MSA Live 26

Intensive Week Days 3&4 – 13/05/26 – 14/05/26

During the second half of the intensive week, the focus shifted to communication. Through group discussions, we decided it would be appropriate to provide easily understood and experiential images, such as rendered visuals, alongside more technical architectural drawings, including sections and elevations. By providing visuals, the users of the church would be able to quickly understand the impact of the development, while more accurate and workable architectural drawings would be provided for the collaborators and future development.

Both the presentation and the publication were developed as documentation of the journey, highlighting the process and significance of the collaboration and engagement activities in helping us to properly understand the building and its use, as well as providing clear points for the designs to respond to.

Before delivering our final presentation, at the conclusion of developing the outputs, we shared lunch together where we reflected on the journey, we had been on through MSA Live. This allowed us as a group, to acknowledge the significance of the project in our development as architectural designers as well as collaborators.

Posted 4 Jun 2026 00:29

Intensive Week Days 1&2 – 11/05/26 – 12/05/26

During the first couple of days of the intensive week, the group developed each of the designs through spatial planning, 3D modelling, and the development of plan drawings. To do this, the group worked mostly in two separate teams but ensured collaboration between teams so that the designs progressed cohesively, communication styles consistent and work shared where possible. One design carefully modified the existing form, whereas the other was more ambitious, incorporating a raised single-pitched roof to allow natural light to reach further into the building.

Alongside this focused design development, we also began to think about the outputs and the way our work would be communicated to the collaborators and the audience of our presentation. We established a clear plan outlining what was needed at each stage of the presentation and publication process so that there would be a flow to our work and tasks could be allocated effectively, ensuring no outputs were missed.

Posted 3 Jun 2026 23:51

Meeting 04 – 21/04/26

Having collated the findings from each of the engagement activities, we began to develop initial design strategies, clearly outlining how each responded to the findings. Ensuring that the designs responded successfully to the engagement at this stage helped ensure that the final outcomes would be designed for the users and increase social value.

After discussing the initial design strategies as a group, we discussed which options to move forward with. At this stage, we decided to develop two designs. By developing two schemes, we aimed to give the collaborators the opportunity to mix and match elements according to their preferences and budget, as well as allowing us to present a wider scope of what might be possible.

At this stage, we also identified tasks that needed to be completed to support progress during the intensive week. We distributed tasks including research into sustainable materials and services, as The UDMC outlined sustainability as a key factor for development during the initial meeting.

Posted 3 Jun 2026 23:16

Opinions Box and QR Code Questionaire – 21/03/26 – 28/03/26

As the group developed toward the engagement day, we were informed by the collaborators that the participants would likely consist largely of members of the church congregation. Therefore, to enable other user groups to participate and to achieve more balanced and well-rounded insights into the church building and surrounding site, we created an opinions box and QR code questionnaire that remained accessible for the week following the engagement day.

We found the results followed similar trends to those identified during the engagement day, while also providing insights into other areas of the church that were more specific to each user group. We combined these findings with those from the engagement workshop to create a foundation from which to begin developing initial design strategies. These findings were then carried throughout the project and used as a lens when making decisions.

Posted 3 Jun 2026 22:09

15/5/26

SESSION 12: INTENSIVE WEEK DAY 5

Friday was the day. Our group presentation was scheduled for 10:45 A.M. at the Geoffrey Manton Building, marking the final stage of our MSA Live Action Week. After intensive MSA live sessions of site visits, community engagement, design development, modelling, rendering and publication work, we came together to present the final outcome of Grounds of Healing.
The presentation was delivered by Taecho, Zareen, Nick and Omolade, who explained the project journey from understanding the existing café and community spaces to developing the final proposal. The presentation showed how we responded to the key issues identified during the week, including limited circulation, lack of storage, the need for flexible furniture, and the opportunity to create a warmer and more inclusive environment for the Counselling & Family Centre.
The final proposal brought together the café, community room, outdoor seating, serving counter and modular furniture strategy. Through the floor plan, renders and spatial strategy, we showed how small design interventions could make the space more flexible, welcoming and useful for different users and activities.
One of the most meaningful parts of the day was our conversation with our collaborator, Mark, about the outcomes and proposal. He was happy with the results, which made the work feel valuable beyond just the academic submission. Friday marked the end of our MSA Live journey and reminded us that good design begins with listening, collaboration and responding to real people and places.

Posted 26 May 2026 17:51

14/5/26

SESSION 11: INTENSIVE WEEK DAY 4

Today was focused on refinement, coordination and completing the final outputs for submission. With the main design direction already decided on Wednesday, the group worked towards bringing everything together into a polished and consistent format.
The team continued to work in parallel. Members responsible for the publication focused on finalising the layout, written content and overall graphic structure, making sure the design journey was communicated clearly. At the same time, others prepared and refined the final presentation for Friday, ensuring that the key ideas, design process and final proposal could be explained confidently.
A major part of the day revolved around completing the publication and presentation before the 9 PM submission deadline. This meant checking the consistency of drawings, renders, text, diagrams and layout, while also making sure the final work reflected the aims of the project and the needs of the collaborator. The focus was not on producing new ideas, but on editing, refining and presenting the work in the strongest possible way.
By the end of Thursday, both the final publication and group presentation had been completed and submitted. The day was intense, but it helped us bring together the collective effort of the group into a clear final output, ready to be presented the next morning at the Geoffrey Manton Building.

