MSA Live 26

Daria A

User engagement was a central part of our project to allow us to understand the needs, experiences and aspirations of the young people who use the space. To better understand the youth centre’s environment, we engaged with regular participants who consistently contribute their time to the space at the Talkshop, aged between 11 to 19.

We started to engage through informal discussions, annotated floor plans- where participants could sketch over them and add their ideas-and the use of a model as a visual guide. This helped us gain insight into what the space needs, its value to the people and the challenges they experience on a daily basis. It will help us further develop the youth centre to ensure that we provide an inclusive and engaging environment for the youth.

Posted 18 Mar 2026 10:14

Group 27 / BLOOM WELL

Al-Megdad AH

Workshop prep

Our group met again today, powered by good vibes and even better weather. We discussed our upcoming workshop activity, agreed on a date, and set out clear action points for the next few weeks to help us prepare. We also received feedback on our timeline, budget proposal, and risk assessment. By the end of the meeting, the group split up to refine and finish these documents.

Posted 18 Mar 2026 00:06

Rouba M

Hi! I’m Rouba, a first-year Architecture student at MSA. I’m really excited to take part in MSA Live, as it is a valuable opportunity to connect with architecture students across different year groups and gain insight from their experiences. I’m particularly looking forward to developing my skills and contributing positively to spaces within our communities.

Posted 18 Mar 2026 00:06

Hin L

17/3/26

This session marked a clear shift from discussion to definition. We concentrated on finalising our ethics application and preparing thoroughly for next week’s site visit — organising consent forms, documentation, and structuring potential interviews with members of the public in a respectful and transparent manner. The emphasis was on responsibility: ensuring we actively listen and accurately represent the community’s voice.

Ruiqi then brought our previous conversations into focus through a confident architectural pitch. He synthesised our ideas into a coherent design theory, outlining a spatial direction aligned with both our chosen users and Monton Unitarian Church. As a group, we offered refinements and strengthened key elements, encouraged by how close the proposal feels to realisation.

We now approach the site visit with clarity and momentum. With the core concept established, we are progressing into 3D modelling and visual experimentation, developing the scheme in direct response to Anna’s brief and the wider ethos of the church.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 21:50

Kobe DJ

Hi There! I'm Kobe, an MArch 1 student at the Manchester School of Architecture, currently representing the CPU Ai Atelier. I undertook my BArch at Portsmouth School of Architecture, before working with a renowned London-based architecture practice called ACA Studios.

Looking forward, my ultimate hope is to contribute in the spaces between architecture and art; where skills are transfered to the more experimentative disciplines such as the entertainment arts, film and video games. I am keen to engage with the collaborative contexts of this live project, and anticipate our team's success in the contributions of each of our individual passions and interests.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 21:09

Esta M

Session 5: The Carpet Session (Accountability Hour)

This session, now officially known as the "Carpet Session", was all about reflection, review, and collaboration

We revisited our blog posts, filled in the gaps, and made sure we had shared accountability.

The highlight (and slight reality check) was our review with the tutor. It was a genuinely productive session where we realised that while splitting into mini teams felt efficient, it also left a few gaps in our submissions. We now acknowledge we should all stay in the loop, or we all suffer the consequences. Enhancing our communication is now our main priority.

On the bright side, we’re leaving more organised and aligned. We set future dates to meet with our collaborator and started discussing initial design ideas, this time with everyone on the same page (literally and metaphorically).

A bit humbling, very useful, and definitely necessary. The Carpet Session has spoken.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 17:13

Group 18 / GROUP 18

Yisheng L

17/03/2026. Group brainstorm seesion with Matt. We discussed ideas for potential activities and considered what the final level of completion for the project might look like. Matt also provided feedback on several details, such as the project background and strategies for encouraging public participation in the activity survey.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 16:20

Group 18 / GROUP 18

Yisheng L

The first group of walkers—Noah, Sehar, Yisheng, and Ruth—each completed on-site walking surveys of their selected stages of the GM Ringway. They experienced the current conditions of three different stages firsthand and shared their individual observations, impressions, and identified issues.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 16:15

Group 18 / GROUP 18

Yisheng L

17/02/2026 POSTER SESSION: We discussed several poster drafts, then selected two of them for further refinement, and ultimately decided to choose Jawad’s work as our final poster.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 16:10

Group 07 / HART HAT CAFE

Ai Jia Angelove L

Ethics Said “No” (So We Try Again)

Setting up the project! With the 6 March submission deadline looming, last week was a bit of a ‘get our act together’ moment as we worked through submissions for the project timeline, ethics application, risk assessment, and budget proposal - tedious, but necessary planning bits.

We mapped out a timeline structured through project stages and weekly tasks, from early definition and briefing through concept design, coordination, technical development, and final handover. It became painfully clear what depends on what, especially that engagement has to wait for ethical approval. We received feedback soon after submission and found our ethics application needed more work, so we’re now reworking it properly around being respectful and explicit on consent, inclusion, and representation.

Alongside that, we completed a risk assessment covering things like model-making, site visits, and public engagement, with controls in place to reduce risk. Finally, we submitted a budget proposal capped at £100, balancing practical needs (materials, printing, travel, stakeholder refreshments) with the most important line item: a “submission treat (pizza!)” to keep morale intact.

