Hi, I'm Lucy Graham. I’m currently an MArch1 student at the Manchester School of Architecture, driven by a long-standing passion for the built environment that began growing up in Dubai, where the city’s bold and dynamic architecture first captured my imagination and led me to complete my undergraduate degree at the University of Liverpool. After graduating, I spent a year working in architectural practice in London, gaining hands-on experience that sharpened my design thinking and strengthened my creative confidence. I’m excited to collaborate within a diverse team, pushing ideas, letting creativity flow freely, and exploring new ways to inject art, craft, and culture into Stockport, generating a vibrant energy around this historic town centre and celebrating the iconic River Mersey as a catalyst for new life and activity.

03/02/26

We met as a group for the first time to kick off our MSA Live project, marking the beginning of an exciting new collaborative journey. Together, we carefully read and digested the brief, reflecting on the collaborator’s requirements and discussing how each of us interpreted the project. This process allowed us to begin aligning our ideas and shaping a shared understanding of its ambitions and potential direction.

Alongside this, we introduced ourselves more personally, sharing our backgrounds and experiences in architecture. It quickly became clear that our diverse perspectives and skill sets could meaningfully inform the project’s development. We concluded the meeting by signing a group contract, formally committing to the project both as individuals and as a collective, establishing a foundation of accountability and mutual responsibility moving forward.

Later, we met with our collaborator for the first time. The session was both inspiring and productive. We discussed his vision in greater depth, shared our interpretation of the brief, and aligned on the next steps. He elaborated on the ambitions and underlying values of the project, helping us to better understand its broader context and intended impact. In turn, we presented our initial thoughts and posed clarifying questions, fostering an open and constructive dialogue that set a positive tone for the collaboration ahead.

09/02/26

To develop a stronger understanding of the project, a small group of us visited Stockport (more specifically the Merseyway Shopping Centre and the surrounding high streets), to inform our design approach. The visit proved particularly valuable, as there are no strict site boundaries defined within our brief. Experiencing the area first-hand enabled us to better understand its character, urban fabric, and atmosphere.

By observing patterns of movement, vacancy rates, active frontages, and the overall condition of the public realm, we were able to identify key opportunities and constraints that will shape our design response. As our brief centres on introducing and supporting contemporary creative spaces within Stockport, it was essential to assess where cultural interventions could have the most meaningful impact, whether through revitalising underused spaces, activating vacant units, or strengthening connections between the high street and existing community activity.

09/02/26

During our visit to Stockport, we were fortunate enough to speak with two members of staff at the Merseyway Workshop, a central hub for craft and art in Stockport. Their insights offered valuable first-hand perspectives on how the space operates, the creative practices it supports, and its role within the local community. We also discussed what they would like to see introduced to further revitalise the high street, gaining a clearer understanding of how creative initiatives could contribute to wider regeneration efforts and help re-establish the area as a vibrant cultural destination.

17/02/26

With a clearer understanding of the site, the brief, and the needs outlined by our collaborator, we began to define the project more concretely. This included finalising the design for our poster and establishing a stronger collective vision for the project moving forwards.

We also engaged in deeper discussions surrounding the practical and ethical responsibilities of the project. As we are working with a collaborator and, in some cases, members of the public, we considered the need for an ethics application, as well as identifying potential risks and outlining how these would be addressed within a formal risk assessment. We discussed the responsibilities associated with managing the allocated budget, ensuring transparency and accountability in its distribution, as well as the importance of clear and effective project management.

We also began to establish a realistic timeline, setting achievable milestones while still striving to deliver a rich and ambitious outcome. These tasks were then divided among the group to ensure clarity of roles and shared responsibility. Alongside the collective discussions, each member independently wrote and uploaded a blog post introducing themselves, helping to establish our individual voices within the wider project framework.

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.