Events 20

The construction elements have been broken down into 5 components. These components have been further dissected to calculate costings and construction assembly.

The components include:

Bench

Fence System

Fence End Piece Feature

Small Planter

Large Planter

The fence and planters are designed as modular systems to provide ease of assembly, reducing time and complications. These pieces will be cut and assembled individually on campus by a team of students, then transported to site where they will be fastened to one another.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:29

Small Planter

Constructed using 20x200mm larch pieces. Each small planter is the same, making assembly easier and quicker. The repetitive elements contribute to its aesthetics. Wood pieces will be fixed using screws and metal brackets. They will be finished to reduce weathering and contribute to overall aesthetics.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:27

Large Planter

Constructed using 20x200mm larch pieces. Each large planter is the same, making assembly easier and quicker. The repetitive elements contribute to its aesthetics. Wood pieces will be fixed using screws and metal brackets. They will be finished to reduce weathering and contribute to overall aesthetics.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:26

Fence End Piece Feature

Constructed using 50x100mm larch pieces and plywood sheets. The piece includes an extruded element that will be a place for Incredible Educations logo. Wood pieces will be fixed using screws and finished to reduce weathering.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:26

Fence System

Constructed using larch pieces including 20x50mm and 50x100mm sizes. One fence is constructed using 2 separate components due to length restrictions of the larch pieces. These repetitive elements contribute to its aesthetics. Wood pieces will be fixed using screws and finished to reduce weathering.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:26

Bench

Constructed using 50x100mm larch pieces, making assembly easier and quicker. The repetitive elements contribute to its aesthetics. Wood pieces will be fixed using screws and finished to reduce weathering.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:25

Group 28 / SPINSPACE

Aslan Gabriel L

In the first week there will be an optional activity to visit and volunteer at Barnabus in the city centre.

Barnabus is a christian charity with the aim to give love, hope and support to those in need. A drop in session provides showers, clothes, food and a variety of activities. Support workers offer 1-2-1 support helping to empower their friends.

As well as activities and workshops, Barnabus provides opportunities to work and relax with their upcycling furniture and allotment to look after. These projects help people learn skills to get back into employment whilst also providing spaces to relax and make friends.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:23

SOCIAL VALUE - DIGITAL INCLUSION

There are a number of benefits that come by creating a safe and inclusive space where vulnerable people can gather to learn digital skills.

QUALITY OF LIFE: Improved access to health and wellbeing information and services

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Through online transactions, households will be more likely to receive offers and save up and will also have access to a larger market of goods and services

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT: We live in a digital age, and lack of digital skills can encourage isolation and depression. Digital inclusion builds an opportunity for community engagement and participation

EDUCATION: Vulnerable people will be more likely to have access and benefit of education

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: There will be more opportunities to engage within the civic and democratic community

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: With an indispensable set of digital skills now required by most employers, vulnerable people will have increased access to a range of different jobs

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:21

DIGITAL INCLUSION IN THE UK

A report done by GoodThings Foundation collated information for a better understanding of the mechanisms behind Digital Inclusion. Their report summarizes both strengths of the Future Digital Inclusion model as well as areas of improvement. The charts show the learner population broken down into four main demographic factors which can become predictors of motivation, barriers and support needs.

Source: Goodthingsfoundation.org. 2020. Future Digital Inclusion: Delivering Basic Digital Skills For Those In Need | Good Things Foundation. [online] Available at: [Accessed 23 March 2020].

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:17

Vision Animation 3

A video clip showing the seating and gathering space in detail.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:14

Vision Animation 2

A video clip showing the planter fence design in detail.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:12

Vision Animation 1

A video clip showing an overview of the shipping container design in context.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:11

Schedule of the Events Week

Throughout the two weeks we will be working on a live project Constructing and Designing the tools shed and gathering space.

We will jump straight into construction early during the week after short introduction by our Client and inductions at the workshop and be split into 3 different teams depending on what the student’s preference is; there is something for everyone.

On Site –We will be painting and decorating the concrete base and shipping container on site and begin to paint on designs based from Phoebe’s drawings. Painting the mural, adapted from our local student’s illustration put artistic abilities to good use and include priming, setting out and decorating.

Construction - We will be working in the workshops at the University to Cut and Construct prefabricated elements that we will bring on site. Working efficiently and smartly together as a team to ensure that all pieces on the cutting list are cut properly and delivered on time.

Assembly – We will be transporting the prefabricated pieces on site and being assembling them together. This method will reduce the time required on site, so we are not as affected by weather conditions.

We will end with a celebration and opening of the site for the last day to the local community for them to enjoy the space we have created and learn more about the project, enhancing community involvement.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:08

Refined Design Option 2

We are trying to visualise Phoebe’s drawing on the pavement and container, in order to incorporate her design to our further development on the shed.

We believe that the students in the forest school contributing to our design on the shed would facilitate our engagement in the local community.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 11:00

Refined Design Option 1

After the first round of design discussion with the client, two design proposals are presented here as one expensive option which involves paving and wooden cladding with planters on the container.

The other one is a cheaper option which replaces the paving and cladding with painting designs.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 10:40

Community Involvement

Guess who’s drawing is that?

In our design, we took inspiration from Phoebe’s initial drawing which corresponds to nature-themed characters of the forest school.

