Project 3.3 IDR (test pub)

Integrated Design Report

Women’s Happiness Centre and Temporary Housing for Vulnerable Women

MSA Praxis

Sheel Doshi

2

Part A: Investigation

2

Introduction

The three main aspects that have defined my experience with MSA Praxis have been:

• The immense value of community engagement, which varies from the scale of a conversation to that of an organised event

• A specific interest in gender and how space has an impact in defining and redefining notions of gender roles

• A specific interest in what makes a successful social housing scheme. Social housing is an issue at the forefront of many British cities,including Manchester, especially because of the current housing crisis.

Theoretical and analytical skills have been developed through specific readings, engagement events, model making, building visits, extracurricular activities and connections with the Humanities and Technology course. All these aspects fed into the design approach, ensuring more aware and informed decisions were made and provided a much more interesting and intricate backdrop for the studio project.

If anything, the most important lesson learnt this year has been the importance of ‘Kaizen’, a Japanese philosophy of continuous development. It was through multiple iterations, mistakes and lessons learnt that the design could continue to develop and grow. More than the final outputs, it has been the journey and the challenges that have developed my way of thinking. Choosing to focus on women with social norms and beliefs very different from my own was a challenge that presented a great opportunity to understand a different way of thinking. Similarly, small moves outside of my comfort zone also created opportunities for personal development.

Though most of the approaches towards the project have been from the bottom-up (through engagement on a personal level), larger questions were raised about the role of an architect. Discussions and conversations both in studio and outside helped in broadening the understanding of what it means to be an architect. The engagement-orientated approach of MSA Praxis has now become a way of think-ing about architecture and our roles within the field, and will thus help in direct-ing any future projects as well.

Contents:

Part A - Pg. 3 - 27

Part B - Pg. 28 - 61

Part C - Pg. 62 - 83

3

Part A: InvestigationYear III

Time

Amsterdam Study Trip

A Doll’s House Connection

Speaking with Teresa Graham gave me more confidence, and was a source of in-sight into the everyday life in Cheetham Hill

During the first review after the study trip, there were many ideas without a precise direction. This allowed a few options to be explored

Uncertainty about the direction of the pro-gramme

Research on “Why Dutch Women Don’t get Depressed” Presentation by

Scott Bearman

Cheetwood Community Centre engagement event was unsuccess-ful as people did not show up.

The first visit after studio started was a bit disap-pointing because not many people were willing to have a conversation. This possibly was because they were approached in a formal way, which may have been a bit intimidating

Studio discussion: What is the role of an architect - It was great to know that many people had similar views of the role of an Architect. This discussion opened my eyes on the various takes on architectural practice

After the discus-sion about the role of an architect, a lot of the experi-ences I have had in the past came into context as I was able to attain a clearer idea of the direction I want to go in the future.

Learning about working in practice during a summer internship with Iain Pattie Associates. Influenced my ideal of the role of the architect and practice

Reading an article in the June edition of the AJ about the unequal stand of women in the Architectural profession was disheartening and appalling

Reading Yasmin Shariff’s outlook on Women in Practice and speak-ing to her was motivational. It revealed the immediate need for a change in approach in Archi-tectural practice

Decided to make most of the situation, and spent the time designated for the engage-ment event to carry out an in-depth inter-view with David.

Taxi Rides

The taxi rides were a great source of information and inspiration. This was a catalyst for our agenda and idea generation

Year III

Time

Presentation by Jeremy Till about architecture as an object versus architecture as a process, linking back to the discussion about the role of the architect.

Ideal Projection

Cross-Atelier Review - Received good feedback and helped give the project direction

Idea Inspiration [Epiphany Moment]

Challenges

‘Highs’

Personal DevelopmentMapping

4

Part A: InvestigationProcess:

While taking photographs for the High Street elevation, a taxi driver asked for a photograph and to be interviewed. Though he was not interviewed because he was working, this one random incident was a catalyst for the approach that was taken in order to understand the site. The first impressions of Cheetham Hill were through the eyes of two taxi drivers, Ali and Tariq. A taxi driver sees the way the city works, both as an outsider observing, but at the same time working on the inside. Ali and Tariq provided information about various issues within the terri-tory, and highlighted a few issues that were later investigated in more depth (e.g. crime, employment, youth motivation). As a result of interviewing taxi drivers, Caroline, the phone-call secretary for Ekko Cars was also interviewed to get a woman’s perspective on similar issues. Finally, David, from the Cheetwood Com-munity Centre, was interview and was asked to complete a few exercises to help in formulating a better understanding of the site. Additionally, on the way back from David’s interview, a brief and spontaneous interview was held with two Salford Policemen who were patrolling the street at the time. This sub-interview gave an alternate perspective of the territory and helped in the overall under-standing of the crime and safety issue. All four of these in-depth interviews were approached in a way that was familiar to the person’s usual job. For example, Caroline’s job is to interact with the people in Cheetham Hill through phone calls, and she was thus interviewed by phone. Though some of these methods hap-pened by chance, in retrospect, it was a useful coincidence as it allowed for each interviewee to remain within their routinely interaction. Also, each interviewee had the combined knowledge of a sum of people due to the social nature of their jobs. This meant that the information that was received was not only personal, but also a merging of various other people’s experiences as well.

Map of Interactions

5


The social method used to engage with the site proved to be a very useful learning experience due to the fact that neither member of the group had approached a site in this manner. Rather than investigating the site on our own, the first move had been to be introduced to it by people who know it best. Through these four interviews, the true value of engaging with a variety members of the community was revealed. Without the opinions, and anecdotes from the interviewees, the understanding formulated about the site would have, somehow, been incomplete. In equal measure, it was important that more than one person was interviewed. It was only through listening to the variety of opinions, sometime contradictory, that the complexity of the site became clearer. In fact, it was through listening to this variety of anecdotes that a potential role of an architect became clearer: acting as an urban storyteller.

Types of Interaction:

Group discussion of initial thoughts about Cheetham Hill

Interviews at length

Spontaneous conversations

Previous understandings of the site from individual visits

Short interviews

6

Part A: InvestigationSkills:

One of the most important aspects in developing the group agenda was the group dynamic and teamwork. A lot of ideas and thoughts were inspired by conversations, brainstorming and bouncing ideas off each other. Once one idea was mentioned, it was then developed through contributions of each group member. This methodology worked well because it allowed ideas to be developed in a way that involved all the team members. The process of brainstorming was important as it allowed ideas to be thought of creatively. This was necessary as at times it is not possible to be both crea-tive and rational at the same time. In fact, occasionally, it was worth arguing about the feasibility of an idea in order to better understand it, as well as to improve it.

In the beginning, it was challenging to go up to a person and start talking to them. More than the act itself, it was the fear of re-jection that created a bit of hesitance. How-ever, this was an important sentiment to overcome as it came in the way of connect-ing with people on a more personal level. Once I realized that not everyone would be interested in partaking in a conversation with a stranger, and that the apparent rejec-tion was in fact, okay, it became a lot easier to approach people in friendlier way.

Because engagement with the local community was a main method for research into the site, it was important not to feel discouraged when the expected conversations and results did not occur. The atelier is all about interacting with people, and people can be unpredictable, so instead of expecting a particular answer or result, it became more about asking the right questions, and going with the flow. Though it resulted in unexpected results, being able to make use of the ‘unexpected’ answers and conver-sations was a skill that became even more important during the personal manifesto investigation. For example, on the first visit to the graveyard site, one of the residents of the adjacent housing came and started having a conversation with us. This was unexpected, but resulted in a great direction for the personal manifesto. Even the seemingly banal conversations were not discarded as they still add value to the overall picture.

Brainstorming as a way to bring various ideas to the table

The development of an idea as a result of discussion between the team and each person adding their own ideas. What starts off as a simple idea has the potential to become better through discussion