With the planning in place, we can move forward with a clearer structure, shared expectations, and (hopefully) less chaos.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 16:08

17/03/2026

Today started with the group deciding that we could perhaps live without windows in Crawford House, but the distinct lack of tables in our seminar room was agreed upon to be not okay. Once some tables had been successfully located, a spread of images plans and tracing paper flooded the table with the aim of ‘spewing out’ ideas onto paper. To match our client's needs, we first understood the heat issues of the 1960s building, being too cold in the summer as well as too hot in the winter, leading us to believe thermal alterations are a key part of our project. As well as this, the usage of the site needed to be considered for those with disabilities as well as elderly people, with them being the focus of Dandelion, forcing us to consider their specific needs and the adaption of the site required to meet these needs.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 16:07

Grace M

Today we met with the collaborator to discuss our ideas for the workshop activity and design. We met at the talkshop in Sale and were able to get a sense of the space and its potential. We found it beneficial to see the space in person, as it helped us better visualise the layout and how the workshop might run with the young people. It also allowed us to refine our ideas and feel more confident about the next steps.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:53

Group 34 / CYAN+

Liesje Amelie K

As a group we went out on a site exploration, following a suggested route that we developed for our project. Starting by Platt Fields Pond, we walked through the park, chatting and making note of the surrounding environment. We then walked through Rusholme, passing multiple green spaces and noting their clear potential, while also acknowledging drawbacks and how to tackle them. Our walking route ended in Whitworth park, and we then continued to the MTC to consolidate our thoughts and findings. It was a lovely way to both generate ideas from the site, and interact with each other more after our first meeting. This was a very valuable day!

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:51

11/03/2026

With his experience, Nicholas led a tutorial session for Anne and Iliana, with a later one for Sean (who had other commitments at 256 Wilmslow Road at the time of the main meeting), on elevation drawing and guided the BA1s through drawing elevations from plans and images of the site, whilst using AutoCAD effectively and efficiently. Once completed, a 3D model of the site will be created for the community outreach plan and general use for the project.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:33

Group 10 / HYDE COMMUNITY COURTS

10/03/2026

After being taught AutoCAD, Rosie and Tan were able to produce a floor plan of Dandelion community, with help from a tutorial from Callum. The aim for this was to further aid in the production of a future model to help our community outreach scheme, in which we plan to use a 3D model to visualise our concepts, and with the help of the community involved, understand the needs the community require.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:32

Cristina BC

Session 3
In this session, we worked together figuring out our plans for workshopping with the children of the Hyde Community, finalising our pre-requisite forms such as the ethics waver, risk assessment, budget proposal, and timeline, finally we started to discuss our site analysis.

We started with finishing off and submitting our pre-requisite forms in order to meet the deadline of 13th March. Then after we moved to brainstorming our plans with the children of Hyde.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:18

Tin Yuet W

Session 4: Spreadsheets, Strategy & Serious Business (…Kind Of)

This session was where things got real. The creative chaos took a backseat as we split into mini teams, each tackling a different task: risk assessment, ethics application, budget, and project timeline.

It was less brainstorming and more "who knows how to use excel?". Each group dove into their task, piecing together the behind-the-scenes structure that makes Built to Belong more than just a great idea.

There were moments of intense focus, a few “wait, does this actually make sense?”

By the end, we had a solid foundation in place. Everything mapped out, justified, and ready to support our final submission.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:10

10/02/26
During this week our group began to form poster ideas, some of which we discussed over this weeks Teams meeting. We created a poll to get everyone’s ideas over WhatsApp on the posters, provided feedback and finalised the poster!

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:04

Mariz Mamdouh Raafat L

Session 3: The “Just One More Tweak” Era

This session was all about refining and pulling everything together. Gathered around the screen, we reviewed our latest draft. We worked together to make tweaks, suggestions, and the occasional “wait, move that slightly to the left.”

It felt like everything was finally clicking into place. The ideas we’d been developing started to look like something real, something cohesive and something we were all genuinely proud of.

After much back-and-forth (and a surprising amount of agreement), we locked in our group name: Built to Belong. It just felt right, capturing both our concept and the spirit of our collaboration.

With final touches underway and submission in three days, stress will finish the work!

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:04

10/02/26
We began with a brief discussion about the areas that we had covered in our
research (more to come on this next week!). A common theme that came up
throughout the research was sustainable agriculture and the part that this plays in
the curriculum of South Sudan.
We spoke again about how we could define the brief for the project. Through
communication with Laura, we think that our brief should focus on collecting
information about the future users of the school and their needs to create design
principles for the project. We will then use these principles to create concepts for
aspects of the new school.
We brought together a few different ideas for a name for the project and decided
that ‘Learning with Loreto’ described the key themes of learning, collaboration and
the Loreto schools.
Laura sent us a list of dates on which we could run workshops with the students at
Loreto Manchester and we decided on three that we thought would be at key times
throughout the project.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:02

Milia Marnissa Binti M

Task Division & Submission Prep
(03/03/2026)
Last week, we focused on organising our group work ahead of the 9 March deadline. We divided tasks across the ethics application, project timeline, risk assessment, and budget, ensuring each member was responsible for a specific area. We worked collaboratively to discuss our approach and prepare all documents for submission.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 15:00

Group 17 / SEEDS TO SEATS

Niamh H

Session 2: Brainstorms, Bold Ideas & Mild Chaos

Today was where the creativity began. Armed with our own ideas, we dove into brainstorming concepts for the group’s poster and name. Some of us flying solo like lone geniuses, others teaming up to bounce ideas around like a high-stakes game of creative ping-pong.

The room quickly filled with everything from “this could actually work” to “wait… what is that? Somehow, through the chaos, patterns started to emerge. Debates were had, sketches were scribbled, and a few questionable names were (thankfully) left behind.

By the end, we managed to land on a concept that everyone could get behind. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s got potential, personality, and just the right amount of chaos baked in.

Next stop: refining, developing, and turning this spark into something submission-ready. Stay tuned.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:59

Iris F

17/2/26 Second meeting

First we discussed the site visit such as the client’s ideas for insect housing and herb planters, levelling the slope and paving desire lines. We will continue correspondence via email about key challenges like the compost odour and fox den.

We also decided our outcome should be a series of adaptable furniture for which we will provide a 1:1 model and an educational time-lapse/ instruction manual to support it. This lead us to explore material sourcing options, including recycled wood from B15 workshop.