Phoebe is a student from the Canterbury Centre, a public health referral unit which provides opportunities for young people and their families to learn.

We believe that the students in the forest school contributing to our design on the shed could facilitate our engagement with the local community.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 10:34

First Steps on Site

Seeing the project come together, the best part of doing a live project!

The shipping container has been delivered on site! The used shipping container was procured by the Client and we will be reusing it to form the area for the tool shed.

Reusing the shipping container and making use of existing materials not only allows us to reduce our impact on the environment and give the shipping container new life and further use but also reduces costs compared to constructing a new structure.

Seeing the shipping container being delivered on site in person sparked our enthusiasm even further, its truly a different experience seeing the container in real life compared to drawings in the studio; the greatness of a live-build project.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 09:57

Paint Design

The existing concrete pad will be cleaned & painted in a bespoke design pattern that both blends in the surrounding setting and elevates the design implementation. The colour scheme of the design is inspired by the colours found within the site premises, consists of mainly earthly green and brown tones with bright colours from the flowers

Posted 23 Mar 2020 09:53

Aniela Jo M

FARM FACT

The average city could grow enough vegetables to meet the recommended vegetable intake if it devotes just 10% of its city limit area to urban farming

Posted 23 Mar 2020 09:50

Group 10 / SUPPORTED EARTH

Location of the Container

Since the site is situated within the direct visual axis when entering the site, the placement of the container is crucial to consider.
The two options proposed are, placing the container on the edge of the concrete pad, or placing the container in the centre, different container placement forms different visual impact when entering the site, also results in different furniture placement in the breakout area.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 09:48

Group 28 / SPINSPACE

Liam Kristian C

CORONAVIRUS AND HOMELESSNESS

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has posed many questions and provided uncertainty for the vulnerable and at risk. Where do the homeless fit into this? Are we equipped to provide safe shelter for rough sleepers who could potentially have been infected? New laws are reportedly giving the police the power to arrest anyone with the virus not self-isolating indoors, though there is a lack of sympathy for those without a place to stay. Communities and charities are doing all they can to help the homeless, though, should the authorities be put into question? It is times like these that highlight the vulnerability and apparent segregation of those without a bed.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 09:23

Felicity P

WHICH PLANTS?

The third in our “which plant” series is Indigo. This beautifully delicate pink flower loves to grow in a tropical environment, however, if it is grown in a greenhouse then it will still thrive in the UK. Interestingly depending on the climate, the plant is grown in, it will dictate the way in which the plant grows, e.g. it may be an annual, biennial, or perennial. This plant was actually one of the original sources of this colour and is still used today for fabric dying and hair dye.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 09:00

Group 22 / NEWTOPIA

Lucy Hannah W

CASE STUDY #4 - TELFORD

The last of the four case studies to be designated was Telford in November 1968, which was originally designated as Dawley in 1963. As well as accommodating overspill from other congested cities, it was intended to regenerate the waning East Shropshire coalfield area. Just 22 miles north west of Birmingham, conservation and tourism played an important role in its development as the area had lots of rich historical advantages to offer. The most famous of which being Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site. The intended population was 168,000 from 70,000 at its time of designation, this was to be deployed across 3,683 hectares of land. The masterplan aimed for a balance between industrial and residential development, which utilised a large amount of despoiled and contaminated land, formerly used by extractive industries. The Development Corporation wanted to integrate the market town of Wellington and a number of former townships with new, low-density, single-use development areas, linked by an extensive road network enabling congestion-free car travel. Now, Telford is one of the 64 largest urban centres in the UK which has expanded over the years through several urban extensions.

This case study was undertaken by Mona Tamaru, Motunrayo Soyannwo, Sally Lofthouse, Yeside Sobowale and Xinbo Wang . Their document was titled : “A case study to assess the development and success of Telford”

Posted 23 Mar 2020 01:52

Daniel W

Youth Centre 422 - Precedent studies - Ku.Be House

An exciting precedent that boasts a very fun way to design a community centre. Allowing for innovative design and integrated fun/activities. Mixing spaces with different uses allowing for the integration of different communities.

This study will be presented by Heston and Ajay.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 01:09

Daniel W

Youth Centre 422 - Precedent studies - Space 10 Office

This is a creative reuse project of an existing office, using new partitions and innovative spaces to divide working, socialising and other day to day activities. This aims to give a good understanding of flexible office spaces.

The use of materials within the build will also be highlighted in our presentation with a talk on haptic and tectonic architecture and why these should be considered.

This study will be presented by Alex and Jack.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 01:05

Group 22 / NEWTOPIA

Hayden W

WORKSHOP ANNOUNCMENT

SAVE THE DATE:

WHO? Victoria Howarth & Bren O’Callaghan
WHEN? 29.05.20
WHAT? Gallery Tour

We are excited to announce that will be visiting Home Galleries in Manchester where we will be taken on a guided tour by Victoria Howarth and Bren O’Callaghan. We will have the opportunity to get an insight into three key gallery spaces including the Granada Gallery and Inspire Gallery alongside a backstage pass for a workshop on how to market and create a professional exhibition.