Posted 26 May 2026 17:50

13/5/26

SESSION 10: INTENSIVE WEEK DAY 3

On the third day of the intensive week our ideas began to move from discussion and sketches into a more developed design proposal. After the earlier stages of research, site understanding and community engagement, the focus shifted towards making the project more tangible. The group divided into smaller teams so that different parts of the proposal could progress at the same time.
A key task for the day was developing the Rhino model for the proposed building extension and furniture layouts. This helped us test the scale, arrangement and spatial quality of our ideas more clearly. The modelling process allowed the group to understand how the café, activity areas and proposed interventions could work together as one connected space.
Alongside this, some members continued working on plan iterations, while others began preparing visual outputs and organising the publication layout. The café arrangement was discussed in detail, as it was central to the collaborator’s brief and the everyday use of the space. By the end of the day, the group had agreed on a clearer design direction, and the final model became the base for producing renders and visualising the proposal in a more realistic way.

Posted 26 May 2026 17:48

12/5/26

SESSION 9: INTENSIVE WEEK: DAY 2

The second day of the intensive week focused primarily on developing accurate existing drawings of the Counselling and Family Centre for the client to use moving forward. A large portion of the day was dedicated to redrawing the existing plans in AutoCAD, a process that required considerable patience and precision due to the limited information available. The only drawings provided were outdated PDF plans, meaning the group had to cross-reference these with the site measurements collected during the initial visit to ensure the plans were as accurate and representative of the space as possible. This process highlighted the importance of measured surveys and careful coordination when working with existing buildings and incomplete documentation.
Alongside the technical drawing work, tasks for the publication were further divided amongst the group, allowing different members to begin developing diagrams, community feedback visuals, and supporting presentation and publication material. At the same time, the redesign of the café and community areas continued to develop through ongoing discussions around layout, circulation, and accessibility. Building on the feedback gathered during the engagement workshop, the group also agreed to design a series of modular furniture proposals that could improve the flexibility of the space while maximising much-needed storage. These ideas aimed to create a more adaptable and efficient environment that could better support the different activities taking place within the centre.

Posted 26 May 2026 17:25

Group 02 / SALE THROUGH TIME

11/5/26

SESSION 8: INTENSIVE WEEK: DAY 1

Following the Easter break, the group reconvened for the first intensive week session, beginning the day by catching up on individual progress and discussing how the remaining workload would be organised over the following days. A large part of the morning focused on reviewing previous booklet examples provided by tutors, helping us better understand how the final publication could be structured and presented. Alongside this, we revisited the needs of the client and discussed how the work produced could most effectively support the Counselling and Family Centre moving forward. To ensure our direction aligned with the collaborator’s expectations, we followed up with an email outlining the proposals we intended to develop and confirming whether he was happy for us to proceed.
After receiving positive feedback and confirmation from the client, the rest of the day was dedicated to progressing the redesign of the café and community spaces. As a group, we explored several design iterations, testing different spatial arrangements, circulation routes, and the relocation of the bathroom facilities to improve the overall functionality of the space. Throughout the process, the feedback gathered during the community engagement workshop remained central to the discussion, particularly comments regarding accessibility, storage, flexibility, lighting, and the overall atmosphere of the environment. These conversations helped guide design decisions and ensured the proposals reflected the needs and preferences expressed by the users of the centre.
By the end of the day, the group had established a much clearer direction for the project, with a stronger understanding of how the design would develop over the remainder of the intensive week. The session concluded with a more finalised design approach, a clearer division of tasks, and a structured plan for completing the remaining drawings, visuals, and publication work.

Posted 26 May 2026 17:15

Amanda RG

Hi! I’m Amanda and I’m a BA1 Architecture student. I’m really interested in model-making and working with different materials in B15. I enjoy testing ideas physically and seeing how a design can change and develop through the making process.

I’m excited to be part of the MSA Live project with the Sale Festival because it’s a good chance to work with people from different year groups while getting involved in a real community project. I’m looking forward to sharing ideas, developing them as a group, and seeing how design can help bring people together.

Posted 20 May 2026 15:41

Group 23 / HOUSING WITH HERITAGE

Olatokunbo F

Intensive Week Day 5
15/05/2026
IT'S A WRAP!!
We had our final project presentation and received positive feedback all around! This project has been a unique learning experience and opened us up to the world of planning, challenging the architect as a sole author. We can't wait to see what the future holds for Thornton Manor!

Overall Mood(s): Fulfilled, Grateful

Posted 20 May 2026 13:53

Group 23 / HOUSING WITH HERITAGE

Olatokunbo F

Intensive Week Day 4
14/05/2026
With our outputs completed and collated, our group decided to meet with our clients and collaborators give an in-depth presentation of all our hard work. This featured a verbal presentation and our site model which served as a visual aid. Our clients and collaborators generally relayed positive feedback and were very keen on our development. Feedback also included areas of improvement and further considerations such as housing density considerations and highway considerations. This session was a huge success !!!
Overall Mood(s): Accomplished

Posted 20 May 2026 13:43

Group 07 / HART HAT CAFE

Ai Jia Angelove L

Ctrl+S and Into the Room
/Intensive Week Day 5/

It’s officially presentation day. After a week of drawing, modelling, layout debates, and general collective grind, today is about getting the work out of our hands and into the room. Yesterday was all about polishing and packaging, so today is about delivery. And hopefully, Euan has finally stopped nudging the axon drawing by 0.1mm on repeat.

We gathered in the morning for a last run-through, tightening the flow, sorting who says what, and doing the headcount of who’s around, who’s running late, and who’s most likely to be a no-show.

Then it was off to the lecture hall. Nerves kicked in for about five minutes, and then it was just… presenting. We walked through our (slightly missing-in-action) collaborator, the negotiated brief, what we learned through site and engagement, and the final proposal. Honestly, it went well. The story held together, the visuals did their job, and it felt good seeing everything we’ve been building all week land in one clear sequence.