Lastly, we finalised the project title and poster design, published blog entries, and created a plan for upcoming deadlines.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:57

Sofia S

Name: Sofia Shahzad
Course: BA Architecture with foundation year

Hi! My name is Sofia, I’m from London and I’m a foundation year student at the MSA. I’m really excited to be participating in MSA Live and I’m hoping to learn a lot from my peers and also the project we are working on: creating a vibrant, accessible third space for all ages to celebrate microbiology and encourage learning and interaction.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:56

07/02/26 Sethika and Aidira had the pleasure of meeting a friend from North Sudan over coffee to discuss the cultural, political, and historical context of South Sudan. This is what they had to say: Her name is Walaa, she is North Sudanese, grew up in Saudi Arabia, and feels deeply for
the people in South Sudan. We learned about:
The civil war between North and South Sudan and how the latter became independent
How South Sudanese are victims of classism. She told a personal anecdote about a
relative adopting a little girl from South Sudan and how
How South Sudan is agriculturally rich and full of natural resources, but they remain a poor
country
Their dire economic state
How South Sudanese may move to North Sudan for better career prospects and still live in
poor conditions.
How the older generation of South Sudanese may bear resentment towards North Sudan
and how this perpetuates the social divide.
The way children are not encouraged to go to school and to start working from a very young
age.
After the discussion, we supplemented these takeaways with real statistics to support our
research. We also plan to watch the film Goodbye Julia, as per her recommendation, to aid
our understanding of systemic racism against South Sudan and the events leading up to
their independence in 2011. It was interesting to learn about the cultural differences as
well as movements like SPLM and conflicts between two different ethnic groups.
Reflection: We were engaging in more than just research. It felt like a cultural exchange as
we also identified shared struggles with our own cultures (Cambodia and Kazakhstan). This
prompted us to reflect on how we can utilize our education to heal our respective
countries, even throwing out little ideas about how we can do so.
Because our site is in Aweil, Sudan, we’re mostly limited to desktop research which I
anticipate may make us feel somewhat far removed from the project. However, having this
face-to-face interaction helped us feel closer to the project, to really feel for the
beneficiaries of Loreto College.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:56

Group 02 / SALE THROUGH TIME

03/02/2026
Following our initial group session, we met with collaborators Laura and Ian to discuss
the project brief and our first steps. Laura is a practising architect and educator, while
Ian is leader of the Sixth form at Loreto College Manchester.
The two gave us a brief description of the history of the Loreto Colleges, which were
founded using the guiding principles of Mary Ward, a Catholic nun and pioneer of
women’s education in the 17th century. Loreto College Hulme was the first of these,
founded in 1851. Today, there are 150 Loreto schools worldwide. This includes one in
Rumbek, South Sudan, which was founded in 2008. The civil war in Sudan meant that
the country’s infrastructure and education system had largely collapsed.
We have been tasked with creating a design concept for a girls’ school located in Aweil,
a town around 200 miles from the existing school in Rumbek. This is to be done in
collaboration with students in Loreto College Hulme’s Architecture Society through a
series of workshops, organised and coordinated by us. We’ve also been put in contact
with James, an architecture student who is working in South Sudan at present.
Questions were raised on whether we’d be able to communicate with students at the
school in Rumbek, as we all agreed that this would be important in informing our design
approach; however, we aren’t yet sure whether this would be possible.
Overall, today was a promising start to this exciting project. We look forward to meeting
the students in the Architecture Society and making our first design moves…

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:53

Harmonie C

Last week, our team visited Sale for a really insightful day of research and exploration. We spent the morning with our collaborator, Steve, who kindly arranged a visit to Sale Library, where we were given access to the local archives. Being able to look through old maps and historical documents gave us a much deeper understanding of the area and its development over time. This was incredibly valuable in helping us begin to envision our contribution to the upcoming festival.

Later in the day, we visited the church and met with Reverend Becky, who shared the history of the building and explained its importance within the Sale community. Experiencing the space in person was particularly helpful, as it allowed us to start thinking more concretely about how the church could be used as part of the festival.

Beyond the practical insights, the visit also helped us feel more connected to the place and its people. Spending time in Sale and engaging directly with its history and community gave us a stronger foundation for developing a thoughtful and responsive proposal.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:52

Zeynep Y

Zeynep Yucel
Course: BA1

Hello! I’m Zeynep, I’m from Turkey and its my first year participating at MSA Live. I’m honored and excited to contribute to a real-world project while collaborating with peers at different stages of their education. I’m especially looking forward to learning from my peers, gaining new perspectives, and challenging my own way of thinking through collaboration.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:43

Group 31 / HOLT TOWN HIVE

23/02/2026

Today we had a site visit to complete a measured survey and meet staff, volunteers and community groups that use the space. Due to the lack of architectural drawings, a large portion of our visit was taking measurements so we could produce our own, to work towards a site model for our project and our clients. We decided to take a focus on redeveloping the space and making it a more sustainable community centre, working closely with the clients to develop a space that best worked for Dandelion community.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:38

Emre T

Our third MSA Live session focused on finalising our ethics application and having another site visit. We started by reviewing the ethics documents prepared last week, ensuring all our administrative documents were in line with the requirements. In doing so, we evaluated our planned community engagement activity and realised it required modification to align with our collaborator’s vision for the project. Taking this on board, we held a brainstorming session to develop a new engagement activity and updated our risk assessments to ensure it applies to our modified community engagement activity.