WHY HOME? Home have a great reputations for exhibitions! They also have a long history working with MMU enriching the students culture and history. To find out more about Home Galleries and what’s on, follow the link: https://homemcr.org/art/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwmdzzBRC7ARIsANdqRRnBX8o9sVBPAXeUpifcuywBNXV6w0uAbLj9mYEfpoQm8kqHuoKM1-UaAn1BEALw_wcB

Posted 23 Mar 2020 01:03

Daniel W

Youth Centre 422 - Curating an event - BBC Philharmonic

The Manchester Vineyard have been asked to put on a show within the youth centre for the BBC Philharmonic, this will be filmed for the public. This creates a great opportunity to display our designs and processes to the public. Showing what we believe as a group the building could be restored to. We will also be designing the setup and area for the performance to take place.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 01:01

Michael R

OUR SITE: TIB STREET CAR PARK III

Tib street car park has the potential to let an urban farm start on a smaller scale and expand as demand and crop diversity increase.
During our initial explorations of what a 'Superfarm' is and concept stage design we will investigate the potential of the site and propose phases of the superfarm as well as additional programmes that could link to the farm through the retrofit of the existing structure.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 00:28

Michael R

OUR SITE: TIB STREET CAR PARK II

The site we have chosen to explore during our Farm Follows Function project is the NCP car park located on Tib Street. We have chosen this site firstly for its location. It is situated in the heart of the Northern Quarter - one of Manchester's most densely populated areas by restaurants and independent food sellers. This would mean that the produce grown on the site can be delivered easily and quickly on foot or by bike: completely cutting out food miles, reducing the carbon footprint of the produce and bringing food production back to the local area.

Posted 23 Mar 2020 00:14

Group 02 / MANMUS

Alex Ching-Nam T

Recycled materials will be used for any alterations and additional furniture. A wide range of recycled materials would be sourced to create 1:1 models for items such as the small container units to keep smaller products in the shops, pegboards and more.
SMILE recycled plastics are a good example of the recycled materials under consideration. The panels are made from yoghurt pots, plastic bottles, coffee grounds etc. Smile plastics are hard and dense, 100% waterproof and easy to work with. Examples of the versatility of the products are on their website; they have used the Smile plastics for exterior and interior purposes. As described 'Our Smile Plastics panels are a springboard for the creativity and imagination of designers and architects across the world.' Please find the link to their website below.
A selection of samples are on their way and we will select several materials to be available for the team to create further tests during the events period. We look forward to the new look these materials will offer; alongside the newly refurbished furniture with new or refurbished ironmongery.
https://smile-plastics.com/inspiration

Posted 23 Mar 2020 00:03

Group 02 / MANMUS

Alex Ching-Nam T

Recycle and reuse the existing furniture to provide new furnishing and storage facilities for the new Manchester Museum Shop. Upcycling the existing furniture can be a very difficult task to complete. We will discuss how to reuse the existing furniture. Do we replace the ironmongery? Will we sand down the existing furnitue and refinish it? How will we treat the wood?
Veneering the timber will offer a smooth and uniform finish. It can be easily applied and a very cost effective solution. The veneer can be durable but also easily replaced in the event of damage. Alternatively we can apply a lacquer. Applying a wood lacquer brings out the best qualities of the timber and increases it's durability. On the other hand, we can naturally protect the wood by using the ancient Japanese technique of Shou Sugi Ban.
We look forward to making decisions with the Manmus Team!!!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 23:58

Eleanor S

OUR SITE: TIB STREET CAR PARK

As part of the council's plans for sustainability they are aiming to improve the quality, quantity and frequency of public transport. Many of Manchester's newly improved public realms implement pedestrianised areas or public transport only roads. This all acts as an incentive to decrease the number of private cars driving into and parking in the city centre. Therefore, many of the multi storey car parks in the city centre will be made redundant.
One question that hasn't been explored by the council yet is what will happen to these structures once they become disused? The obvious answer would be a developer snaps up the plot and constructs overpriced and under demanded apartments. However, there is a much better use for these structures that doesn't involve demolition and has a much more positive social impact on the city.
CREATE AN URBAN FARM... or even a SUPERFARM!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 23:10

Group 31 / RISING ARCHITECTS

Michael R

FARM FACT

Urban farming can reduce the heat-island effect within cities, caused by concrete structures, asphalt and deforestation. Devoting more urban space to growing food and plants can help reduce the temperature in cities, just another way urban farming can combat climate change!

A study was completed by the University of Cardiff in 2007 that showed roof top gardens and vertical garden walls can significantly reduce the temperature of the surrounding air by as much as 6 degrees Celsius by shading building surfaces, deflecting solar radiation and releasing moisture into the surrounding atmosphere. In turn, this can reduce urban air pollution around cities.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 22:59

Andrea Gabriela N

Rising Architects - The 2-Day Taster Course

Having designed a speculative 5-day architectural summer course for The Smallpeice Trust, we will then test part of it as a 2-day taster course at a local school.

On day 1 a series of introductory presentations will be given, the main one being ‘What I Wish I Knew’. This is a presentation that provides tips and advice on applying to University to study Architecture, accompanied by a variety of example portfolio applications. Day 1 will also mark the start of the Design and Build Competition (more details will be announced soon!). Throughout the day a variety of design workshops will take place, including tutorials on SketchUp and physical model making.