7

Part A: InvestigationCh

apla

in

Visit 2 Visit 3 Visit 4 Visit 5Visit 1

Salfo

rd U

nive

rsity

Stu

dent

New

s Ag

ent

BnQ

Sal

es W

omen

Baris

taM

an w

orki

ng in

an

ice

crea

m v

an

Taxi

Driv

er li

ving

in H

ouse

11

Rece

ptio

nist

at T

empl

e Pr

imar

y Sc

hool

Staff

at B

eech

ill N

ursi

ng H

ome

Dav

id fr

om C

heet

woo

d Co

mm

unity

Cen

tre

Dav

id fr

om C

heet

woo

d Co

mm

unity

Cen

tre

Caro

line

from

Ekk

o Ca

r Hire

Phon

e ca

ll w

ith C

arol

ine

from

Ekk

o Ca

r Hire

Ali,

Tax

i Driv

er fr

om E

kko

Car H

ire

Tariq

, Tax

i Driv

er fr

om E

kko

Car H

ire

Salfo

rd P

olic

emen

Repl

acem

ent R

ecep

tioni

st a

t Ekk

o Ca

r Hire

Ow

ner o

f Kw

ik S

hine

Car

Was

h an

d hi

s ne

phew

Visit 6 Visit 7

Future Visits

Resi

dent

of H

ouse

15

Tere

sa G

raha

m

Tere

sa G

raha

m

Fron

t of H

ouse

, Job

Cen

tre

Plus

Two

fem

ale

user

s of

Job

Cent

re P

lus

faci

litie

s

Alm

uz A

sgod

om

Ylbe

r, O

wne

r of T

he G

odfa

ther

Caf

e

Pam

ela

Gol

d, A

dlla

m H

omes

Two

of Te

resa

’s Fr

iend

s

“I think nowadays more women want to work”- Caroline

“ You wouldn’t see a lot of women walking around much, because of safety you know”- BnQ Sales Woman

“ I don’t want to work, I want to be with my children”- Almuz

“Day time, aright, no problem. Only night time is a problem. Women are afraid to go out at night” -Ali

“ I’m trying to apply for a job. It’s really hard. I went to the Cheetwood Centre this morning. And the job centre this afternoon”- Teresa’s friend

“ Not a lot of women work, don’t know why. I guess they stay at home with the kids”- Owner of Kwik Shine Car Wash

The Importance of Engagement for Contextual Analysis:

Through speaking to a variety of people, I learnt that there is only so much that the architect can understand of a site without listening to the stories that are kept alive by the people inhabiting the spaces. Engaging with the people of Cheetham Hill gave a deeper and more intricate story of the site, and had a dramatic affect on the way that the site and brief was addressed.

8


‘What’s Your Cheetham Hill? “ Engage-ment Reflection:

As a way to better understand the site, an engagement day was set up, inviting resi-dents surrounding the Cheetwood Centre to participate in our activities. Unfortunately, no one showed up, perhaps due to the time of day, or perhaps because posters were not the best way of getting people involved. In any case, it was important to make the most of the situation, so David, who worked at the Cheetwood Centre agreed to participate and we managed to have a great in-depth con-versation about his views of Cheetham Hill. At the end of the day, we were able to get an insight into the site, which was the aim of the session regardless.

Group Poster:

One of the main themes of the poster was the idea that higher authority make moves and impose changes onto Cheetham Hill. This idea of controlled spatial planning was also the driving force behind the Sliding Puzzle game which aimed at breaking down Cheetham Hill high street and redistributing commercial spaces into residential spaces. This was a cul-mination of what was learnt through engage-ment and research, and played a large part in the group manifesto.

9


What is Our Role as an Architect?

MSA PRAXIS

Authority

Client Client

Work from Within

Architect

- Work from within

- Respect the knowledge and expertise of the peo-ple you are designing for

- We have moved on from the Architect as ‘Master Builder’ - Its about team work

- Participation and engagement as a methodology and not as a commodified asset.

- Architect as a collector and interpreter of urban stories

- Architecture that can be adjusted with time, and not impose restrictions

Humility > Ego

Social > Economy

Active > Passive

The role of the architect should be to represent the diversity and complexity of the population

10

Part A: InvestigationEvaluation of Understanding

A large part of MSA Praxis is about engaging with people, therefore during our investigations on site, a lot was learnt about how to best understand people. By being receptive to the way people react and speak, the best method can then be used to engage in a conversation, rather than imply asking a series of questions.

Through the group agenda and manifesto, there was a constant need to explain ideas and concepts. Due to the fact that diagrams explain concepts in a quicker and more understandable way, personal diagramming skills were improved through repetitive use. Whereas previously, verbal communication was relied on heavily during group work, now I appreciate diagrams a lot more and am using them more often.

Program Analysis

Initially, through the various interviews and observations carried out, it was obvi-ous that there were various gender inequalities present within Cheetham Hill. This was evident by the ratio of women in work as opposed to men. Additionally, on the street, very few women were seen walking around during the evening. This was confirmed through the interviews, highlighting issues of unemploy-ment, gender roles within a household and safety. E.g.:

Ali: “Women are afraid to go out at night”

David: “Dad does the work. Mum does everything else. That’s the way it goes, innit?”

