Group 38
STITICHING NELSON'S SPIRIT

The project’s set within the town of Nelson and embeds itself around the theme of re-imagining Nelson’s lost Viaduct. The space is currently an open and underused space that has the potential to act as a “Celebrational Gateway”, stitching the town centre and the residential area together. In Collaboration with In-Situ, we will be working through a variety of design proposals, taking inspiration from Nelson’s previously thriving cotton industry, and celebrating its diverse multi-cultural community. Through small-scale, low-tech interventions, we will be investigating how architecture can provide a platform for people to come together, meet, use, and have fun.

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Sherifa Mohammed D K / Shalom Aureole B / Oliver T / Chloe C / Wei Jie O

Chloe C
Meeting with collaborators from In-Situ in Nelson town centre on 05/02/24.

Calum Bayne, programme and practice co-ordinator at In-Situ educated the group on the history of the town centre and it's challenges facing it's vitality and economic success.

Zehra Aziz, previous practicing architect and current artist in residence at In-Situ, also accompanied the group on this site visit and provided insight for potential ways of development and thinking.

Together with Calum and Zehra in a local cafe, the group discussed personal positionings within the theme of regeneration, initial ideas and reference projects for the next steps of re-activating the Nelson viaduct.
Posted 17 Feb 2024 12:32
Sherifa Mohammed D K
The group had a meeting on the 15 of February to discuss the design concept and the required outputs. In this meeting we discussed the site visit we had last week and started drawing some initial sketches, we had a talk about the materials we are thinking of using, we also considered reflecting the historical aspect of textile industry in Nelson on our design and we have an idea on how to incorporate that in the design, which will be taken further throughout the design process.
Posted 11 Mar 2024 16:27
Oliver T
Hey! I’m Ollie

I am from Guernsey. I did my undergrad at the University of Plymouth and have taken the last three years out working in a small RIBA Awards nominated design-led practice. I am passionate about all things architecture and always looking how I can improve my graphic communication throughout. I have a wide range of transferable skills in Revit, Sketch-up, the Adobe Suite and Enscape which I’d be happy to share with you! This year I have been part of PRAXXIS Atelier.

Outside of architecture I love watching sports, playing football and going out with friends.

Moving forward, I am excited to meet all of you and collaborate on this exciting community-based project.
Posted 11 Mar 2024 18:19
Chloe C
Hello ! I'm Chloe

I'm from Belfast and have spent the past 2 years working in Manchester for TODD Architects. I studied my undergrad back home at Queen's University Belfast but decided to move across the water to try something new.

I'm an MArch student and part of the Flux atelier which investigates how play can re-imagine our cities. It's been really interesting to explore different elements of play with some experimental lab work and free thinking. Hopefully some of it can translate into the conceptual stages for Stitching Nelsons Spirit!

I'm looking forward to meeting everyone that will be involved in our group- it'll be a fun 2 weeks.
Posted 11 Mar 2024 19:15
Shalom Aureole B
Hello! I am Shalom.

I was born and raised in India. I earned my bachelor's degree at the Manipal School of Architecture and Planning and then practised as a junior architect for two years, predominantly working on bespoke residential projects.

I'm an MArch student currently in atelier SKN. I am very passionate about nature and community-based projects. I look forward to expanding my knowledge of eco-friendly technologies and methods. The Nelson Viaduct is a fantastic opportunity for me to explore my interests, and I look forward to contributing to this amazing project.

Apart from architecture, I enjoy immersing myself in books, sketching, discovering new music, playing the violin and indulging in occasional gaming sessions.

I am looking forward to collaborating with everyone! Let's have a great time and learn along the way!
Posted 11 Mar 2024 22:52
Wei Jie O
Hey there, I'm Wei Jie!

Originally hailing from Malaysia, I embarked on my academic journey at Bristol University, earning my degree before diving into the professional realm back home and in Singapore. For a while now, I've been honing my craft in various architectural settings, soaking up experiences along the way. Currently, I'm thrilled to be part of the MArch 1 Infra team, eagerly awaiting our next project.

Looking ahead, I'm pumped to meet everyone and dive into this exciting community-based project together!
Posted 12 Mar 2024 21:49
Wei Jie O
March 18, 2024: We've just wrapped up another meeting with our client to bring them up to speed on the project's latest developments. We discussed the specifics of our two-week action plan and reviewed the anticipated outcomes. A notable moment was when we presented our project poster for approval, with Callum offering insightful suggestions.