It was also really good seeing how other groups framed their projects. Different collaborators, totally different approaches, and so many ways of translating community benefit into design. It made our own work feel more grounded, and it was a reminder that the “output” isn’t just the final drawings, it’s also the method and the teamwork that got you there.

Big thanks to everyone in the team. Getting a project like this over the line takes a lot of coordination, especially across different years and cohorts, but it genuinely felt like a proper collaboration. We pulled together something we’re proud of, and we somehow kept the energy (and the group chat) alive through it all.

Posted 18 May 2026 19:32

Group 08 / UNDER ONE ROOF

Angeline Chia Ling O

15 May 2026 @ Geoffrey Manton Building

/ Final Presentation
Presentation day !

Posted 18 May 2026 15:50

Group 08 / UNDER ONE ROOF

Angeline Chia Ling O

11 -14 May 2026 @ Grosvenor East Building

/ Intensive Week
During the intensive week, we focused on finalising the design direction and developing a clearer design strategy based on the feedback collected from the collaborator and community. At the same time, we prepared the publication and presentation materials, including diagrams, visuals, written content, and the presentation flow. This stage helped us bring the design proposal, engagement outcomes, and communication strategy together into a coherent final output.

Posted 18 May 2026 15:46

Group 08 / UNDER ONE ROOF

Angeline Chia Ling O

11 May 2026 @ Mossley Community Centre

/ Engagement Session
The team visited Mossley Community Centre to hold an engagement session with the community and collaborator. This allowed us to collect feedback, understand their priorities, and move the design forward with a clearer direction based on what they really wanted.

Posted 18 May 2026 15:38

Group 32 / STREET RECLAIM

Zehra C

Presentation Day

Presentation Day was the day when we shared the work we had developed throughout the semester and the outcomes we gained during Action Week. No new material was produced on this day; instead, we presented our process, research, engagement activities, and final proposal through the publication, presentation, and project materials that had already been prepared.

The presentation took place in the Geoffrey Manton Building, and our collaborator was also present during the session. The project was presented through a shared narration by three members of the group. This allowed us to explain the research process, observations around the school, conversations with students, parents, teachers, and Manchester City Council representatives, the activities carried out with the children, and the design proposal in a more organised way.

During the presentation, we particularly explained how the project related to the School Streets programme and how the closed street could be reimagined not only as a space for movement, but also as a social, safe, and play-focused public space for children, families, and the school community. The drawings, games, and feedback collected from the site during the engagement activities were also presented as an important part of the project narrative.

After the presentation, we had the opportunity to speak with our collaborator. They said that they liked the proposal and mentioned that the documents we had prepared could be used for their own work and future discussions. This feedback was important because it showed that the project was not only an academic output, but also a useful and meaningful document for a real stakeholder.

Posted 18 May 2026 01:51

Group 16 / ACTIVE AXIS

Nadia Ibrahim Mourad Kadry Ahmed S

15/05
The day was finally here! Our presentation was scheduled at 11.15am in the GM building LT.1. We all went in from 10:00am and attentively listened to all the previous groups while they were presenting their projects. Fortunately, we were lucky enough to have ‘Lisa’ one of our collaborators joining us today. When our turn came, we presented our project and since the slides weren’t that many in relation to the number of people in our group, we collectively decided on who would present. After presenting, we could all feel from our collaborator’s positive reaction that she was quite fond of how we developed the idea and how it has evolved. She said “I love how you’ve developed the concept in a way that bridges the community of life leisure and the community of the school nextdoor.” Our collaborater also stated that she wishes that they could actually adapt this idea and execute it in life leisure. After listening to all the other groups present, we went out for pizza as a group for a well deserved celebration. Overall, MSA live was a pleasure as it gave us the chance to get to know each other and work on this project together throughout this semester. The end of MSA live is bittersweet but thank you group 16 for making this an enjoyable experience.

Posted 17 May 2026 19:10

Group 32 / STREET RECLAIM

Gokalp K

Action Week – Final Day

The final day of Action Week was focused on bringing all of our work together and preparing the final outputs for submission. We met as a group in the Geoffrey Manton Building, where we spent the day finalising both the publication and the presentation. At this stage, the main aim was to make sure that all the material we had produced during the week was clearly organised, visually consistent, and communicated the story of the project in a coherent way.

Throughout the day, we reviewed the structure of the presentation, refined the graphic language, and checked that the key moments from the week were properly represented. This included our site observations, conversations with students, parents, teachers, and Manchester City Council representatives, as well as the engagement activities we carried out with the children. We also worked on the publication, ensuring that it documented not only the final proposal but also the process behind it, from research and site analysis to testing ideas during Action Week.

A significant part of the day was spent editing, aligning, and completing the final drawings, diagrams, texts, and visual material. As all the individual parts of the project came together, we were able to see more clearly how the research, engagement, and design proposal supported one another. This final stage helped us reflect on the value of working directly with the school community and how their feedback shaped our understanding of the street as a social, playful, and everyday space rather than only a route for circulation.

Once all the submission materials were completed, we ended the week by going out for pizza together as a group. This was a small celebration of the intense work we had done throughout the whole semester, but also a chance to reflect more informally on the experience. Overall, the final day was not only about finishing the publication and presentation, but also about recognising the collaborative effort behind the project and the shared process that brought all of the work together.

Posted 16 May 2026 13:15

Group 14 / BUILT TO BELONG

Niamh H

Session 13: The Final Presentation

After weeks of meetings, surveys, revisions, publication edits, and more layout changes than any of us would like to admit, today was finally presentation day.

