Once the installation was in place, the group started experimenting with different lighting arrangements. The lighting tests showed interesting shadows, areas of interest and helped to highlight the installation within the dark space under the stairs.

Today we installed the artwork within the Whitworth. The six maps which explore Manchester's development through intensive regeneration were carefully suspended from the staircase and held in tension by the weights attached to the bottom, bolted together to emulate the industrious past.

Beautiful concept drawings exploring the installation within the site by Ben Carter.

On Tuesday the group started prototyping models for the installation. They explored the use of tracing paper further within the space under the stairs and developed a method for attaching the sheets.

Whilst this was going on, the others were producing the drawing package and pulling together a presentation ready for the presentation to the Whitworth on Friday.

Over the weekend the students are required to:
- Find suitable precedents: Images of other installations that excite you and might be appropriate for the space
.
- Explore a Concept/theme: what message does your installation want to convey?

- Find/consider Materials: What materials can you get a hold of? And what technique do you want to use?

It would be great to see some initial sketches and precedent images of what you are proposing, so please bring these along to show on Monday.

Friday ended with a conceptual consideration of the topics we were trying to explore through the installation. Murals like the example image were discussed and the potential of the opportunities and limitations of the space within the Whitworth were explored!

To begin day three of the event, we gave a lecture on changing urban environments. The lecture began with thinking about significance of buildings and related to statutory framework of listed buildings. From this we moved through the different architectural styles, highlighting key features to help the students identify the age of buildings they are looking at.

Focusing down on Manchester, and the change which has occurred here, we discussed the significance of the industrial revolution, the IRA bombing, gentrification and globalisation and the architecture which has come from these events.

This lecture led us on to thinking about the problems which are faced in the modern city and developing themes which can be explored later in the week with reference to the final output of the installation.

Following 'Ladder Training' on Wednesday we are all ready for the event commencing on Monday. As stated in the Programme, we will meet outside the Whitworth Gallery main entrance at 10am. Please bring sketchbooks and drawing equipment with you. We are looking forward to meeting you all and having an exciting two weeks!

Here is an updated Programme/Session plan for 'Changing Urban Environments', including locations and times. If you have any further questions regarding the event, please drop one of us an email. If not, get your pencils sharpened and we hope to see you soon!

After further discussions with the Whitworth Gallery here is the proposed programme for the event. Over the course of the two weeks there are various exercises, lectures and site visits which aim to develop a critical understanding of 'change' in Manchester in a diverse and interesting format.

The work of Dianne Petherbridge has sparked an interest in the power that drawings have to communicate complex messages, ideas and opinions. As a result the Whitworth Galley have organised a workshop which they have invited us to participate in and also help deliver.

The workshop is a sketching masterclass for A level students from a local college on the 19th January in the Whitworth Gallery. The event will be run by artist Oliver East with short talks given by ourselves, a Building Service Engineer and an Environmentalist, demonstrating the power of visual communication across different disciplines. The collaboration of the different professionals highlights the different techniques, styles, priorities and values of drawings by different people and challenges what the students understand a drawing to represent. The aim of the event is to share expertise, spark curiosity and demonstrate the potential the work of the students could have in communicating messages and information through their work.

Making the invisible visible is the key theme for the workshop with the intention to highlight the power a drawing can have to convey ideas as well as recording or observing. The sketching masterclass includes practical and theoretical elements drawing on the key themes which are present in Petherbridge’s work such as climate change.

The workshop will provide interesting ideas and different viewpoints which can be utilised within our Event in March, encouraging students to consider the power of visual communication and exploring different methods to articulate concepts through different mediums.

Following an inspiring meeting at the Whitworth Gallery, the brief for the event has changed. The installation will now be located within the gallery and will respond to the work of exhibiting artist, Deanne Petherbridge. The event will focus on the interpretation of space, and how that can be represented through sketches, models and interventions ultimately culminated within an exhibition in the galley itself.

Following this development we are going to explore potential funding streams for the intervention and continue to work with the exhibition curator to define the brief further.