The understanding of the site from investigations carried out by the manifesto group helped in defining the particular user group that would be targeted. It also led the project towards the collision between work and life. Initially, the personal manifesto focused on women who have spent their lives bringing up children. When the children grow up and leave (for university, jobs, marriage etc), women are left with a void within their daily life. This can be seen in the sketch on the right, which helped in understanding the issue. However, this idea had to be further developed as it was not as site-specific. Later, the concept broadened to address the social pressures and norms associated with gender.

11


Methodology:

During the process of refining the programme, many of the decisions that were made had to be thought of carefully. Each decision had to have a reason for being chosen, and when this reason was not clear or not justified enough, the thought process was re-visited in order to bet-ter understand the concepts and theory that was undertaken. This can be seen in the diagram on the right, where the concept of a women’s wellbeing centre was revisited. By questioning each decision and work-ing through the thought process, the decision to develop a ‘Happiness Centre’ was reaffirmed.

12


?!

?

?

?

?

?!

?

?

?

?

Study Trip: Amsterdam

After the first week of brainstorming personal agenda ideas, a group of us went to Amsterdam for the Humanities study trip. This trip was immensely valuable as a lot of the observations made were relevant to Studio work. It is worth mentioning here, the way in which information was gathered and the city was understood. This largely influenced the type and quality of informa-tion that was collected. This is best described using the diagram below:

Understanding the city through maps for the first day and a half

Analysis and connec-tions was sketched and diagrammed in a study journal

Upon returning to Manchester, connec-tions were made between what was seen in Amsterdam, and studio work. Research into the position of women in Dutch soci-ety resulted in the discovery of an article about women in Holland, and happiness, which then created a more precise direc-tion for the programme of the building.

Navigating through the city without a map allowed for a better understanding of the way the city was planned.

Observing, analysing and experienc-ing the architecture of the city. Some of the buildings seen were planned, others were stumbled upon

13


Above are a few examples of the sketches and analysis that was carried out during the study trip. Observation, deduction and analys-ing skills were improved as a result of attempting to understand various aspects of the city. Analysing Dutch housing schemes and the residential streets tied back to the development of housing for the studio project.

Observation of a Marketplace Thresholds and Movement on the Street Historical Housing Layouts

14

Part A: InvestigationThe link between the humanities trip and Studio was two-fold. Firstly, Amsterdam had some amazing examples of housing, both traditional and modern. This range of examples from Jordaan, to Ij Burg, was great in understanding the way different types of housing work within the urban fabric, and will come useful during the development of the hous-ing in Cheetham Hill.

Secondly, with Cheetham Hill in mind, observations were made and research was carried out about Dutch gender roles in order to compare the conditions of Amsterdam with Cheetham Hill. This was a great learning opportunity and acted as a driving inspiration for the personal manifesto. Studies show that women in Amsterdam are one of the happiest in the world, with high gender equality rates. These statistics work down to a personal level due to the gezzeligheid culture, which is about cosiness and togetherness. The two main reasons for such high happiness levels are:

2

1 Freedom of Choice

Collision and balance of work, home, and personal development Women in Cheetham Hill

Women in Netherlands

Choices

Choices

WorkIncome

Responsibility

Successful

Draining Sources

Success = Work / Life Balance

Freedom of choice to do any or all of the choices without social pressures

Sel�shNo time left

Domestic care split between men and women

Su�cient �nancial support to allow part-time work

Gezeilheid Society, supports notion of personal time

Home FamilyFriendsCareer Hobbies

Skill DevelopmentIncome Interests

Di�culty getting employed Men at work all day,

so full domestic responsibility left on women

Backward

Career

Skill Development

Domestic Care

Family

Traditions

Friends Hobbies

Home

Personal

Secondary

TraditionalModern

Work HomePersonal

Encouraging Sources

Women in Cheetham Hill


Choices

Choices

WorkIncome

Responsibility

Successful

Draining Sources











Backward

Career

Skill Development

Domestic Care

Family

Traditions

Friends Hobbies

Home

Personal

Secondary

TraditionalModern

Work HomePersonal

Encouraging Sources

This model of happiness largely informed the program for Cheetham Hill as it provided a guiding question that helped to focus the project:

“ How can my project enable women in Cheetham Hill to feel happier?”