The session began with final checks, rehearsals, and making sure everyone knew their sections before presenting our finished proposal to tutors, peers, and collaborators. Although our own collaborator unfortunately couldn’t attend in person, we had been in contact beforehand and received really positive feedback, which reassured us that the scheme successfully responded to the brief and the needs of the space.

The presentation itself felt like a strong way to wrap up the project. It was rewarding to finally share the work after seeing how much it had developed from the early brainstorming sessions into a resolved proposal backed by community feedback, site analysis, and collaborative design decisions.

We also received encouraging commentary from tutors, particularly around the value of reflecting honestly on the collaborative process throughout the project. Looking back, the project became about much more than just the final design outcome. It was also a lesson in communication, adaptability, compromise, and learning how to work through challenges as a team.

A slightly surreal end to a very busy few weeks, but a satisfying one. Definitely earned the post-presentation food and coffee afterwards.

Posted 15 May 2026 23:20

Group 14 / BUILT TO BELONG

Niamh H

Session 12: Coffee, Communication & a Change of Scene

Before our scheduled day of building the publication and preparing presentation work, this session took a slightly different direction. After raising some communication issues within the group with our tutors, we were encouraged to step back from the project for a moment and spend some time together outside of the usual studio environment. The suggestion of “go for a coffee” becoming official tutor-approved advice.

So, after revisiting the budget, we decided to take the group out for coffee as a small team bonding activity before starting the day’s work. Not everyone was able to make it, so there weren’t any dramatic overnight fixes to the communication issues, but it was still a genuinely enjoyable way to start the session.

It gave us a chance to talk more casually before jumping straight back into publication layouts, presentation edits, and the usual organised chaos of deadlines. More than anything, it helped break up the monotony of the scheduled studio days and set a more positive tone for the work ahead.

A small change to the routine, but a useful reminder that collaboration is sometimes helped most by simply taking a step back together first.

Posted 15 May 2026 22:40

Final day of MSA Live
15/5/2026

Morning rehearsals, final timing checks, and one last run-through before the 3pm presentation in the lecture theatre. We closed the day with pizzas, coffees, and drinks, using our remaining budget to sit together one last time. A small celebration marking the end of the journey, and everything that came with it.

Posted 15 May 2026 22:35

Group 33 / THE MOBEELITY HUBS

Action Week Day 4
Presentation finalisation!

The session was spent on adding the final touch-ups to our presentation slides. We then proceeded to go through the running order and important talking points for the presentation. We spoiled ourselves with sweet treats, for all our dedication and efforts.

Posted 15 May 2026 13:34

Natrada Y

Final run through! Thank you for everyone’s hard work guys! Today is the day of the final presentation and we are all pumped up, prepared and ready to go!

Posted 15 May 2026 13:33

Group 19 / PHASE TWO

Sean S

14/05/2026

We took today to run through and practice our presentation and finalise our publication as a team. We did this to practice our timing and execution to ensure that we were all feeling confident for the real presentation tomorrow. After some time informing Jake that his section couldn’t last the whole ten minutes, we were able to sort out timings for each section and perform several run throughs. We worked hastily today at the thought of sitting in a pub garden for a hard-earned pint and pizza as a group.

Posted 15 May 2026 12:34

Group 24 / THE SECOND ACT

Natalie S

How was our budget was spent?
On the penultimate day of our action week, we used our completely untouched budget, as our model was made of mainly scraps, which allowed us to buy some food to power on with the rest of the work!

Posted 15 May 2026 11:06

Group 24 / THE SECOND ACT

Natalie S

ACTION WEEK: day 4
Finished the model and took it to B12 for final photos, after that came a long time finishing different designs and annotations for our publication. We were able to finish that off to make the presentation for tomorrow!

Posted 15 May 2026 10:53

Engagement Workshop - 21/03/26

After the presentation, we organised an engagement workshop with both the client and members of the church community, with the aim of gathering their opinions, experiences, and feedback.

Prior to the workshop, we developed a series of questions designed to help us better understand the users’ perspectives. These included questions about what they value most about the church, how the space makes them feel and what improvements they would like to see in our scheme. These prompts formed the basis for open discussions with the users and the client, allowing us to gain a better understanding of their experiences, interpretations and ideas for the space.

To encourage participation, we wrote the questions on multiple sheets of A1 paper so that participants could easily note down their thoughts and ideas. We also provided printed floor plans alongside images of the different rooms and hallways, helping users to navigate the spaces more clearly and annotate specific areas with comments and suggestions.
Following the workshop, we were able to collate and analyse the responses, using them as a foundation for our ongoing design development. This process ensured that our proposals responded directly to the outcomes of the collaboration and reflected the needs and aspirations of the community.

Posted 15 May 2026 02:02

Engagement Presentation - 21/03/26

As part of our project, we presented our initial design intentions and interpretation of the building to the United Didsbury Methodist Church community. Presenting to the wider church community provided an opportunity to share the proposed design direction, outline our plans moving forward, and gather initial feedback from both the users and the client.

During the presentation, we first discussed the purpose of our visit and introduced the key design principles identified through previous meetings with the client, including diversity, community, and accessibility. We then presented our initial design concepts and relevant precedents to give attendees a clear understanding of the project’s progress and overall vision.

Posted 15 May 2026 01:40

Site Visit - 21/03/26

Our group was welcomed by Rev. Catharine Hughes and Dr. Dave Armstrong to the Didsbury United Methodist Church to observe the building, gain insight into its current uses, and get to know the communities that use it. This site visit allowed our collaborators to explain the issues within the building more clearly, which helped us visualise the changes that could be made to the site. This visit allowed us to see the church's current state and begin to understand its range of demands as a venue for various community activities as well as a place of worship During the visit, we saw each of the spaces and took measurements of these areas. This helped us to understand where impact and improvement could be made and visualise our initial ideas for development.