Day 2 will start with a walking tour of MSA, UoM and MMU campuses. A Photography Competition will run alongside this and photos taken are encouraged to be used in their portfolios when applying to universities too. Two guest speakers will give presentations to all pupils, one of which will include a professional Architect who will present a variety of exciting projects they have worked on in practice. The 2-day course will end with: an Award Ceremony where final designs will be presented to a panel of judges (these will include our two guest speakers and a representative from The Smallpeice Trust), a closing speech, certificates of attendance (produced by The Smallpeice Trust) and thank-yous.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 22:30

Group 31 / RISING ARCHITECTS

Andrea Gabriela N

Rising Architects - Designing The Course

The purpose of our event is to design and test a summer Architecture course for the Smallpeice Trust at Manchester School of Architecture. The final output being a report/publication showing the 5-day timetable, 2-day taster course and feedback we received from it. The process required to get to this output relies heavily on students who: are passionate about their architectural education, want to help others by sharing knowledge/skills and are able to work well in a team. These are also important skills you will need as future Architects. We will spend time reflecting on our architectural experiences and thinking of strategies to make the architectural application process easier. This is a chance for you to inspire prospective students, giving them advice on what you would have liked to have known! We will also incorporate a number of creative workshops which will develop your architectural skills to use in future projects.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 22:19

Group 17 / CARBON HOUSING RETROFIT

Supriya Maruti J

Communication is key when it comes to group work and group meetings like these help us come up with a schedule to carry out the tasks for our EVENT.
We make sure we each share equal responsibilities and workload so it's easier to meet the goal. The team was enthusiastic and we all took initiatives when it came to assigning tasks.
We're working as a team from the get-go and it's so much fun when we also get to learn from each other along the way!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:58

Group 01 / ST MARY'S SENSORY WALK

Joseph Christopher K

Session Plan: Week 2

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:51

Ifan J

On the second day of our events program, we will be visiting the office of 5plus architects in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. The team will be meeting with Natasha Dance, the Associate Interior Designer who will be giving us a short presentation on interior projects she has worked on for 5plus architects. We will then have a discussion about what we want to accomplish with the Youth Center, and bouncing some initial ideas off each other and the team at 5plus. Natasha will also take us around the materials library at 5plus so that we can begin to decide which materials we think would be appropriate for the Youth Center.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:36

Patrick M

TIMETABLE II

The brief schedule of events for the second week of the Farm Follows Function event.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:35

Patrick M

TIMETABLE

The brief schedule of events for the first week of the Farm Follows Function event.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:34

Chor Yu M

The following will be the content in the publication which we plan to make.

1) The current state, which the existing buildings and the historical landmarks in the area (like Black Star Square.. etc) will be documented.

2) Maps drawn by us which will compare the currently listed uses available on online navigation systems (google maps)
to its actual facilities on the ground i.e. local businesses and community interventions.

3) Local speculations and opinions about future development (In Manchester, an informal interview with the Secretary of the UOM Ghanaian Society has already been organised by a member of our team).

4) Information about the Marine Drive Project from the social media feeds of verified local news outlets, which will create a timeline.

5) Comparisons of various masterplan proposal with the situation.

6) Maps produced by QGIS, phots, sketches and graphics which will show the existing site and current proposal.

The output is planned to be engaging and accessible and there is a chance to publish it on a national/local platform.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:26

WHAT IS DIGITAL INCLUSION?

Digital Inclusion is the process whereby technologies such as the internet is made accessible to individuals by helping them learn the right skills to take advantage of the tools they need for social and economic integration.

A lack of digital access and skills can impact a person’s life in a negative way such as: social isolation, less access to jobs and education or poorer health. This also means vulnerable people are less visible in the modern world as most services tend to move online.

11.3 million people in the UK do not have access or the basic digital skills needed by today’s employer’s or universities, widening the social inequality gap.

Delivering digital capabilities through the provision of facilities such as: public access computers, free wi-fi spots or training courses will greatly improve the quality of life and well being of those as risk of being marginalized.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:25

OUR SITE

Lifeshare’s is based in Northern Quarter, Manchester. They are in close proximity to Great Ancoats Street which is a key part of the Manchester and Salford Inner Relief Route around the city centre, making the site highly accessible with several transport options.

Their offices are based in a three storey industrial townhouse and has recently undergone refurbishment done by Laing O’Rourke.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:23

BRIEF

Our brief consists of reimagining part of Lifeshare’s offices in Northern Quarter. The third floor of their offices is currently used as storage. This will be transformed into a digital den which will include a computer training room, a one-to-one therapy room and a small kitchen.

We will produce a set of drawings as well as a 3D model for the refurbishment. Our aim is to design an inclusive and welcoming space, which encourages wellbeing and interaction between users.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:22

Blossoms on Site

Welcome to the forest school!

Have you ever seen or taste a Salmonberry?

There are a few pink blossoms of Salmonberry near the container, can’t wait to see the berries in summer!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:15

Site Survey

Let's have a closer look to the container!

We took some measurements for the container and potential gathering space. We also presented our ideas to the collaborators, Ian and Judith, after the container was placed in the desired position.