Once the ethics application was complete, we shifted our focus back to the site. The group travelled to Holt Town for another site visit, walking the stretch down to New Islington. This on-the-ground exploration was crucial; it allowed us to gather primary data for our site analysis and begin identifying the most strategic, high-potential locations for the new transportation hub.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:14

Junqi L

My name is Iris, and I am currently studying Architecture Adaptive Reuse, with a strong interest in revitalising existing buildings through thoughtful and sustainable design. My current project focuses on the transformation of Christ Church, Bacup, exploring how a historic religious structure can be sensitively adapted to serve contemporary community needs. I am particularly interested in balancing heritage preservation with innovative spatial interventions. With a strong background in drawing, I communicate ideas visually and develop a deeper understanding of space, light, and materiality, aiming to create meaningful and socially responsive architectural solutions. I am truly excited about the opportunity to collaborate with everyone, share ideas, and grow together through this project.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 14:13

Haoxiong L

My name is Li Haoxiong, and I am currently enrolled on the MArch 1 programme at MSA. I completed my undergraduate studies as part of a joint programme between Tianjin Chengjian University in China and the Cracow University of Technology in Poland. During that time, I gained an understanding of the history and current state of Western churches, whilst the diverse cultural contexts enriched my architectural theory. This project requires the preparation of construction drawings for a church (particularly regarding thermal insulation), which aligns with my previous internship experience in Shanghai. I look forward to collaborating with new colleagues on this practical project to develop a feasible solution that meets the client’s requirements.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 12:33

Group 09 / COMMON GROUND

Amanee M

Day 3 - Planning and Project logistics - 03/03/26

Our third meeting focused on organising the practical elements needed to move the project forward. The group split into smaller teams to work on key preparatory tasks, including the ethics documentation, risk assessment, time planning, and an initial project budget. These discussions also highlighted some logistical challenges, such as the cost and coordination of travel to Wigan, which we began working through as a group.
Alongside these tasks, we continued developing our plan for the proposed site visit to Wigan. The aim of the visit is to gather insights directly from the local community and better understand the area we are designing for. As a team, we discussed potential activities for the day, including speaking with local residents and observing the surrounding environment.
To support this, we identified several questions and requests that needed to be confirmed with our client, David from Wigan & Leigh Community Charity. These included whether it would be possible to visit local primary schools, access the proposed building site, and obtain resources that are not publicly available online, such as floor plans of the existing building.
By the end of the session, our spokesperson had prepared to contact David to seek permission and clarify these details, helping ensure our planned visit and engagement activities can move forward smoothly.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 12:07

Group 23 / HOUSING WITH HERITAGE

03/02/26 Today we all met for the first time. We started with some icebreakers, including
‘rose, bud, thorn’, in which we all said one skill we thought we would bring to the
team, one thing about the project that we were excited for and one skill we wanted
to improve through the project.
Next, we discussed how we would work together as a group, including how often we
would meet and who would take on different roles within the project.
We read through the project brief together and each spoke about what we thought
the project outputs could be. We created a list of questions that we had for our
collaborator, Laura, about the project.
Over the next couple of weeks, we have been set the task of creating a poster for our
project. We decided that it would also be useful for us to do some research into the
context of the project in order for us to gain a deeper understanding of the brief. We
created a list of different research topics and assigned one to each member of the group.

Posted 17 Mar 2026 10:24

Olatokunbo F

Brief Review
03/03/2026
With a deeper understanding of the task and its potential outputs, we deemed it crucial to look at plans of the site and its surrounding regions. Our collaborators highlighted regions of the area that might be ideal for development which we further explored. In doing so, we also thought about other considerations such as the regions within the green belt which may either aid or restrict certain developments. This provided clarity of the site, particularly in anticipation of a site visit!!!

Overall Mood(s): Analytical

Posted 17 Mar 2026 00:09

Group 23 / HOUSING WITH HERITAGE

Olatokunbo F

Admin Day
17/02/2026
On this day, we began tackling all the necessary paperwork for the success of the project. By adopting a "divide and conquer" approach, we were able to establish smaller groups within the team to work on different aspects of the paperwork.

Overall Mood(s): Relaxed & Engaged

Posted 16 Mar 2026 23:57

Group 17 / SEEDS TO SEATS

Jiajie W

Hi, my name is Jiajie and I’m currently enrolled with the architecture foundation course. Starting this year with my limited knowledge of architecture I’m excited to see where I end!

I’ve always looked at architecture less about the buildings and more about how it influences people within a space. This directly led me to take part in the Worthington Park project which I am very excited to see how it turns out!

Posted 16 Mar 2026 20:36

Nandi Tlotlanang M

A productive morning spent at the B12 workshop, making a model focused on the interior space of the site.

This model along with floor plans will help both us and the Talkshop attendees visualise their needs and aspirations for the space.
By hosting a workshop, the young people will be able to engage and share their thoughts and ideas.

Posted 14 Mar 2026 12:31

Group 16 / ACTIVE AXIS

Owen B

For our third official meeting we reflected on how we have been working as a group and what we could work on to improve our workflows and outputs over the coming weeks.

The overall consensus from the group that everyone was very happy with how we were working and communicating and dividing up work. Over the past weeks, we have been dividing up into smaller focus groups to complete tasks such as the poster or budget assessment. As a group we reflected that this was an efficient and effective way of developing collaborative work whilst understanding that all of us have very varied schedules, that don’t always correlate.

Moving on from our reflection we aim to communicate more consciously of other people's schedules and lives as well as maintaining how efficiently we have communicated and completed tasks. Furthermore, we are all eager to start designing a space and understanding the site and client better through client engagement activities and a community questionnaire. Over the next few weeks we will work in smaller focus groups to identify and critique site restrictions and conditions to help aid our design development in the near future.

Posted 14 Mar 2026 11:20

Gagan GR

Hey, I'm Gagan Govindarajan and I'm an M.Arch 1 student at NoSH atelier. I graduated from the university of Visvesvaraya in 2023 and spent two years working at a studio firm in Bangalore ( INDIA ) ,which majorly dealt with private residential housing and some commercial buildings. This gave me an exposure on how to deal with clients directly and design FOR the client as the project becomes very personalized.