Posted 15 May 2026 01:34

Meeting 03 – 17/03/26

This stage of the project focused on creating the plan for our project engagement activity and overall project through a budget, project timeline, ethics application, risk assessment, and general project planning. These early planning stages helped us set out how the project will proceed forward over the few months.

We created a detailed project timeline that organizes the semester into tasks and deadlines including blog submissions, site analysis, initial idea development, engagement workshops, developing proposals, and final presentation outputs. Mapping the process made it simpler for us to understand connections between tasks and emphasized how important time management and collaboration will be throughout the project.

At the same time we prepared the risk and ethics documentation, budget allocation and resources required for the series of engagement activities we had planned, a site visit, a presentation of initial ideas, an engagement workshop and a QR code and opinions box. We talked about consent, inclusivity, professional communication, and how the project will consider the contributions of its members. Before the engagement day we met with our collaborator, Dave, to ensure transparent communication and finalisation of the logistics of the engagement day.

Posted 14 May 2026 20:24

Poster Development - 20/02/26

The images above illustrate the development journey of our poster, from the initial concept sketches through to the refinement of the final selected design. Throughout this process, our discussions focused on reflecting the priorities identified by our collaborators, ensuring that the poster aligned with their ideas for improvement, experiences, and understanding of how the existing space functions for all user groups.

The final design aims to communicate the opening of the church to the wider community and surrounding street. It highlights key concepts identified during the initial collaboration discussions, including improved transparency, clearer and identifiable signage, enhanced entrance routes, and improved accessibility for all members of the community.

The collaborators highlighted these themes as essential to making the space more appealing and accessible to a wider range of users. They acknowledged the ageing demographic of current church members and emphasised the need for the space to be designed to accommodate a variety of user groups, creating an improved, more welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of the community. Through our poster we attempt to highlight these key aims.

Posted 14 May 2026 19:04

Group 07 / HART HAT CAFE

Ai Jia Angelove L

Sam Fender Mix = Curation Mode
/Intensive Week Day 4/

After a long day of drawings and production, Day 4 was mainly about curation and documentation. Most of the core work was already there, so the focus was on bringing it together in a way that feels clear and intentional. Plans, sections, structure logic and key visuals were in place, and the task was to shape them into a coherent set.

We spent the session putting the publication and presentation together side by side, deciding what matters most and what can be simplified. A lot of it was about consistency and clarity, making sure the drawings speak the same language and the story is easy to follow. It was less “new design” and more making sure the design reads properly.

We also ran through the presentation sequence as a group and talked through the narrative. What comes first, what needs a moment to land, and what can be shown quickly. By the end of the day we had a stronger structure for the file and a clearer plan for uploading, so we could go into the next day focused on delivery.

Posted 14 May 2026 17:14

Lily A

Today marked our final rehearsal before the presentation, making it one of the most important sessions of the project so far. As a group, we worked collaboratively on the final touches to both the presentation and the publication, ensuring that everything was polished, well-structured, and completed to a high standard. We carefully reviewed each slide, checked that the information flowed clearly, and made sure the overall design looked professional and engaging.

We also spent time delegating speaking roles for the presentation so that each member of the team knew exactly what they would be responsible for. To help us feel more prepared and confident, we created and finalised presentation scripts, allowing everyone presenting to understand what they would be saying and which slides they would be covering. This rehearsal gave us the opportunity to practise our timing, improve the flow of the presentation, and make any final adjustments before the real event.

As this was our final MSA Live meeting, the session also felt like a celebration of all the hard work and effort we had put into the project over the past weeks. After such an intensive yet incredibly valuable learning journey, we decided to congratulate and reward ourselves by using the remaining project budget to order Subway together. It was a nice way to end the experience as a team and reflect on everything we had achieved throughout the project.

Posted 14 May 2026 17:12

Group 31 / HOLT TOWN HIVE

Sara Salah Eddin Omran A

13/05/2026

Action Week (Day 3)
On Day 3, we focused on strengthening the clarity and structure of our final outputs.

We added a site analysis section and made sure it linked clearly to our design decisions. We also began organising the publication layout, deciding the order of pages and how the visuals would be structured.

To communicate the project more clearly, we created before‑and‑after collages of the site, helping us visualise how the space currently works and how our proposals would transform it.

We also produced the first draft of the video walkthrough, mapping out the sequence and key moments we want to highlight.

By the end of the day, we realised we still had unused budget, so we decided to put it towards ordering food for the final day, a way to celebrate the work we’ve done and finish the week together on a positive note.

Posted 14 May 2026 17:10

Ananya R

14/05/26

Action week day 4:

With our final day of action week and presentation looming near, it was time for the highly anticipated pizza party - a well deserved reward for all the hard work this year.

With bellies full and motivation high, the rest of the day was spent working on the presentation, choosing which of us were speaking and the accompanying visuals for the slides. A dry run of the presentation took us to the end of the day where we concluded, as ever, with a round-up of our outputs.

General consensus: Group 31 are feeling ready for the presentation tomorrow!

Posted 14 May 2026 17:07

Lily A

Action week (Day 2)
Continuing on from Monday, we focused on completing our individual tasks in order to help put together the publication and finalise all of the material that would be included in it. We spent time reviewing our work and making improvements where necessary.

Alongside this as well, we also began working on our presentation for the project. Since we only have 10 minutes to present our entire project, we discussed the most important information that needed to be included and how we could explain our ideas clearly and effectively within the time limit. Overall, the session was productive as it allowed us to make good progress on both the publication and the presentation preparation.