This question along with the 2 reasons for happiness gave direction for the personal agenda and rather than being restrictive, allowed for specific ideas to be investigated in more depth. Using the happiness study models (right), ‘Work’, ‘Home’ and ‘Personal’ were identified as separate sectors in Cheetham Hill, creating an environment where women have difficulties in balancing the three. It is with the collision of these seemingly sepa-rate sectors that women can have the freedom to choose and to create a balance in life. The method of creating these models helped in understanding and filtering the system. Though perhaps oversimplified, this aided in targeting specific issues within Cheetham Hill that needed to be addressed in the subsequent parts of the project.

15

Part A: InvestigationStudy

On Stage

Heirarchy of SpatialPower

O�-stage - Private

Masculine Space

Common Space

Feminine Space

Kitchen

Living Room

Analysing Feminine Spaces in A Doll’s House:

Reading about gender roles in society reminded me of the play ‘A Doll’s House’, by Henrik Ibsen. This was another source of narrative-related inspiration for the project. Understanding the possible historical reasons that women have struggled helped in creating a program that provides the facilities to subvert a system where wom-en have pre-defined roles. This also helped in exploring a potential idea of ‘freedom’. In the play, Nora Helmer, the protagonist, realises that freedom comes from understanding and developing one’s self. This thought process directly links with Eleen de Bruin’s notion of why Dutch women are happy. They are able to choose what they do with their time, without social pressures or judgment, neither of which Nora was able to do in the play.

Left: Diagram showing how to the allocation of spaces in the play reveals the status of women in the house-hold. This is not very much off from the condition in many of the terraced houses, where the kitchen is at the back and the living room is in the forefront.

Below: Montage and conceptual nar-rative sketches helped in developing the driving idea, and further helped in understanding the direction that the programme was to go.

16


Right: Typical terraced house plan. Notice that the kitchen is pushed to the back and the liv-ing room is the forefront, exem-plifying traditional gender roles.

What Would a Non-Sexist City be Like – Hayden

The text by Hayden was mainly used once the personal manifesto and position was established. This gave a strong backing to some of the themes that had already been raised and allowed for further development and understanding in terms of housing requirements. This text challenged the assumption that “a woman’s place is in the home” and argues for a system that supports women in the household and in work. Within the context of the personal agenda, I would argue that a woman’s place is wherever she wants to be. This text highlighted the issues on a broader scale, yet is still relevant to the women in Cheetham Hill.

According to Hayden, the home and the workforce should not be divided in such a way that further alienates women from these opportunities. In Cheetham Hill, there is a definite separation of work and home (and the lack of known spaces for personal development). This makes it difficult to create equal opportunities. Though it is argued that a woman’s place is NOT at home, according to a variety of people that were spoken to, some women choose to stay home to take care of family. They do not want to work. This reveals that the argument has moved away from getting women out of the house, and towards giving them the choice and opportunity to do as they see best fit.

In relation to Hayden’s text, Richard J. Williams questioned Hayden’s arguments, in his book “ Sex and Building – Modern Architecture and the Sexual Revolution”. His argued that “even the greatest productions were made by men, for women to inhabit : women were informed clients at best” (147). The role of the women is to take the back seat, and simply fill in the space that has been created for her. This rings bells not only in Cheetham Hill, where many women are housewives (due to choice, or lack of work) or take administrative roles in the industry, but also on a more personal level. This quote also critiques the gender of the architect.

“ The problem is paradoxical: women cannot improve their status in the home unless their overall economic position in society is altered; women cannot improve their status in paid labour force unless their domestic responsibilities are altered”

17

Part A: InvestigationTheoretical Readings:

Below are some influential readings that influenced my way of thinking, and helped in the development of the personal brief:

New Frontiers of Space, Bodies and Gender - Rosa Ainley

“ We cannot stop linking women to home/domesticity or men to work/public life architecturally and thus conceptually, even when we know the realities are very different” (207)

This text looked at the notion of safety and gender, which is a dominant issue within Cheetham Hill.The built environment is affected and affects the perception of safety. Speaking to Tariq during our taxi ride, he mentioned locations which would be unsafe for women after dark. Similar to safety, the norms and roles of women cannot expand away from the domestic if the home is still perceived as a woman’s realm.