We are now ready to further develop our ideas and feedback from Ian and Judith with a better understanding on the size and space around the shed!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:14

Samuel Ejaye-Uzhieka O

A very insightful interview was carried out by our friends and collaborators at KNUST University, Ghana (Ben, Albert, Chris, Courage and Kobby).
The guest being Nat Nunoo-Amarteifio, former mayor of Accra and influencial architecture historian. During the course of the discussion subjects about the history of the area (the then small city/ newly liberated Ghana and its vision for the marine drive).
There were also discourse about how mapping and dating of Neem trees (known for its medicinal properties) could allude to historical maps of collonisation, and british settlements in the area.
and more... (Audio Available on Group 13 shared drive)
(Fragments of the transcript of the interview will be available in our publication)

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:12

Group 26 / READY SHEDDY GO

Szymon Konrad M

MSA Travel Grant
As a part of this project, we are planning to apply for MSA Travel Grant which would allow students to go to Ghana during the summer to develop further our collaboration and together with students from KNUST university design and built a physical exhibition to present our research. This idea proposed by the Ghanaian team enthusiastically welcomed by Manchester students would allow us to increase awareness of the project not only among students and scholars, but also make it accessible for various social groups and local residents. We would be really excited to see the analysed site of Marine Drive Project and meet in person with our collaborators!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 21:07

Harry W

Presentation Preparation

Throughout the past few weeks we have been busy making the event as varied, interesting and enjoyable. We have had various meetings as a team to discuss how this could be achieved During these group sessions we have been taking minutes and drafting agendas for official collaborator meetings to try and create the best possible event that will be both engaging for the team and valuable for Friends of Beech Road Community Group. The purpose of forming minutes and an agenda were to maintain effective communication with Laura and to keep track of the action points for all involved in the project.

It is extremely important that we satisfy the requirements for the collaborator so that the outcome can be used to benefit the community. Through our meetings, we have been discussing how to give back to the community and to offer a chance for Friends of Beech Road to give their input on what they would like in the park. A number of things discussed were;
- How to involve guest speakers to enhance the learning experience for all of us?
- What educational trips could we go on to expand our knowledge of small architecture?
- What documents are outstanding for the project?
- What blog posts are we going to produce and of what visual style will they be?
- How are we going to involve the committee throughout the project?
- What are the final outcomes for the project?

Through a meeting with the collaborator (Laura), it was decided that we would give the committee a chance to be involved in the project and give their opinions through a presentation of ideas, which will take place at the beginning of the second week. This session will be like a review and will be presented to Laura for feedback and the invite is being extended to any current Friends of Beech Road committee members.

The idea behind having a presentation at the mid-way point is to get comments that can be worked through into the design during the second week. This will enable changes to be made or areas to be developed further for the final booklet of information that will be exhibited in Chorlton.

All of this preparation is to try and create the most social impact possible for the project!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 20:46

Group 26 / READY SHEDDY GO

Abigail M

Design Communication Skills

In addition to the development of digital skills we will also be focusing on developing our design communication skills in a variety of ways.

Through working in a range of different group sizes we aim to improve team working skills and allow everyone to contribute their ideas and thoughts. Some people may feel more comfortable voicing their ideas in pairs or smaller groups at first.

By using model making as a tool of design exploration we can test ideas in 3D whilst communicating key concepts to each other.

In presenting our proposals to the collaborator at the start of the second week we aim to improve presentation skills. This allows us the opportunity to discuss with the other students a range of presentation skills from how to best show ideas to tips on describing the proposals in order to get the collaborator interested and excited.

Following the presentation from Jack Badger we will develop our proposals to produce construction details that will communicate the materiality and construction of important junctions.

Our final output for the project will be exhibiting our work close to the site. All students will be involved in helping to curate and present the work for this, utilising the skills on design communication learnt earlier in the process.
Not only are these design communication skills valuable to the Events project but they are also skills transferable to future projects and even working in practice.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 20:37

Group 26 / READY SHEDDY GO

Abigail M

Digital Skills

Throughout Events there are 4 key programmes we anticipate using for the project. We have organised tutorials, hosted by ourselves or a guest speaker, to provide the skills required for our project. Alongside these workshops we anticipate that all students (including ourselves) will have different levels of experience using these softwares and the project will provide an opportunity to learn from one another.

InDesign: InDesign is crucial for setting up and formatting documents and portfolios and is therefore an extremely useful programme for architecture students to learn. During Events we will be using InDesign to create the final output, a ‘how to build’ booklet for the final designs, and also documenting our design process. We have arranged for Tony from the MMU Digital Media Bar to provide a quick introduction and tutorial to the software. More information on this to follow.

Photoshop: Another programme that is a staple to architecture students is Photoshop as it is really useful for creating a variety of visuals including diagrams, collages and renders.

SketchUp: A 3D modelling software that is useful for creating and adapting models, it can also be used in conjunction with physical modelling to test ideas.

AutoCAD: We will be using AutoCAD during this project to draw construction details on how the Tool Shed can be put together for the Friends of Beech Road Park.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 20:32

Group 01 / ST MARY'S SENSORY WALK

Joseph Christopher K

Session Plan: Week 1

Posted 22 Mar 2020 20:11

Szymon Konrad M

It is not the first time when MSA works with KNUST university. Also, last year group of BA1, BA2 and MA1 students designed an ‘Accra Futurism’ exhibition and together with our Ghanaian friends built it in Accra in summer. The exhibition consisted of a series of posters and 3D printed models of key landmarks of city’s seaside, turned out to be a big success in Accra and was also exhibited in Kumasi. We hope to build on experience and legacy of previous year group to develop and consolidate the collaboration between both universities. For more information about the exhibition and last year collaboration, please check the website of West African Rapid Urbanisation and Heritage Network: https://waruh.wordpress.com/2019/06/25/accra-futurism-exhibition-archiafrika-gallery-jamestown-cafe-accra/

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:38

Laura Gabriela T

- QGIS -

QGIS is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) used for mapping, but not exclusively. The key features of this software are to create, edit, visualise, analyse and publish geospatial information.