Posted 14 May 2026 16:54

Group 21 / ART KINESIS VICTORIA HALL

Sara Salah Eddin Omran A

11/05/2026

Action Week (Day 1)
This week marks the start of our Action Week, where our focus is on preparing for the final presentation, publication, and exhibition.

On Day 1, we began by organising tasks and planning. Some group members worked on refining the colour scheme and adding more visuals for the publication, while others focused on developing the video walkthrough and final outputs for the water system and fountain.

We coordinated closely to stay efficient and checked each other's progress to make sure everything looked cohesive and aligned with the same visual language

The first day was about building momentum and preparing ourselves for the rest of the week, ensuring we had a strong, organised start before moving into the heavier production stages.

Posted 14 May 2026 16:49

Group 34 / CYAN+

Carla H

Our final intensive week session before the presentation required our team to work together efficiently and patiently. Today, we finalised our publication document and presentation for hand-in. We spent the day identifying gaps in the documents and adding final edits to our designs agreed by the whole team. The day ended with a final run through of our presentation, with notes taken and scripts prepared. Finally, we took a team photograph on one of the CyanLines projects next to Symphony Park as a project wrap-up memory.

Posted 14 May 2026 16:41

Group 27 / BLOOM WELL

Lucy P

Presentation preparation

Today we pulled together our publication and ran through our presentation in preparation for tomorrow afternoon. We ensured that our best and most relevant work was visible and easy to follow for our collaborator, tutors and MSA peers to understand.

Posted 14 May 2026 16:35

Conrad G

After we finished adjusting the model to our proposal, we brought the model to our group to discuss our next steps.
We then made some final adjustments to the model with the suggestion from our group so before taking some final pictures of both a floor plan view as well as some perspective views of the model.

Posted 14 May 2026 16:04

Group 22 / (RE)WEAVING ACCESS

Alicia B

We did a pre-submission run-through presentation; we put it on the big screen to go through it as a group and let the speaker practice what they wanted to say. The whole thing is cohesive and looking really good; we are all super proud of how our work has come together; it's an honest, thought-out reflection of exactly what our collaborator asked us for back in January. We are basically done and ready for tomorrow!

Posted 14 May 2026 15:52

Final Presentation Preparation
14/5/2026

Following the second site visit and community feedback, our group gathered for a final working session to refine the overall proposal and prepare for Friday’s presentation.

During this stage, we finalised visualisations, colour palette, publication layouts, and landscape and rain garden palettes requested by MIB. We also organised presentation roles, scripts, and speaking tasks to ensure a clear and collaborative final presentation.

Posted 14 May 2026 15:46

14/05/2026

Today marked our final working day of action week, at the beginning of the day we reviewed what we had left to do and began adding finishing touches to our final outputs, presentation and publication. We then spent time reviewing our work, making sure we were prepared for the presentation the next day, we chose who was going to present and began practicing what we would say during the presentation.

Posted 14 May 2026 15:19

Group 22 / (RE)WEAVING ACCESS

14/05/26

MSA Live Week - Day 4

As we were now onto the last day before the presentation, we decided to use this day to do a final review on presentation and check for any mistakes or overlaps. We finalised the structure and content of our project and discussed the key points we wanted to verbally cover as well as assigning speaking roles to various team members.

Posted 14 May 2026 15:18

Group 07 / HART HAT CAFE

Ai Jia Angelove L

From Design to Delivery
/Intensive Week Day 3/

Today’s session was mostly about tightening everything up and making the project behave like a final proposal. We focused on finalising the design direction, running through development iterations, and checking feasibility as we refined the layout, structure, and how the cafe/event setup actually works in use.

A key step was pushing the design from sketches into a 3D model so we could look at it properly together. Seeing it in volume made some decisions feel obvious, and also flagged a few things we needed to adjust. We went back and forth between model and drawings, testing proportions, movement, and how the parts come together, then iterating until it started to feel more resolved.

In between all that, we also took a group photo, and Alika’s going to sketch it for the publication. Alongside the design work, we spent time coordinating outputs by aligning the publication and presentation so they share the same graphics and tell the same story. We also started shaping the presentation sequence, deciding what needs to be simplified and made more visual, and what can sit in the publication for the detailed explanation.

Posted 14 May 2026 15:10

Alicia B

Group 22 has spent the budget!!! Part of the budget was spent on materials for the engagement day, leaving more than half over. Since it was the last day to boost morale and as a reward for the group's efforts, the budget was spent on a Pret lunch and some snacks for the afternoon when we went through our final submission.

Posted 14 May 2026 15:02

Group 22 / (RE)WEAVING ACCESS

Designing Through Community Feedback
8/4/2026 - 13/5/2026

Before the intensive week and second MIB site visit, our group also carried out online community engagement through a Google Form survey targeted at MIB staff and children as part of our user research for the interactive exhibition space.

With around 62 responses received, the survey provided valuable feedback that helped inform our design decisions, showing how engagement extended beyond physical site visits into digital participation.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:54

Alicia B

Group 22 is on its last day of the intensive MSA Live week, and we're putting everything together to submit. Most of today has consisted of polishing our final outputs and finishing the development sketch so that everything is cohesive when put together. Throughout the other days, we have all been delegating tasks and working productively to get everything done! Two people are working on putting together the presentation and the publication, as work comes in from the others. We are utilizing all group members' skills that suit them best while also communicating to maintain stylistic consistency.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:51

13/05/26

MSA Live Week - Day 3

A big issue for the church was finding a good cheap option for insulation that would let the stone walls breath and not produce mold:

Option 1: recessed mortar painting into the crevices of the limestone walls.
Option 2: covering the stone walls with the mortar and insulation aggregate and carving to imitate stone.