Architecture of the Everyday - Steven Harris

“ A revolution takes place when and only when…people can no longer lead their everyday lives” (14)

Harris’s text greatly influenced my perception of the importance of everyday activities. He argues that materi-alistic, and perhaps even banal objects such as clothing or furniture have the capacity to reflect deeper issues such as transition and oppression. This text was a main influence on the 1:1 detail drawing that was made. This text allowed me to question the notion of a consumer society, and the role of women within the every-day. Simple actions such as getting ready, choosing clothes to wear, doing the laundry or cooking has such a huge potential to become activities that embody positive changes within social norms. These everyday activities can be integrated into the project as means to instigate social change.

Living in a Man Made World: Gender Assumptions in Modern Housing Design - Marion Rob-erts

“ The physical separation of home from work restricts the horizons of those confined within it…Mothers with young children who were at home all day were more prone to experience depression and isolation than other women or men” (22)

This text was especially relevant to MSA Praxis as it targeted both gender and housing. This text gave an insight into the historical links between gender roles and housing. This put to question whether those ‘norms’ have changed at all. Speaking to women in Cheetham Hill made me realise that though there is a desire for some of the norms to change, the social fabric has stayed the same, resulting in a difficulty for women to break out of social expectations.

P U B L I C

“ I D E A L D I V I D E ”

P R I VAT E

- Pol lock

“ P U B L I C W O M A N ”

£ £

18


Threshold Studies (First moves):

A study of a few key thresholds developed an understand-ing of the importance of ‘Moments of Collision’. This became an important theme during the design stage as it allowed the design to develop from the micro-scale of a moment of exchange, up to the scale of an entire building.

Bench Threshold Idle Waiting at a Bus Stop Aisle Exchange Doorstep Threshold

Threshold Study

Importance of Moments

Designing for moments of collision

Happiness Centre and Temporary Housing

19


First Moves:

Exploring program and thresholds through models. Model making become a great tool to explore ideas in three dimensions. It helped in visualising concepts and understanding spatial relationships.

20


Socializing

Consultation

Learning

Networking

Working

Playing

Idea Generation

Friends

Mothers

Children

Family

Newly immigrated

Buisnesswomen

Workshops/Classes

Talks

Discussion Groups

Solitude Space

Social Events

Informal Gathering Space

WHAT? WHO? WHERE?

Home

Develop Individual Career

Housing Family Bonds

Counselling O�ce

Technology Hub

Consultation

Skills Classroom

Childcare

Temporary Living

Cafe

Kitchen

Open Space

Personal Work

Solitary Bubbles

Ideas Room

Library

Workshop SpaceStudio Space

Freedom of Choice

Education

Secular Community Centre

Service-providing Centre

Phase III

Phase II

Phase I

Industrial Zone

Residential Zone

Limited Development

‘The Strip’ - Cheetham Hill Rd

Women from

all walks of life, of any age and ethnicity

Work- related ActivityPersonal Development Activity

Home-related Activiy

CAFE

IDEAS ROOM

SOCIAL EVENTS

SOLITARY SPACE

DISCUSSION GROUPSTECHNOLOGY HUB

OPEN WORKSPACE

COUNSELLING

CONSULTATION ROOMS

CHILDCARE CENTRE

HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

ARTS AND CRAFTS

WORKSHOP

Understanding the Needs of Women in Cheetham Hill:

Left: A mistress plan was developed in order to have an larger scaled under-standing of the social issues of change. The Mistress Plan helped high-light how sometimes change cannot happen in isolation, there should be scope for future development.

Above: A variety of methods and diagram styles were used in order to better understand the needs of the target audience, both socially and spatially. This then helped define the spaces needed within the Happiness Centre

21


Understanding the Site:

In order to develop the project spatially and start making moves onto the site, an under-standing of the site and context was necessary. This analysis helped in creating physical constraints on site, which helped define the spatial needs of the different programmatic ele-ments of the project. Once a better understanding was developed, the first moves could be made on site

Main vehicular roads

Chosen Site

Secondary vehicular roadPrimary pedestrian route

Possible entries onto site

Overall Understanding

Site and context

Users (Women of Cheetham Hill)

Spatial needs and events

Social needs and desires

Experimenting with program and form through sketch massing models

22


Commercial spaces are clustered on either side of Cheetham Hill Road

Green spaces are scarce around the site, and the few present are not maintained or used as public space

A large part of the surrounding context, away from Cheetham Hill Road is residential development

Educational centres are within site vicinity, but are mainly separated by the tram lines

Leisure and the service sector spaces have potential to bring like-minded people to-gether in the community.