Part of our event, we intend to introduce this system as an alternative mapping tool. We have invited a special technician to teach us and our Ghanaian collaborators, how to use this software and apply it to our project.

We intend to use QGIS for drawing up the existing waterfront and the new Marin Drive Project proposal. Based on the video relieved by the architects, being the only visual representation of the proposal, students will be divided into different groups to draw the data. The purpose is to illustrate how the masterplan will fit within its existing context, and compare it against historical masterplan proposals drown in QGIS by students from the Accra Futurism Research Method.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:35

Anya Hristova T

BA1 and BA2 students together with MA01 take part in a team building activity to introduce themselves and to get to know each other. Exploration of Ghanaian cuisine and movies in order to familiarize students with the cultural and historical context of Ghana, followed by introduction to previous studies, done by students from MSA, including Accra Futurism Reaseach-Method and Events 2019. Number of workshops and skill sessions involving the collaboration of students from both UK and Ghana will be presented throughout the project. Groups with participants from all years (BA1, BA2, MA1 and Ghanaian students) will take part in mapping exercises and QGIS training, as well as learn how to present the gathered information in a visual and accessible way. Model making and drawing workshops will take place allowing students to experiment with designs in order to illustrate the current Marine Drive Project proposal and analyze it. Using InDesign, architecture students will create a publication combining all data and present it in front of collaborators.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:32

Anya Hristova T

Additional notes:
1. Accra is the capital city for the Republic of Ghana on the northwest area of Africa near Togo, Benin and Nigeria. However, the capital is not the largest city in Ghana but in terms of population, it comes second after Kumasi.
2. Ghana attained independence from the United Kingdom on March 6. From 1877 to 1957, Accra served as the capital of the British Gold Coast, a period of almost 80 years.
3. Football is the most popular sport in Accra. The Accra Sports Stadium is home to the Hearts of Oak, the most famous football club in the city, and a host venue of the Black Stars, the national football team of Ghana.
4. The capital building is a castle. The seat of government for Accra is located inside of a massive building called Osu Castle. The castle was built in the 1660’s by Danish settlers and has served as the center of the area’s government for centuries.
5. Africa’s largest manmade harbor – Tema Harbor is located east of the capital’s beaches. Ghana is among the greatest exporters of goods suchs as cocoa, petroleum oils, coconuts, etc., around the globe. Cocoa helped the city grow fast Accra owes quite a bit of it’s growth to the cocoa trade.
6. The Atlantic coastline of Accra is blessed with a number of notable beaches, one of which is Labadi beach. The capital’s beachfront area is home to the Academy of African Music and Arts.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:31

Group 02 / MANMUS

Hiu Tung W

SITE SURVEY [April]

A site survey has been arranged to do measurements in the museum. We would have a summary of resources we have currently at the site and cabinets dimension for detailed design, to make clear our design parameters.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:26

Group 03 / WOAH - POD

Sandra Ioana R

Approximately 5,564 people are homeless across Greater Manchester; 1,804 of these individuals are in Manchester and 1,088 are in Salford. Some of these homeless people are living either on the street or in temporary accommodations.

A variety of evictions and repossessions are also included in homelessness main problems. This problem is highest in Manchester and Salford, with approximately 1 in 62 households are at risk of this problem.

Manchester City Centre is the main pinpoint where all these homeless people can be noticed, sleeping in doorways and under flyovers, making it an ordinary sight for the civilians of Manchester. Homelessness in Manchester City Centre has dramatically increased over the past 5 years. There are more people accessing the support offered by daily services, such as the Booth Centre, Mustard Tree and Cornerstone.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:21

Laura Gabriela T

- SITE LANDMARKS -

Accra’s waterfront is located in the city centre and is surrounded by numerous landmarks, enriching the capital with cultural heritages. Numerous of these monuments have been build after the independence, during the time of the first Ghanaian president, Kwame Nkrumah.

-Osu Castle: was built in the 17th century as a fortress by the Danish colony, being numerous time rebuilt during the years. The castle was used by numerous colonial rulers, nowadays being listed as a World Heritage.
-Holy Trinity Church was an Anglican Church built in 1894 and became Cathedral in 1909. It was founded by the British colonial government and it is one of the oldest church buildings in Accra.
-Black Square: was commissioned in 1961 by Kwame Nkrumah in honour of the Queen Elizabeth II visit to release the country into independence. This monument is created to illustrate the fought for Ghana’s independence in 1957.
-Independence Arch: is part of the Independence Square, and it is a grand gate, designed to be the symbolic entrance for the Memorial Park created for Nkrumah.
-Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and Mausoleum: is the resting place of the Nkrumah and his wife. Don Arthur designed the mausoleum as a peace symbol, illustrating an upside-down sward. The park has a museum showcasing rare artefacts related to the countries’ independence.
-Jamestown Lighthouse: is situated in the oldest district in Accra, Jamestown. It was built by British in 1871 and replaced in 1930’ by a modern structure existent today. It served as a light have for the British governors trading and administrative activities.
- Sport Stadium: was commissioned in the 1960S by Kwame Nkrumah to host national and international matches; the sport industry overgoing a great boom after the independence.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:18

Laura Gabriela T

- SITE VISIT -

Many thanks to our collaborators who organised the trip to Accra to enhance the site essence. The pictures illustrate the true value of a site: human, art, architecture, and detail.