We then decided to opt for option 1 because this solution allows the original limestone blocks to remain exposed, which may be a requirement for a listed building.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:51

Action Week Day 3
Completing Our Visualisations!

Our round table talk was about the logistics for our presentation, and drafted a checklist of what goals we aimed to achieve by day end. We then went on to split into two groups to complete the final drawings, visuals and outstanding text.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:48

12/05/26

MSA Live Week - Day 2

On the second day of Intensive Week, we reviewed the information given to us by our collaborator and we realised we needed to find a solution in relation to the condition of the stone. The stone sweats, which means the existing plasterboard rots and is stripped away over time. As a group, we thought of here using high performance natural hydraulic lime mortar mixed with a lime cork insulation aggregate, which allows the stone to breathe, while providing insulation to the wall.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:39

11/05/2026

MSA Live Week – Day 1

We kicked off the week by having a group catch-up. We all talked about what we have been working on over the past few weeks and what we need to complete. After that, we gave each other feedback and planned out our next steps as a group. Together, we looked at options to improve walls thermal comfort by adding insulation. While this was going on, a few members of the group worked on the publication.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:35

09/05/26

Solar Analysis

A solar analysis was undertaken to understand how sunlight interacts with the site and building. We realised that the South facing roof receives the strongest solar exposure while the North side receives less solar radiation meaning it needs extra insulation. Based on the daylight analysis, there are many indoor areas that don’t receive enough natural light and so additional artificial light is needed. The pictures uploaded show the proposed optimised lighting strategy.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:31

05/05/2026

Group Call

On this day we had a quick group WhatsApp call to talk about what our next steps. We planned what we were going to do over the next ten days leading up to the presentation. Together we talked about who would take on what task so we were ready for MSA Live week. The BA1s would work on the blog while the MArch students would work on completing the publication.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:17

29/04/2026

Site Visit

Our group went on a site visit to Rossendale. Our client, Simon Dalley, showed us around the site and pointed out key things that we need to consider. We used data loggers to take some temperature and humidity readings to understand what parts of the building need thermal improving. From our data we found that the temperature ranges from 16°C to 17°C. We noticed that the singular layers of glass and wall were not good at keeping heat inside. After identifying the weak spots in the building envelope, we were able to see what was existing there and what we would need to add and/or change to improve it. Seeing the space in person gave us an idea of what it feels like to be there. From this we realised that some spaces will require artificial lighting because they don’t receive sufficient daylight. Overall, the visit highlighted what we need to preserve (because it is a grade II listed building) and what we need to add on.

Posted 14 May 2026 14:13

Group 18 / GROUP 18

Karl David Raphael G

brainstorming and research session for publication

Posted 14 May 2026 14:13

From Sketches to Final Direction
13/5/2026

Following the MIB site visit, our group met again to further develop and refine our tour concepts. Everyone shared sketches, ideas, and references, allowing us to discuss different approaches and collaboratively work towards a final common direction.

The session helped us consolidate our ideas before proceeding with the development of final 3D models, drawings, and renders.

Posted 14 May 2026 13:24

Group 10 / HYDE COMMUNITY COURTS

Tre-Kwan M

21/04/2026

Rhino Model Development

During this week we started on developing a rhino model of the site which progressed from just a simple massing study into a detailed analysis of the site. Early stages focused on the surrounding area and massing out the local environment, understanding the building forms and site context. The final visualization uses colour mapping to analyse light demonstrating our design progression and environmental evaluation.

Posted 14 May 2026 13:18

Mahek Romil V

Action Week day 03 - 13/05/26

In today’s session, we were only two days away from the final presentation, so the team focused on refining and completing the remaining detailed aspects of the project.
For both the physical and digital modelling work, the focus was on refining and developing the remaining details of the project. The physical model involved laser cutting the final building massing pieces and adding more structural detail. At the same time, the 3D model was mostly complete in terms of the site amenities, including the main pitch, landscaping, car park, and surrounding facilities, with the remaining work focused on refining the building model itself and producing the final rendered visuals. The architectural floor plans were also nearly complete, requiring only minor adjustments and final detailing.
In terms of documentation, the presentation had been completed, allowing the team to continue work on organising the publication content. By the end of the session, many of the foundational and technical aspects of the project had been resolved, bringing us significantly closer to the final output.

Posted 14 May 2026 13:10

17/03/26

Deciding our next steps

After we submitted our applications, we began to sub-group our remaining tasks, dividing responsibilities regarding the Details, Model, Blog and IDD. Now that we were clear on our overall progress, we further updated our collaborator on our solar/thermal analysis- derived through modelling the Church

Posted 14 May 2026 12:59

Second Site Visit
12/05/2026

Our second visit to the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB), led by Ulrike on Tuesday, gave us the opportunity to gain valuable final feedback before developing and refining our tour concepts further.

Beyond discussions, we were also brought into the laboratories to experience the spaces, technical equipment, and working environment first-hand. Seeing how researchers operate within the building helped us better understand MIB’s role, research culture and spatial needs.

Posted 14 May 2026 12:51

Group 17 / SEEDS TO SEATS

10/03/26

Feedback Discussion

After we had submitted our ethics application, risk assessment, budget proposal, and project timeline, we came together to discuss ways we could improve. We received formative feedback and our ethics application was accepted on the first try which meant we could focus on improving the rest of our submissions. Our tutor commented that everything was quite easy to read with minor setbacks that we were able to discuss and resolve in our group discussions.