I also have 6 months of experience working at an MNC named Colliers International, a Canadian based real-estate firm. This gave me a vast exposure on how commercial buildings and large scale residential apartments are designed and handled.

This project has me excited to work with other MSA students and see how our collaborated ideas would go into the result projectile.

Apart from Architecture, I also have various interests in other fields as well. I'm a concert pianist ( Trinity College of London ) and an Indian classical singer with over 20 years of performing experience. I'm also a former All India national bronze medalist in 100m sprint. I also teach piano and singing. This has accelerated my understanding in architecture as both the fields are deeply interconnected.

Posted 13 Mar 2026 19:13

Miracle O

Hi, my Name is Miracle Osagie, and I’m a BA1 Architecture student at the MSA.

Architecture has always intrigued me, its ability to shape the built world, evolve with society, and leave a lasting impact is what first sparked my interest in the field. One day, I hope to design safe, thoughtful spaces that enhance everyday life, support the wellbeing of their occupants, and balance aesthetics with sustainability.

I’m excited to take part in this group project, and I’m looking forward to exploring the realities of what it means to be an architect.

Posted 13 Mar 2026 18:10

Group 20 / DENS OF DISCOVERY

Darcey B

Hi, I'm Darcey Byers, a foundation student at MSA from the Lake District.

I have really enjoying developing my creative and technical skills so far this year. One part of architecture I am interested in is they way that buildings can shape the community around them. Thoughtful design can influence the way people interact and experience a space.

Being a part of the TalkShop project is such a good opportunity for me to develop my design skills and learn about how building an inclusive environment can help these young people.

Posted 13 Mar 2026 16:46

Mase AM

SESSION 03: SITE VISIT
During our session this week, the group discussed initial ideas regarding which materials will be used in our den construction, keeping sustainability and waste reuse at the forefront of our plans. Additionally, we had conversations with our collaborator, The Common Land Collective, on the plans for our community engagement project, examining how we engineer the engagement to best gather information that will be useful to the process of developing our final designs.
Later this week, our group completed an initial visit to our site in Chelford, here, we met with our collaborator and discussed in more detail their expectations from us and our ideas for the space, such as where the dens will be positioned, what their functions might be, and what other features they hope to integrate into the site. Before heading to the site, we established who would collect what information, to establish an efficient system that helped us collect detailed information to analyse and feed our design process. At the site, each group worked to gather the necessary information which we plan to discuss in more detail in future sessions to support our understanding of the location.

Posted 12 Mar 2026 18:04

Group 13 / WITHINGTON COMMON WATERS

Conrad G

For today, we finished off the ground floor level of our cardboard model:
We traced the floor plan again, but this time adding extra thickness on the exterior so that there is a distinct separation between the two floors. After creating the exterior walls, we came across a problem with the wall where the slits we made to bend the cardboard were too prominent so we first experimented with different styles to cover the gap and choose one that suited the design.
In our next group meeting, we will discuss how our model will be used in the engagement activities.

Posted 12 Mar 2026 16:34

Macie-Ann J

Group 13: Community Voices

Like the history of the Baths themselves, we want this project to champion community involvement. This means that before any designing takes place, it is important that we understand what the community wants, so that this can guide us throughout the design process.

To explore this, we devised a survey intended to help us learn what users of the Baths feel is currently missing from the site, as well as what they would like to see more of.

When visiting the Baths last Friday, I gained staff consent before conducting the survey. To include a range of voices and reduce bias, I aimed to interview both users and staff across a variety of ages, genders, and backgrounds.

While the answers provided many useful insights, the conversations that emerged from some of the questions were just as valuable. They helped me understand how people use the Baths in different ways, and how any potential redevelopment could affect them differently.

Stay tuned for more public engagement exercises and updates on how these will inform our future design!

Posted 12 Mar 2026 12:36

Conrad G

Today, we went to B15 workshop to start making our scratch model for our engagement activity:
We first used the existing plans that we got from our collaborator and cut out the floor plan onto cardboard, which allowed us to have an easier time when modelling the walls. Next we focused on making the exterior walls of the basement level, where creating windows was the main challenge for us We wanted to maintain some level of accuracy whilst also being time efficient, so we decided to cut shallow slits for the windows rather than making them to resemble Victoria Hall perfectly. We finished with making the interior walls of the basement, which went without issue due to the strong foundation walls we had set in place prior. We finished the day with an accurate looking basement level, and intend to work on the ground floor in the following days.

Posted 10 Mar 2026 22:07

Group 27 / BLOOM WELL

Lucy P

Workshop visit

In today’s group meeting, we reviewed the documents needed for our upcoming submissions. We then visited the B15 workshop to ask about material costs and the best way to create birdhouse templates. This visit helped with our budget proposal and next steps for planning.

Posted 10 Mar 2026 11:58

Group 04 / RE:WILDING: MERSEYWAY

Sara K

Hi, Im Sara Kaissi and I am a BA1 student at MSA.

One of the main reasons that I got into architecture was to be able to create environments that are specifically designed to improve the everyday lives of their occupants, through function, ergonomics, and aesthetics. So being able to directly work with the young people that we will be designing for is a very exciting opportunity.

Posted 9 Mar 2026 19:37

Lucy G

03/03/26

This week, we finalised our project timeline and reassessed our budget and risk assessment following further discussions about what our community engagement task with the people of Stockport could involve. After brainstorming ideas as a group, we agreed on a final concept. We then discussed the budget required to carry out the activity and identified the potential risks involved in implementing it.

In addition, we revisited a task set during the previous meeting in which each group member created visualised collages representing their individual interpretations and responses to the site. When considered alongside further research into the history of the area, this discussion began to shape the direction of our project. As the brief allows for flexibility and creativity, this process helped us begin defining a clearer focus for our project.

