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Group E Modular and Movable Maker Space

Hi everyone and welcome to our Blog! As a group, we are interested in modular designs, exhibitions of handmade artifacts and designing architectural structures that enhance the user experience. Our goal is to create a modular and movable maker space in collaboration with MMU Special Collections. // Download Poster

Michael O // Shambhavi J // Evgenia P // Aishwarya S // Irvine T

Irvine T
A few artiFACTS about The Special Collections.

What is Special Collection? Most Universities have a special collection as part of their library, holding rare books, manuscripts and other paper-based items, but too precious to lend out. The MMU Special collections is different as it is also an accredited museum, and therefore in addition to their paper-based collections, holds and exhibits objects and artifacts. They are located on the 3rd floor of the All-Saints Library and is open to the public.

What Kind of Exhibitions Does the MMU Special Collections Display? The exhibitions change every 3-6 months. Currently (Nov 2018) the exhibition on display is based on Architecture, which was preceded by an exhibition on the theme of Ocean Travel Through the Ages, and before that, was an exhibition based on the artist Malcom Garrett.

What is in The Special Actual Collection? On top of the exhibition gallery, the Special collections has an education space, where they teach groups of students, a reading room to support any research, an archive, and a large book collection, ranging from artistic books (books as an object of art), decorated papers and many more.
The School of Art, way back in 1898, as it was still young, had an arts and crafts museum, linked to the arts and crafts movement, and they collected amazing pieces of art used to inspire students. The special collections now have that collection and keep adding it to it (how amazing is that!), but nowhere to display it (How sad is that!).
This is essentially the problem the special collections face. A large collection of BEAUTIFUL material, but nowhere to display them

Initial Thoughts on the Modular Maker Space.

• The Maker space will be for the Special Collections, located on the 3rd floor lobby, right outside the elevators. Due to its locations here are a few health and safety considerations to consider.
• The maker space will need to be an easy to use installation, to accommodate more that 1 person at a time, inspiring them, through the special collections, to create and do something in the space. The activities they will be doing will be low risk, no bigger than an A3.
• How can the Maker Space best represent the Special Collections?
• The Maker Space will need to be able to be ‘packed up’ and stored away at the end of the day, ideally by 1 person.
Posted 18 Feb 2019 18:21
Evgenia P
The project will be located on the third floor of the MMU (All Saints) Library, in the lobby of the Special Collections. Its central location works in favor of the Special Collections, as their aim is to connect their collections and exhibitions with the public. Students, as well as faculty and the general public, pass by the building daily, sometimes unaware of the Metropolitan University of Manchester's own museum, exhibiting incredible collections of books, posters and artifacts.
Posted 18 Feb 2019 01:55
Shambhavi J
'Drawing the Modern' draws on the archive of Gordon Hodkinson (1928-2018), a student of architecture at Manchester Municipal School of Art in the 1940s-1950s. The exhibition explores post-war architectural education through a selection of Hodkinson's drawings including sketches, gouache rendered plans and construction details, as well as project briefs and lecture notes.

In Manchester, in the mid-twentieth century, there were two schools of architecture. One was based at Owens College (The University of Manchester) and the other at Manchester Municipal School of Art. At the Municipal School, under the direction of Head of Architecture Douglas Jones, modernism was central to teaching and design in architecture.

It was in this modern school of architecture that Gordon Hodkinson studied between 1944 and 1951. He was sponsored by H.T. Seward of the architectural firm Cruickshank & Seward and went on to spend his whole career with the firm. He was involved with the Ferranti factory in Wythenshawe and the nearby headquarters for the Renold Chain Company. Gordon was also project architect for the Reynold Building on the former UMIST campus, the city's best group of twentieth-century buildings.

This is the first public exhibition of work from Hodkinson's archive and that of Cruikshank & Seward. It has been curated by Dr. Richard Brook, Reader in Architecture at Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester Metropolitan University.

https://www.specialcollections.mmu.ac.uk/exhibitions.php
Posted 18 Feb 2019 00:59
Shambhavi J
What does the Special Collections offer?

STUDY & LEARN
Special Collections offers inspiration to students in their studies. The Special Collections’ reading room is open from 10 am until 4 pm, Monday to Friday. The Book Design and Children's collections can be accessed without an appointment. One can contact the Special Collections team in advance to make arrangements to view other material in the collections or if one is not a student or member of staff at Manchester Metropolitan University.

TEACH
The collections can also be used in teaching to groups of up to 20 people. In addition to this, the collections offer access to their publications and catalogs from where learning material and educational resources may be purchased. It also gives an insight into the archival collection, one of which is the North West Film Archive, where viewing facilities are available for individuals as well as groups for teaching, research, and screenings.

EXHIBIT
The Special Collections has a changing programme of exhibitions often accompanied by lectures and tours. The team also host meetings and events where the displays of material from the collections provide an inspirational and attractive environment.

CONSERVATION
The use of Special Collections is supported by a conservation team who are responsible for the long-term preservation of the collections. This team works to conserve the collections so that they are available for display and study without placing the objects in danger of further deterioration.
Posted 18 Feb 2019 00:50
Aishwarya S
Our collaborator 'The Special Collections' require a maker space that is foldable, modular and movable. We plan to design a compact structure, that can be unfolded and used when required and then folded away for storage when necessary. The precedent in the GIF above works on a similar idea where the maker space can be packed into a box when not in use. It can then be unfolded and converted into a personalized workspace. The emphasis of this particular design lies in it's MOBILITY due to it's sturdy wheels, FLEXIBILITY in expansion and MULTI-USE modular compartments
Posted 18 Feb 2019 00:07
Evgenia P
The Special Collections team wants to invite more people to the third floor of the MMU Library, encouraging creativity and connections between the public, the students and the exhibits. Visitors will be able to find all the materials required for bookmaking in the unfolding compartments, inspired by the artifacts exhibited within the Special Collections.
Posted 18 Feb 2019 00:04
Michael O
SKILLS

Bookmaking & Bookbinding

The special collections library includes a wide range of handmade books and other physical media. We will be teaching you how to make your own sketchbooks, portfolios and books. We believe it is an asset to be able to hand someone a unique hand-crafted portfolio in a job interview, review or exhibition. We will cover a wide range of techniques, as well as providing advice on tools and materials.
Posted 29 Jan 2019 16:52
Michael O
SKILLS

Model Making

Our event involves designing a modular workshop for the special collections. We will be prototyping this as a physical model and developing your model making skills in the process.
Posted 29 Jan 2019 16:52
Michael O
SKILLS

Drawing Packages

We will be producing an ‘industry standard’ drawing package for our concept. We will teach you how to produce a professional pack of drawings that would be appropriate in practice. This includes all the proper architectural etiquette such as setting up and organising sheets, revisions, signing off, schedules, tagging etc.
Posted 29 Jan 2019 16:51
Michael O
SKILLS

Portfolio & Exhibition Presentation

The event will conclude with a display of our concept in the special collections space in the library. We will be displaying the handmade books, prototype model and drawings, and in the process, we will be teaching you how to organise and set up an exhibition in preparation for your own end of year shows.
Posted 29 Jan 2019 16:50
Shambhavi J
Meet the Group E(L-R) Michael O'Reilly (CPU), Shambhavi Joshi (CPU), Eugenia Papaiakovou (USE), Aishwarya Somisetty (PRAXXIS), and Irvine Toroitich (&arch).
Posted 8 Jan 2019 14:06
Michael O
Group E - Modular and Movable Maker Space - Events Poster
Posted 8 Jan 2019 13:34