Bus Stop ( ) , Tram Line ( ) , Tram Stop ( ) - Connections around are available but can be expensive for the residents

23


Professional Practice Link - Site Visit

Manchester City Football Academy Development

Architects: Raphael Vinoly Architects

Visiting the construction site of such a huge project (both physically, and socially), was a great learning experience. Aside from learning about various con-struction methods used, it was interesting to apply the ethos of MSA Praxis to the project. This raised ques-tions about how the development of the Academy has involved the communities in the area, the affect it has during construction and the changes that will occur to the surrounding communities once complete. How-ever, it seems that the only engagement with the sur-rounding community pertains to the creation of jobs.

24


Christmas Market

Activity 1: Asking people to look into a mirror and describe what they see (rather than what they know). The task was aimed at making participants reflect on themselves without previous judgements/knowledge. This was loosely linked to the notion of self reflection and breaking out of the judgments and ideas that one has of themselves. This provided a setting for the rest of the Christmas Market presentation.

Activity 2: Conceptual model showing how family, career and profession can be balanced and what is seen on the outside is not necessarily all there is on the inside.

Activity 3: Speaking to people about happiness, they had to mark where on the diagram they saw themselves, and where they would like to see themselves in the future.

1

2 3

25

Part A: InvestigationPersonal development: My position as an Architect

Aside from the role of an Architect on a larger scale, it was equally necessary to think of the role on a more personal level. As a woman practicing architecture, a profession that is made up of 79% men, the role of a female architect was questioned and investigated.

Thinking and speaking to women who were already heavily involved in the profession was a source of inspiration, but moreover, a motivation to continue. Reading an inspiring quote by Yasmin Shariff on the role of women in Architecture resulted in a short email conversation that not only provided motivation, but also a need to continue through and not let the pessimistic statistics become overbearing.

“Hi SheelNice to make contact with you. The status of women in the profession is not good. I think it is important that women empower women and it is always the money that counts in the end.Attached is my article in the AJ that may answer some of your questions.Kind regardsYasmin”

Following the article, and a few more exchanged emails with Yasmin, a more solid idea of the Role of an Architect began to take form. Though the reality of the profession was blatantly obvious, and coming from a place where it is usually men who take the leading role in the construction industry, there was more of a drive and reason to stand up and keep ploughing through.

Although this research did not directly impact the program in terms of Cheetham Hill, it was more for personal development and understanding. It was through this that I was able to better understand my personal approach to what the role of an architect is. During the work experience that was undertaken in summer, the reality of the industry (in terms of gender equality) was quite evident while attending site meetings with various mem-bers of the construction industry. The fact that only 21% of the profession comprises of women was disheartening but subsequent conversations with Yasmin Sherrif provided the motivation to keep going in order to re-define the masculine-orientated profession.

26

Part A: Bibliography

26

Books:Ainley, Rosa. New Frontiers of Space, Bodies, and Gender. London ; New York: Routledge, 1998. (Directed)

Gilroy, Rose. Housing Women. London ; New York: Routledge, 1994. (Self-Directed)

Harris, Steven et al. Architecture of the Everyday. New York, N.Y: Princeton Architectural Press, 1997. (Self-Directed)

Hughes, F. The Architect: Reconstructing Her Practice. London: MIT Press, 1996 (Directed)

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll’s House. London : Eyre Methuen 1974 (Self-Directed)

Richard, W. Sex and Buildings: Modern Architecture and the Sexual Revolution. London: Reaktion, 2013 (Self-Directed)

Roberts, Marion. Living in a Man-Made World: Gender Assumptions in Modern Housing Design. London ; New York: Routledge, 1991. (Directed)

Sexty, C. Women Losing Out: Access to Housing in Britain Today. London: Shelter, 1990 (Self-Directed)

Vliet, Willem Van Women, Housing, and Community. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, USA: Avebury, 1988. ((Self-Directed)

Watson, Sophie. Housing and Homelessness: A Feminist Perspective. London ; Boston: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986. (Self- Directed)

Videos (Self-Directed):

“Ladies Quit Average Attitude,” Says Carol Mutoko, 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7dSYN9bhOQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player.

The Japanese Love Industry, 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpZbu7J7UL4&feature=youtube_gdata_player.

“Watch These 4 Girls Destroy The Female Stereotype Like The Monsters They Are.” Upworthy. Accessed November 25, 2013. http://www.upworthy.com/watch-these-4-girls-destroy-the-female-stereotype-like-the-monsters-they-are-rw1-9b.