Posted 8 Mar 2026 23:12

Group 24 / THE SECOND ACT

Tre-Kwan M

Hi, my name is Tre-kwan and I am a first year architecture student. Prior to moving to Manchester to study architecture, I lived in North West London my whole life. My interests are how buildings or structures intertwine with the needs of humanity but also their visual beauties and how these buildings make people feel. I enjoy all the creative freedom architecture gives and I would love to be a part of future of the industry.

For this project, I am really excited to work on something that has real impact and could help people, but also to gain major experience and learn from the post graduate students. We will transform a church into a digital tech community hub, I am thrilled to be in this group as I think it is interesting to try and connect two almost incongruous ideas of “old and new” and this in my opinion would be very fun to explore.

Posted 8 Mar 2026 21:08

Juwan EG

W3: 03/03/2026
For this week’s session, instead of all trying to discuss and resolve one decision together, we learnt to split into much smaller groups and trust each other’s abilities and decision-making to complete more tasks simultaneously, like drafting sketches onto site plans, conducting demographic research on our area, and carrying out a site analysis. We were much more productive compared to last week, and time flew by so fast this time!

Posted 8 Mar 2026 12:48

Group 33 / THE MOBEELITY HUBS

Natrada Y

Today we took a big step forward with our second client meeting, discussing about our sites and further developing our understanding of the brief. We presented what we have so far to the client and note down their likes and requests. It was very useful for us as a group to further consult the client, ensuring we start our actual designs with the right idea. They reminded us that the aim to increase social interactions in the community wasn’t shown as clearly in the poster, suggesting that we add more elements of human interaction. Other than the addition to the poster, the clients were pleased by the direction we were going and left excited for the next meeting. We then continued towards the lecture hall to listen to a valuable lecture on community and importance of inclusive designs. After our lunch break, we gathered to discuss the client meeting further with our tutor and started paving our way towards the first few designs.

Posted 8 Mar 2026 00:27

Group 32 / STREET RECLAIM

Zixin P

Week 3 - 03/03/2026

Today we presented and reviewed the site analysis we have been developing since our last meeting. We have each developed an understanding of our chosen sites in smaller groups and were enthusiastic to hear about each other’s work today.

For each site, we went through analysis of traffic routes, congestion points and important crossing areas. It was pivotal to gain an understanding of the potential weak points in the existing site before moving into the design stage of the project. This is beneficial in our process as safety and travel routes are at the forefront of this project. We also discussed what each of the schools and wider community had access to and, in contrast, what each could be wanting. These included things such as availability to green spaces, playground equipment and communal meeting spaces. Now that we have identified these elements we can confidently move forward in the design process to developing site specific interventions. Each site is unique and poses an exciting opportunity for a community space we look forward to working on.

Before the next session we have arranged for a second meeting with our collaborators to organise community engagement meetings with the schools relevant to this project. This will be an opportunity for us to refine the community opinion of the sites in person, rather than relying solely on our initial desktop studies. We look forward to expanding the depth of this project through these conversations.

Posted 7 Mar 2026 17:02

Group 11 / GROUNDS OF HEALING

Omolade P

Hi I’m Omolade. I did my Bachelor’s in Architecture at Central Saint Martins in London and have decided to pursue my Master’s in Architecture here at MSA.

I’m excited to work on the MSA Live project as it will give me the opportunity to work with real clients more and strengthen my professional practice skills. Adaptive reuse also gives us the challenge of using what is already there, while minimising waste and prioritising use, which are important tools to develop in the current architectural climate.

Posted 7 Mar 2026 10:43

Jie Z

Hi! My name is Jie Zhou. I completed my undergraduate studies in Architecture in China and I am currently studying MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse at MSA.

I have always been very interested in community regeneration projects because communities are important places where people connect with society. A well-designed community environment can encourage interaction, strengthen people’s sense of belonging, and provide support and resources for different groups. What particularly attracts me to this community project is its focus on young people. Providing them with a safe, open and engaging space is very important for their growth and their participation in society.

I am really looking forward to participating in this project and to working with other students to explore how spatial design can bring more positive impacts to the community and young people.

Posted 6 Mar 2026 23:54

Shaping the Project Framework & Design Direction
3 March 2026

In our third group session, we continued developing core project documents—including the Budget Proposal, Ethics Application, Project Timeline, and Risk Assessment—followed by collaborative research into relevant case studies. Through analysis and discussion, we began to shape our design approach and clarify the conceptual logic behind our proposal.
It was a focused and insightful meeting, moving us closer to a coherent and well-structured project foundation.

Posted 6 Mar 2026 22:50

Developing Our Project Framework
17 February 2026

During today’s session, we focused on advancing several key project components. BA1 students began by sketching draft poster concepts, followed by a full-group discussion to finalise the design direction. We also uploaded recent blog posts and officially launched tasks including the project timeline, ethics application, risk assessment, and budget proposal, using the provided templates as a starting point.
It was a productive and collaborative afternoon—everyone engaged actively, and we’re making clear progress toward our upcoming milestones.

Posted 6 Mar 2026 22:37

Group 24 / THE SECOND ACT

Site Visit to Albert Dock, Liverpool
8 February 2026

On a clear and bright February day, our team took the train together to Liverpool for our first site visit at Albert Dock. The journey was a great chance to bond further, and the lively atmosphere along the waterfront immediately set an inspiring tone for the day.
We walked along the docks, taking in the spatial qualities and surrounding context. The area was vibrant with activity—especially runners passing by—yet we observed that the project site itself currently lacks inviting spaces that encourage people to pause and stay. This insight has already sparked meaningful conversation about how we can reintroduce pause, engagement, and connection into the heritage setting.
We documented views, discussed impressions, and took reference photos before gathering for a group photo at the site—a tangible marker of our first collective field experience.
Back in the studio, we’ll begin translating these observations into initial design approaches.
More updates to come as our research deepens!