Additionally, we have set the dates for in-person visits to track our progress throughout the action weeks. This hands-on approach promises to provide us with a clearer understanding of how to refine our design strategy moving forward, incorporating valuable insights from our client.
We are eagerly looking forward to the action weeks !
Posted 7 May 2024 21:43
Shalom Aureole B
April 25, 2024: Exciting things are on the horizon, and we're thrilled to share the latest developments with you! The action plan is out! From colourful tapestries to innovative design ideas, it's going to be an exciting 2 weeks.
So, what's next on the agenda? It's time to roll up our sleeves, dive headfirst into action, and bring our plan to life.
Stay tuned as we embark on this exciting journey together. The best is yet to come!
Posted 8 May 2024 10:18
Shalom Aureole B
May 7, 2024: We are Live!
Today, our journey began with introductions, both to each other and to this vibrant town. We got a glimpse of what makes Nelson and where our design focus for the coming two weeks would lie.
Splitting into two groups, we set out on our missions: one to dive into Nelson's rich history and heritage, the other to analyze the current state of our site.
As the day wound down, we regrouped to share our findings and deepen our understanding of the town and the site.
Posted 8 May 2024 16:31
Shalom Aureole B
May 8, 2024: Sketches, sketches and more sketches,
Our journey commenced with a collaborative sketching exercise capturing the viaduct's immediate context. We outlined the prominent buildings around the site and mapped out the primary access routes.
Turning our attention to the viaduct, we immersed ourselves in a brainstorming session. We sketched out diverse design concepts fueled by individual perspectives and creativity. As ideas flowed, we engaged in a vibrant exchange, sharing our visions and insights and identifying common threads among our concepts.
In the afternoon, we formed two groups, each tasked with refining design options further. Collaboratively, we delved deeper into our concepts, honing in on details and exploring innovative solutions.
Posted 8 May 2024 17:07
Sherifa Mohammed D K
May 9, 2024: Tapestry Workshop

After immersing ourselves in the essence of the site and its surroundings the previous day, we embarked on an exploration of Nelson City's rich textile heritage. Our goal is to create a design that pays homage to the city's textile history. The resulting tapestry incorporates a collage of the history of Nelson and the textile industry, colored fabric samples, and landscape elements. This allowed us to understand the city better and establish a visual of Nelson's textile heritage, which is the driven inspiration of our design.
Posted 9 May 2024 18:01
Sherifa Mohammed D K
May 10, 2024: Design Review with In-Situ

Today, BA and MLA students had the opportunity to meet with our collaborator, Calum from In-Situ. During our meeting, we presented our design proposal along with the design process, emphasizing its direct link to Nelson's heritage, which was shaped through our extensive research. Calum provided valuable feedback, drawing upon previous projects, insights into the city, and outlining the primary objectives of the organization.
Posted 10 May 2024 19:42
Sherifa Mohammed D K
May 13, 2024: Design Development

We started the day by reviewing the feedback provided by our collaborator last week and outlining the main points to consider. Following this, we individually began developing the concept. Later, we had a brief discussion to share our progress, evaluate the proposed ideas and determine the direction for the final design—whether to select one idea or combine elements from various concepts.

After lunch, we split into two groups to create a set of proper architectural drawings for the developed design.
Posted 13 May 2024 20:07
Sherifa Mohammed D K
May 14, 2024: Design Resolution

Students continued their work on the final design drawings, diving into the details with diagrams and sketches of the proposed Material. They were introduced to recycled materials that could be used in different elements of the proposed design.
Posted 14 May 2024 19:56
Sherifa Mohammed D K
May 15, 2024: Design Communication.

We continued finalizing the concept drawings in preparation for the review day, with our collaborator tomorrow. Students began working on the drawings and learned how to present them graphically. At the end of the day, we reviewed the required preparations for the final presentation and provided feedback.
Posted 15 May 2024 15:27
Oliver T
May 16, 2024: Design Presentation

Today we were privileged to present our final resolved design concept to Calum, a member of our collaborators In-Situ. Throughout the presentation each member of the team was able to focus on a specific element of our design process undertaken over the last two action weeks.

The feedback received from Calum was insightful and overall, he was extremely positive about the scheme proposed by our group whilst posing questions as to how In-Situ would be able to proceed further with the proposal in the future.
Posted 16 May 2024 15:53
Oliver T
Introduction to our Collaborators: In-Situ

Artist led group In-situ was founded in 2012 by Paul, Kerry, and William with aims to integrate art with their local environment. Their work is centred around the intersections of ecology, youth engagement, and community discussion which informs their interdisciplinary approach towards placemaking. The idea of inclusivity guides their collaborative approach towards their sites of interest. As a company, In-Situ pursue a non-hierarchical directive, prioritising community engagement within the area of Pendle and reaching out as far as Lahore and Texas. The collaborators believe that design should be flexible and responsive, allowing for communities to take responsibility for spaces, allowing them to develop and evolve overtime to meet individual’s needs.

During these two action weeks, we'll collaborate closely with Calum from In-Situ. He'll guide our group's efforts and offer crucial feedback along the way.
Posted 16 May 2024 16:18
Sherifa Mohammed D K
May 17, 2024: Submission

MArch students finalising the publication for submission. And that's a wrap for MSA Live 24! Great job, everyone!
Posted 17 May 2024 16:56