Hi, I’m Macie! (MArch 1)

After graduating from the University of Bath, I returned home to begin my masters at MSA. With a strong interest in sustainability and experimental design, I joined the SKN atelier, where I was first introduced to Withington Baths. By the end of the first semester, I had become deeply engaged with the project’s rich historical and social layers, and I was delighted to continue my involvement through MSA Live, building on the work and relationships developed earlier in the year.

During our first site visit, we began by exploring the baths independently, taking time to observe and experience the space as both visitors and Withington locals might. This initial walk-through allowed us to understand the complex circulation in and around the site.

We were then invited on a guided tour by a member of staff, who generously enriched our visit with historical insights and anecdotes. Her commentary helped us appreciate not only the architectural character of the baths but also its longstanding role within the community.

One of the highlights was the opportunity to go behind the scenes. We explored the basement level beneath the pools, gaining a deeper understanding of the building’s operational infrastructure. We also gathered in the courtyard (the proposed site for the new extension), where we began to imagine how much needed additional space might integrate with the existing fabric.

We were surprised by the building's diverse range of users: students attending a yoga class, young children taking part in early-years swimming lessons, and professionals making use of the co-working space. This inclusivity underscored the baths’ continued relevance, not simply as a leisure facility, but as a dynamic community hub.

During an initial meeting with our collaborator, we met Dave Payne, a Board Member at Withington Baths. Dave provided a detailed overview of the Baths’ history and outlined the broad range of possibilities we could explore through this project.

A key element of the brief he emphasised was the need for a new gym, to be delivered as an extension to the existing building. He encouraged us to think beyond a single-use addition, suggesting a mixed-use approach that could incorporate social housing, event spaces, and communal facilities, among other opportunities.

To help contextualise these ambitions, Dave shared previous design proposals, which ranged from modest two-storey interventions to more ambitious four- and five-storey schemes spanning the entire site.

Group 13: Withington Baths ‘Internal Reflection’
As our group is getting closer and more stuck in with our project at Withington Baths, we wanted to take a moment to have a quick "internal interview" with the team.

Communication:
The general consensus - we’re actually talking to each other! Jiabin and Song both highlighted that our communication has been a major strength from day one. Ben agreed, noting that the team has shown great input and attendance across the board.

One of the big "unknowns” going in was how the different year groups would mesh. Mia, Laiba, and Manouka admitted they were a little worried that the Masters students might be intimidating. Thankfully, they’ve found the opposite to be true!

The Workload:
We’ve been pretty strategic about how we divvy up the workload. Our group all feel that jobs have been assigned based on people’s strengths as well as opportunities to learn.

Split into subgroups, we’ve all worked well to produce a successful poster and blog, a thorough plan of action, a budget proposal, and a detailed risk assessment.

In the mini interview that took place during today’s group work, many also pointed out that everyone is "pulling their weight" and meeting deadlines, which is always a massive win for a university group project.

A ‘What If’ Exercise with the Budget Team
We asked: What would happen if our budget suddenly doubled?

Our budget team agreed that while we can still do a lot with what we have, extra cash would mean:

1. Physical Models: More 3D explorations of our ideas.
2. Easier Community Engagement: we could create even better Withington community engagement.
3. Site Logistics: It could make site visits even easier for the whole team.

What’s Not Working?:
Every project does have its hurdles though! It has been noted that our Tuesday sessions can feel a bit drawn out, however we are working to stay flexible and keep everyone involved.

A recurring issue raised in the interview is that slightly itchy phase we’ve found ourselves in where we’re waiting for the ‘real’ design work to kick off. There’s definitely an appetite to see layouts and examples of previous submissions so we can really start to visualise our final output.

One more thing we need to fix: not everyone has been to the site yet. Getting everyone down to the Baths is top of the priority list!

Looking Ahead:
Overall the mood is high and we’ve realised we have a "nice" group (Mackenzie’s words!), and that’s half the battle won already. We are specifically looking forward to the visualisation stage, and getting more stuck in with the community.