Posted 6 Mar 2026 18:47

Xiaokai L

Hi! I’m Xiaokai Li, an M1 student from China, where I also completed my undergraduate degree in Architecture.

I’m incredibly excited to be part of this practical course and to work alongside such a diverse group. For me, the chance to communicate directly with project leads and see my creative ideas contribute to a real-world project is a brand-new and thrilling experience. I can’t wait to learn from different cultures and help push this project toward reality!

Posted 5 Mar 2026 20:35

Boting R

Boting Ren

MArch Architecture | Manchester School of Architecture

I am currently studying MArch Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture, with a background in architectural design and construction-oriented thinking. My work focuses on translating conceptual ideas into buildable spatial strategies, with particular attention to material logic, structural clarity, and cost feasibility.

I approach design through a practical and technically informed process, prioritising constructability, resource efficiency, and climatic responsiveness. I am especially interested in projects within low-resource contexts, where architectural decisions must be grounded in available materials, labour conditions, and realistic budget frameworks. Rather than treating architecture as a purely conceptual exercise, I value disciplined design development that responds to real-world constraints.

My strengths lie in early-stage feasibility studies, construction logic, and budget-aware design coordination. I enjoy working at the intersection of design and delivery, where architectural intent is tested through technical resolution and material strategy.

Through this MSA Live project, I aim to contribute to construction-led thinking, cost and material research, and pragmatic design development, supporting the team in producing context-sensitive and achievable architectural proposals.

Posted 5 Mar 2026 14:40

Group 31 / HOLT TOWN HIVE

Project Kick-off
3 February 2026

Today marked our first official group meeting and the beginning of a collaborative and exploratory journey. We started with a selected ice-breaker activity, which helped everyone get to know each other in a relaxed and engaging way, setting a positive tone for our teamwork. Following that, we held a focused discussion to clarify our working methods, communication styles, and collaborative approaches—laying a clear foundation for how we’ll work together.

In preparation for the client meeting, we reviewed the project brief and compiled a list of questions to better understand the site and its context. Later in the evening, we met with our collaborators: representatives from the Canal & River Trust. Through an open conversation, we gained a clearer understanding of the Hartley Huts—a pair of Grade II listed structures dating back to 1832—along with the project’s vision, expectations, and the community-centred ambitions for the Albert Dock area. This dialogue helped further define the direction for our research and design.

It has been an inspiring and informative start. Everyone is enthusiastic and looking forward to the journey ahead.

We’ll keep you updated as we progress. Stay tuned!

Posted 4 Mar 2026 16:04

Ria Rajendra P

Site Visit 1 - We had a walking tour from the Etihad Stadium through Holt Town, ending at New Islington, alongside our collaborator Transport for Greater Manchester and a representative from Manchester City Council.

As we walked through Holt Town, the council representative explained the regeneration plans and their long-term vision for the area. Experiencing the site on foot gave us valuable insight into the opportunities and constraints within Holt Town, as well as a clearer understanding of what future residents may need in terms of connectivity, public space, and infrastructure.

This was a successful site visit, as it provided strong contextual grounding and clarified Holt Town’s relationship to Manchester city centre. The discussions from this meeting informed our first steps towards identifying a new location for the proposal of the Holt Town Travel Hub.

Posted 4 Mar 2026 12:17

Group 02 / SALE THROUGH TIME

Harmonie C

Yesterday the group used our timetabled meeting to get some work done and enjoy the sun! We discussed the online meeting we had with our collaborator, Steve, last week, narrowed down and distributed our roles for the festival output, and planned our trip to Sale today.

Posted 4 Mar 2026 11:38

Group 16 / ACTIVE AXIS

Lok Yiu Charlotte H

Second Meeting 17/2/2026 – From Ideas to Action

Today’s session marked a strong progression from our introductory meeting into a more structured action plan. Since last week, the poster team has produced a beautiful poster that captures the essence of Active Axis. We began by reviewing it together as a group, discussing refinements and ensuring that the key principles: accessibility, vibrancy, community, greenery etc. were communicated effectively.
We then shifted our focus towards the practical foundations of the project. We divided into four groups to work efficiently: Budget Planning, Risk Assessment, Project Timeline and Ethics Application. Each group was led by at least one Master’s student, supporting BA1 students. Working in a focused 30-minute interval, we developed our respective sections before regrouping to share progress. This allowed everyone to comment, add missing details and stay aligned with each other’s work.
The Budget team presented first, followed by the Risk Assessment team. As discussions developed, we agreed that we should work on the Ethics Application collaboratively to reflect the shared responsibility of the project. We concluded by reviewing and refining the timeline, adding more detailed stages to ensure clarity moving forward.
Our tutor later joined us to provide feedback on the poster and guidance on today’s tasks, helping us refine and strengthen our direction. Towards the end of the session, we began brainstorming ideas for community engagement, including integrating a QR code on the poster or organising a physical activity, both aimed at encouraging the users to contribute their opinions on what they would like to see within the community.
We ended by summarising progress, setting deadlines and allocating responsibilities, ensuring clear direction for the week ahead. Check the next blog as Active Axis continues to grow.

Posted 4 Mar 2026 11:36

Meeting 3

03.03.2026 - Preparing for Site Visit

Developing ethical applications, consent forms, participant information sheets. Discussions around risks assessments and budgeting for the project. First draft of a timeline developed by BA1 students and reviewed by the team.

Posted 4 Mar 2026 02:11

Meeting 2

17.02.2026

Team meeting - continuing development with the group poster and description. Discussions around risks assessment, ethical applications when working with collaborators for community engagement activities, site visits etc.