The pictures capture the social value of the marine drive waterfront, demonstrating that a site is not just a piece of vacant land; it is much more. It has human activities which define the space, it has monuments and building illustrating the country’s history and heritage, with beautiful architectural details.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:16

Chor Yu M

Joining Re-Imagine Accra will gain you a lot. It is a valuable experience that you do not want to miss out.

We will analyse and produce a publication about the Marine Drive Project in Accra, Ghana in order to provide some insight of the confidential information of this large scale coastline project to the local residents. There is a chance that the publication would be published by the Ghana Institute of Architecture which will make your CV shine.

To further raise the awareness of this project, there is a chance to travel to Ghana to organise an exhibition, just like what the Accra Futurism did in lat year. It is a valuable opportunity. Furthermore, you can gain a precious friendship with talented passionate Ghanaian students.

Last but not least, through this intensive project in two weeks, you are going to apply different architectural drawing softwares, which will benefit your study later on.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:12

EXTERNAL CRITIC: JOREN HEISE, URBED

Joren Heise is a landscape architect at Urbed and a LULU design tutor at the University of Manchester. Joren has kindly agreed to attend our mid-event pin up; he will critique our work and offer important advice on how to best progress the project.

Image references:

URBED. Joren Heise. [Online image] [Accessed 18th March 2020]
http://urbed.coop/team/joren-heise

URBED. Hulme Community Garden Centre. [Online image] [Accessed 18th March 2020]
http://urbed.coop/projects/hulme-community-garden-centre-0

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:05

LANDSCAPE TUTORIAL: ANDY SINCLAIR, VECTOR DESIGN CONCPETS

One of the Event’s landscape workshops will be run by Andy Sinclair, a landscape architect, who is kindly joining us from Vector Design Concepts. Andy has a varied design portfolio, ranging from gardens and commercial development sites through to large scale masterplanning and public realm schemes. His presentation will provide a ‘crash course’ in landscape design that will assist in the development of our proposal.

Image references:

Vector Design Concepts. Sweet Street, Leeds. [Online image] [Accessed 18th March 2020]
https://www.vectordc.com/2018/10/11/sweet-street-leeds/

Vector Design Concepts. Andy Sinclair. [Online image] [Accessed 18th March 2020]
https://www.vectordc.com/team-member/andy-sinclair/

Posted 22 Mar 2020 19:04

Chor Yu M

Why we chose to run this project? And probably why you should choose this project and join us!

Marine Drive Project is carried out in Accra. Many informations remain confidential and it would be interesting for us to study it in depth. It will benefit the local residents if we can reveal the project itself and raise the awareness of it.

As for years of training in architecture school, we are equipped with relevant architectural analytical skills. We can draw maps, do models, make videos, and through different means of media, we are confident that we could make a publication that offer in-depth information for the local people.

What is more, through this collaboration we are able to work with passionate and talented students from a different place. We are fond of getting to know of a distinctive culture and broaden our horizon.

This will sure be a fascinating experience. Come join us!!!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:59

ZONE: WOODLAND WALK

Finally, the area at the rear corner of the garden would be transformed into a woodland walk, currently overgrown with large trees and bushes, the area can be cut back to create a path which winds through the woodland and allows visitors to experience the planting. Inspired by the precedent at Didsbury Botanical Garden. The space would have places to sit around the path and creates a different atmosphere in the garden attracting visitors.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:54

ZONE: GLASS HOUSE

The two existing grade two listed glass houses would be retained and renovated, glass would be renovated to match the historic design and the interiors redone to create defined areas inspired by the planting inside, for example the European room or the tropical room. These defined areas
teach visitors to the garden about the type of planting found in different climates with new signage and better information zones.
Finally as you enter the space the old brick building would be renovated into a clearer entrance hall to allow visitors to clearly find their way into the glass houses and experience the different planting.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:44

ZONE: TEACHING SPACE

The teaching space zone creates an area for the garden to be used as an educational space, the existing building would be renovated to create an office, toilet and class room space and a new building would be proposed next door to create an area for the local community to use as a flexible space for teaching and running classes.
For example local primary schools could use the space to teach students about the outdoor environment or a local yoga group could use the space for classes facing onto the garden. The space would also be used by the University of Manchesters Biology department.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:39

ZONING OF THE SITE: SKETCH PROPOSAL

Our site is split into clear zones which create defined areas across the garden, this plan shows a rough idea of our design concept.
For example the the education zone which includes the existing site office and teaching space with a new build community class room space. The rest of the design is split by the needs given to us by our collaborator for example, the woodland walk, renovated glass houses and the pond zone.

We also looked at better connections to the existing site, for example a more clear entrance into the garden and a connection to the hotel at the rear to offer space for weddings and parties.