Posted 14 May 2026 12:48

Group 18 / GROUP 18

Karl David Raphael G

Team hard at work designing bench options for our client

Posted 14 May 2026 12:42

Iris F

11/5/26 Seventh Meeting
For our first meeting of the intensive week, we assigned roles for making a scale model of Design 1, a 1:10 model of Design 2, creating an instruction manual, drawing 3D perspectives, and putting together a presentation for the Friday deadline. As the final designs had already been made, all we had left to do then was choose a final layout to propose to our clients and cleared up any final enquiries about the schedule.

Posted 14 May 2026 12:33

Group 24 / THE SECOND ACT

Natalie S

ACTION WEEK: DAY3
Creating the model!
After finalising concepts and working out the pre-existing measurements, we were able to get started on the model. Looking at our ‘creative’ section of our proposal, we are able to focus on the detailed specifics of the structure. While not currently finished, the work will continue!

Posted 14 May 2026 12:10

Group 26 / LEARNING WITH LORETO

Brygida F

30/04/26
Today was our last workshop with the Loreto students. first they showed us what they had been working on the week before and we discussed that with them. then we gave them foam blocks representing classrooms chapel etc. we helped them explore the space and scale. they experimented with different pathways and orientations. this helped us lights around to set up the master plan.

Posted 14 May 2026 12:05

Group 23 / HOUSING WITH HERITAGE

03/03/2026

Completing Documents

In this meeting, we had quite a few documents to complete. We had an ethics application, risk assessment, project timeline and budget proposal. We divided these tasks between the group such that two to three people would work on each one. This way we were able to get the task for the week done quickly and efficiently. In our risk assessment we considered hazards that we could encounter during our weekly meetings and site visit. After that, decided what precautions we would take to keep everyone safe. Our budget included money for travel to our site, stationary and food for meetings. The ethics application was used to ensure that everyone in the group feels safe and included. Finally, the project plan outlined our next steps for the following two months.

Posted 14 May 2026 12:01

Olatokunbo F

Intensive Week Day 3
13/05/2026
With our model complete and a clear plan for how our housing schemes would be presented, the focus today was on bringing all of our material together in one place. This included renders, site plans, diagrams, graphs, and photographs, all of which will form the basis of our final presentation. As with earlier stages of the project, we divided tasks selectively among the group before compiling everything into a cohesive set.

Overall Mood(s): Organised

Posted 14 May 2026 11:46

Group 26 / LEARNING WITH LORETO

13/05/2026

On day 3 of our action week, we continued working on the final presentation and publication which helped celebrate what we had done so far but also determined what we had left to do. From this we divided up the tasks for individuals to work on during the day with some people working on sections, some on renders and some on how the space functionally works. At the end of the day, we were able to share what we had completed and point out anything that needed to be changed or improved.

Posted 14 May 2026 11:30

Brygida F

30/04/26
Today we received last weeks work from the students at Loreto College.

Posted 14 May 2026 11:25

12/05/2026
On day two of our action week, we began by discussing our current designs and what we needed to prioritise before finalising our design and drawing scaled floor plans. We’ve continued to work on our final presentation and publication, bringing together everything we’ve done so far.

Posted 14 May 2026 11:12

11/05/2026

On day one of intensive week, we reviewed the notes from our engagement activity and used it to synthesise our initial design ideas to accommodate for the writers’ requirements. We also started the layout for our presentation, reflecting on the collaborative aspects of our MSA live experience.

Posted 14 May 2026 11:10

Action Week Day 2
Reshuffling the workspace!

We decided to relocate to the MTC so that everyone could have access to software and found that this worked efficiently.
Since the project focuses solely on redesigning and improving the interior space, we decided to capitalise on incorporating indoor appropriate activities, privacy and soft furniture. Renders of the new furniture and lively interior were produced during the session, while 2 members of the group spent the day in B15 making a model of the furniture that has been redesigned for the space. It was quite the strenuous task as we wanted to ensure that we could meet the deadline we had set for ourselves, and the dynamic duo managed to do this. “Submit this into the modelmaking competition” ~Scott Miller, 2026.

Posted 14 May 2026 10:24

24/02/26

Starting a Rhino Model

As we started off our project, we decided to create a Rhino model of the site as it would be useful for a thermal analysis. It is also useful because our site is quite far so the Rhino model would allow us to observe the site and make changes without having to frequently visit the actual site. We first did a rough draft on Rhino to understand the shapes of the building.

Posted 14 May 2026 09:13

13/02/26 - 17/02/26

Designing the poster and coming up with a Group name

Over the course of two group meetings, we were able to successfully design a poster that represented our project, as well as come up with a group name. We initially had two poster designs: one was more monochromatic and minimalistic, while the other used a variety of colours.
During our meetings, we discussed which design would best suit our project and held a vote, which resulted in a general consensus that option 2 was visually stronger but would benefit from incorporating more colour, similar to option 1.
Following this, the design team worked on a final version that featured a revised colour palette and included our group name. In our meetings, we also considered possible group names that would clearly represent our project. We brainstormed ideas until we came up with the name “ALTAR-NATIVE.” As our project revolves around the repurposing of Bacup Christ Church, the use of “ALTAR” references the church and creates a play on the word “alternative,” reflecting the new purpose we are giving the building.

Posted 14 May 2026 09:08

Action Week Day 1
The final stretch has begun!

Our first day of intensive week began slowly, however we made significant progress. All present members of the group went around and shared our new updates to the project, complete or incomplete, just so that we could gain a clear understanding of how many tasks were still outstanding. Collectively we shared the digital and physical iterations of the redesigned space, and we provided feedback and suggestions of elements that could be improved. We proceed with working on our digital model and renders, capturing scenes of the interior space. Once our outputs were completed, we set out a plan of how we will make our final model and the final drawings. We ran through our publication to highlight any criteria we still needed to complete as well.

Posted 13 May 2026 16:26