Posted 4 Mar 2026 02:09

Poster Development

03.02.2026 - 20.02.2026

For the first two weeks of our project, we worked on the project poster highlighting our intentions for the Victoria Hall regeneration with our collaborators. The poster is accompanied with a description that clearly addresses our overarching goal as a team following weekly discussions in person and online with the Friends of Victoria Hall team.

Posted 4 Mar 2026 02:03

Yagmur I

Hello, I’m Yagmur Iz, a BA1 Architecture student from Istanbul, Turkey.

Even though my interest in both mathematics and visual arts played a great role in me pursuing architecture, what really encouraged me to study architecture was the opportunity to shape the way people live and create environments that foster hope.

Being engaged with The Talk Shop gives me the opportunity to design a space that prioritizes connection, inclusivity, and well-being and to assist people whose needs are often overlooked.

I am looking forward to learning from diverse communities and developing imaginative and socially conscious approaches to architecture while working with other MSA students.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 23:11

Daria A

Hi, I’m Daria Anwar, a BA1 Architecture student from Manchester.

I’m passionate about how architecture shapes the way we live — particularly within communities facing conflict and displacement. I aspire to design spaces that not only provide shelter, but also restore dignity, identity, and a sense of stability.

Being involved in The Talk Shop project offers an exciting opportunity to explore how design can create inclusive and supportive environments within the local community. I’m especially interested in how thoughtful spatial design can encourage connection, conversation, and a sense of belonging.

As I begin my architectural journey, I’m excited to develop both the creative and technical skills needed to design with empathy and purpose, while learning from the diverse perspectives of my peers.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 20:35

Nandi Tlotlanang M

Hey, I am Nandi Mahlangu currently doing my first year in Architecture, at Manchester School of Architecture.

As an international student from South Africa I’ve been exposed to a rich diversity of cultures, traditions and various equality issues that have driven my fondness for architecture.

I find interest in how people inhabit space. I am intrigued by the ways individuals adapt and reinterpret even the intended use of a place. To me, architecture is dynamic it evolves with the people who occupy it. One of my main motivations for studying architecture is the desire to contribute meaningfully to communities that are often marginalised or overlooked.

This project felt well suited to my interests of engaging with the needs of voices that are not always heard. I am eager to explore how it will deepen my understanding of design as both a creative and socially responsive practice, especially as I continue learning in a new country and gaining wider perspectives through travel.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 19:20

Group 16 / ACTIVE AXIS

Zoya K

Zoya Khan - BArch 1

Hi, i’m Zoya! I’m in my first year of BA Architecture. I was born and spent a large part of my childhood in Blackburn, Lancashire, before moving to Greater Manchester where I’ve lived since. From a young age I’ve had a strong passion for design and art. I first knew I wanted to become an architect during my GCSEs, and that interest only grew stronger when I studied 3D Design at A Level, where I really flourished and developed a deeper understanding of spatial design and creativity.
For our project, we are designing a community leisure facility in Stockport. I’m particularly interested in exploring how spatial layout, materiality, and atmosphere can influence the way people interact within a space, and how thoughtful design can encourage connection and activity.
I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with my team and developing a proposal that brings together community, leisure, and everyday experience in an engaging way.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 19:00

Meeting the collaborators

03.02.26 - Our first encounter with the collaborators allowed us to gauge what it is that Friends of Victoria Hall would like us to explore for Victoria Hall. Clarifying the user groups, existing users and intended regeneration of the space. Glossop is in need of a creative hub for musical, art and youth groups within a flexible use space that mirrors the recently opened market hall.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 17:58

Mohammed M

3/3/2026

Todays session began on a strategic note. Before jumping into design, we sat down to carefully structure the framework around it — finalising and discussing the Budget, Risk Assessment, Ethics, and our Project Timeline. It was important for us to ground the project in reality, ensuring that our ideas are not only ambitious but responsible, feasible, and aligned with the values of Monton Unitarian Church.

As the conversation developed, it naturally transitioned into early design thinking. With clearer constraints of budgets and risk assessments and a direction in place, we began preparing material to pitch to the client.

Each of us brought forward relevant precedents, which we analysed collectively, asking how they support user wellbeing, encourage gathering, and create moments of retreat. We sharpened our focus on our chosen user group and considered how the proposal could reflect both the client’s ethos and the lived experiences of those we are designing for.

A major milestone for this session was the completion of our 3D site model. Having a digital base to work from allowed us to begin experimenting visually. Testing massing ideas, exploring spatial relationships, and conceptualising how our intervention might sit within the existing context. Moving between conversation, sketching, and modelling made the process feel dynamic and collaborative, marking the first real moment where our research began to translate into form.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 17:57

Mohammed M

19/2/2026

Today we regrouped and reassessed where the project was heading. Rather than shifting away from the original brief, we made a conscious decision to refine it — grounding our ideas in clearer research and defining a more specific user focus. The aim was to strengthen our response to Monton Unitarian Church and its ethos of care and openness, while ensuring the proposed expansion of the community garden feels purposeful rather than generic.

To work more efficiently and avoid individual overload, we divided into smaller sub-groups, each responsible for a focused area of development. This allowed us to move forward with clarity and shared accountability.

We allocated the following individual roles:

Site Analysis – mapping the surrounding community and studying environmental conditions such as sunlight, prevailing winds, rainfall, noise, and orientation.

Defining Our Niche – identifying a specific user group to design for, ensuring the proposal feels intentional and socially responsive.

Precedent Studies – researching projects that thoughtfully expand or layer community gardens without losing their character.

Project Clarification – aligning as a team on what we are proposing, why it matters, and how it connects back to the brief.

Project Timeline – structuring our workflow and key milestones to keep momentum and accountability.

This meeting felt like a turning point — less about generating ideas, and more about sharpening them with purpose and direction.

Posted 3 Mar 2026 17:20