We will now look at three of these key areas in detail to better explain how each area can work separately.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:34

PAVING STRATEGIES LECTURE

Groundcover is a very important, and often overlooked, aspect of landscape architecture. Through a tutorial from Andy Sinclair, from Vector Design Concepts, the Event will cover the different forms of paving and the impact of materiality.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:31

PLANTING STRATEGIES LECTURE

Through a tutorial with Andy Sinclair from Vector Design Concepts, the Event will provide an overview into planting strategies, and how planting can be used to create atmosphere. It is important to consider how the planting will vary with the seasons as well as how it will change over time.

Image references:

Oudolf, P. Planting Strategy. [Online image] [Accessed 18th March 2020]
http://www.diptyqueparis-memento.com/en/the-gardens-of-piet-oudolf/

Oudolf, P. Wildflower Planting. [Online image] [Accessed 18th March 2020]
https://www.gardenista.com/posts/10-garden-ideas-to-steal-from-superstar-dutch-designer-piet-oudolf/

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:29

Group 11 / HUMAN NARRATIVE

Claire A

THE PROGRAMME

After sitting down with our collaborator, we devised a programme for the project. This programme includes elements that are necessary for a successful transformation of the botanical gardens.

The programme includes:
- A new temperature controlled greenhouse to be built in the same place as the existing
- A new education centre to host visitors and members of local schools
- The existing staff building to be renovated to include a mess room and office big enough for 3 people
- Lockable storage space where gardening equipment will be housed
- A new and smaller boiler house
- The removal of the existing large garages
- The existing dark and damp greenhouse to be renovated
- A connecting route from the botanical gardens to the adjacent Chancellor's Hotel with spaces to use for functions/weddings
- A new pond
- A new woodland walk with shade loving plants
- A variety of different planting beds

Posted 22 Mar 2020 18:19

Sally Anne L

We will be conducting interviews with members of the nightsafe community for students to convert the stories into visual representations, using photos, key words or phrases and illustrations. This will ensure a wide range of skills are engaged and built upon.

Our concept is loosely based on the humans of New York series which is now a global internet phenomena. It was started by Brandon Stanton, a photographer with a blog, telling the stories of people he met through street photography. It has now expanded, he has released books, has a world wide following and has been able to travel around the globe documenting stories in different countries and raising money for countless charities along with way!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 17:52

Claire A

PRECEDENT STUDY: HULME COMMUNITY GARDEN CENTRE

Hulme Community Garden Centre is a unique community-led inner-city horticultural project. Their mission is to bring the community together through gardening. Designed by urbanism environmental design firm URBED, HCGC is a fully stocked nursery that also offers a volunteer, education and training hub working with socially excluded people across Greater Manchester.

HCGC provide support, education and training for people who, for whatever reason, have been marginalised by society. They work with schools, colleges, businesses and partner other voluntary organisations and community groups encouraging people to grow their own food, green their own communities and lead active and healthier lifestyles.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 17:36

Hannah O

PRECEDENT STUDY: FLETCHER MOSS BOTANICAL GARDENS

In order to get inspiration for this project we decided to do a precedence study trip to a local botanical gardens. Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens in Didsbury, Greater Manchester is a good example of a popular botanical garden. It also has some of the features we hope to include in our design for this project, for example a woodland walk and water features. There is also a strong connection to the community with spaces where local artists can display their work and social clubs can meet, for example yoga classes take place in the onsite community building.
We decided to go have a look at the gardens before taking the undergraduate students there to assess the practicalities and usefulness of a trip to this site. After visiting we felt this would be a good place to take BA students so that they could develop a strong understanding of what a botanical garden is and also start thinking of concept ideas and get inspired for when we reached the design phase of the project.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 17:27

Irena Renata D

OUR FIRST SITE VISIT

We did the site visit on 15th January to have a better understanding of the project aim. On the first site visit, Professor Giles Johnson as our collaborator explained to us what is the botanical garden and how they operate the garden. There is a construction site inside the site thus we need permission to enter the site.

We entered the greenhouse which has different room for a different type of plants. We can see the different types of plants based on their own climate. As we walked around the site, Giles explains there will be a possibility to have a connection to the next-door hotel.

From our first site visit, we understand that we need to make a landscape and architecture design proposal to provide the botanical gardens and teaching activities.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 16:38

Shaw Ian LK

FARM FACT

Garden plots can be up to 15 times more productive than rural holdings. An area of just one sqm can provide 20kg of food each year. Urban agriculture also yields a much more diverse set of crops as urban farmers tend to cultivate less common crops and plants. this promotes agricultural diversity.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 16:37

Group 01 / ST MARY'S SENSORY WALK

Sophie C

WHAT SKILLS WILL BE LEARNED?

Throughout EVENTS20 various team members will be holding mini skills tutorials from Sketch up with Irena to Photoshop with Alex.

Anything your not sure on one of the team will definitely be able to help you with it!

We are also having external tutorials on Landscape Design, where you will learn some of the basics of how to design Landscapes, hopefully picking up some tips and tricks for the future!

Posted 22 Mar 2020 16:35

Anna Charlotte R

St.Mary's RC. Primary currently teaches students the importance of sustainable design and offers students the opportunity to produce physical components from materials including willow. The existing playground includes serval play spaces such as the forest school, timber climbing features, recycled tyres for climbing, allotment and outdoor teaching spaces. Each year the students are asked to bring in shoes so each class can take part in growing their own plants from their shoes.

Posted 22 Mar 2020 16:31