for community and kinship. I am very excited to work with everyone on this team to support Local Food First’s endeavours to develop a wonderful farming space that works with nature rather than against it and address food insecurity within the region.

Our first site visit!

We first visited Wildbrook in February and toured the site and all its facilities with our collaborators, Dave and Lina. The site is situated in Oldham, Greater Manchester, and it serves its local community. Working with the charity Fareshare, Wildbrook curate food parcels designed to provide support for communities experiencing food insecurity.

Whilst on site, we saw Wildbrook's facilities, including polytunnels, raised planting beds, a smaller orchard, composting stations and plans to expand much further. Dave and Lina shared with us their plans to renovate the existing building to support their indoor programmes, including a community kitchen and co-working space. We looked into existing challenges on the site that pertain to distributing water across the growing hub. We also discussed plans for our Action Weeks with the collaborators, forming a plan for the outputs requested for the scheme.

DAY 10

After the success of yesterday’s presentation, a few minor changes were needed to the booklet before sending the final version to Dave and Lina. We spent this last day consolidating our work for the MSA Live publication and completing all the logistics and administrative tasks necessary for us to submit.

Over ten days, our collaborative journey was filled with moments of cultural exchange, deep learning, and achievement. From thorough research, brainstorming, and volunteering ... to concept development, modelling, and visual production, the two weeks cultivated a holistic design approach that relies on scientific research and technological evidence. The final strategy guide provided for Local Food First CIC will support the collaborators with a compilation of all information needed/relevant to Wildbrook and offer design proposals that they can share to collect much-needed funding and gain support in implementing a rainwater collecting and harvesting system across the site.

We are deeply grateful to our dedicated group members from BA1, BA2, and MLA (Man Yuet, Sarawand, Junxiao, Ane, Joshua, Yidan, Jiawen, and Jinchen), whose tireless efforts and creativity fueled the success of this project. We extend heartfelt appreciation to the invaluable contributions and expertise of our collaborators, Dave and Lina, whose support, guidance, and teachings have enriched this collaborative exploration and journey. The experience gained during MSA Live 25 has been enriching for us all. It reflects the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and real-world applications. Although our time technically ends after the Action Weeks, we established a long-lasting relationship with LFF moving forward. We will all carry the lessons learned, conversations shared (both relevant and not), and a sense of satisfaction with the achievements together.

Thank you for joining us on this journey!