Bibliography:

2727

Part A: Bibliography Online Articles (Self-Directed):

Brothers, Caroline. “Why Dutch Women Don’t Get Depressed - The New York Times.” Accessed November 8, 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/06/arts/06iht-happy.1.6024209.html.

“Children Do Better at School If Mothers Stay Home.” The Hindu, November 2, 2010. http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/medicine-and-research/children-do-better-at-school-if-mothers-stay-home/article865205.ece.

Council, Manchester City. “Manchester City Council Download - Public Intelligence Population Publications | The Council & Democracy.” Accessed November 25, 2013. http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/4220/corporate_research_and_intelligence_population_publications.

“For Women, a Crash Course in Job Skills - FacenFacts.” Accessed November 16, 2013. http://www.facenfacts.com/NewsDetails/20790/for-women-a-crash-course-in-job-skills.htm.

McKnight, Scot. “Dutch Women Don’t Get Depressed.” Jesus Creed. Accessed November 8, 2013. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2010/11/24/dutch-women-dont-get-depressed/.

“Mima Lab.” Mima Lab. Accessed November 25, 2013. http://www.mimahousing.com/.

“Women’s Opportunity Center / Sharon Davis Design.” ArchDaily. Accessed November 25, 2013. http://www.archdaily.com/433846/women-s-opportunity-center-sharon-davis-design/.

Visited Buildings:

Manchester City Football Academy (Directed)

Cheetwood Centre ( Self-Directed)

Cheetham Hill Job Centre ( Self-Directed)

28

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, Measurement

PART A PART B

User Research: “Walking with the Cloak in Cheetham Hill. RAPR Report 2009”. Began to understand the sub-tleties and sensitivities of designing for women in Cheetham Hill.

Final Reviews

Design Improvements

Visiting Ghazala Hussein and Rozina Aktor at the Neesa Well-Women Drop-in centre, gave a better understand-ing of the needs of women within the Cheetham Hill context as well as an insight into the everyday activities that occur.

Uncertainty about the notion of privacy and veils, and how to translate it into the building.

Model making allowed for test studies, and helped de-velop the final outcome.

Urban Living Lab: Pop-up shop in Cheetham Hill gave further insight into commu-nity engagement

PLACED workshop at Stretford Grammer school - working with children on ideas of sustainable housing made me realize that sustainability is not just about buildings. It is about teaching children the value of sustain-ability from a young age, so that it becomes a mentality. This made me question the method of adding sustainability ‘features’ reactively as opposed to pro-actively.

The graveyard site was chosen due to the residen-tial context and site size.

Spending Christmas time in Mumbai with my mum, grand-mother and aunt revealed various daily activities and moments that run through generations of women such as laundry, drying clothes and cooking

Realisation that I needed to know more about the target audience’s needs

Christmas market event: making a postcard presenta-tion helped in simplifying and organising the main points of my project.

Site Visit

Initial notions about the pro-ject were reconsidered after an engagement activity

Site Visit

Time

Challenges

‘Highs’



29

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementIntroductory Statement of Tectonic Intentions:

Who: Women aged approximately 20-60 and vulnerable women in Cheetham Hill

What: Women’s Happiness Centre and Housing for Vulnerable Women

Where: Graveyard site, Cheetham Hill

Why: Creating facilities specific to the target audience (women) and their needs. It is not possible to please everyone, and so I have narrowed down the target market to women in order to create tailor-made facilities for a target group that do not have the facilities or support needed to overcome of social pressures. The centre will act as an incubation hub for women to develop skills, hobbies and relationships, which can then have a longer-term impact on the way they think of themselves and their position in society.

When: The building is designed to be used with it’s current program for as long as women need specific help. Though programmatic elements may change (e.g. The laun-dry room and childcare may not be necessary once more facilities appear in Cheetham Hill) with time, the Happiness Centre can continue to support women in changing the stereotypical gender roles. 1:1 detail drawing showing the ‘Psychological Threshold for Change’ when a

woman realises that she has the choice to define and redefine herself.

2

1 Freedom of Choice

Happiness is...

Collision and balance of work, home, and personal development

30


Bernard Tshumi: Architecture and Disjunction

Theoretical

“Spaces are qualified by actions as much as actions are qualified by spaces...Events and spaces do not merge but affect one anoth-er”

Reading Tshcumi influenced the building pro-gram and helped in thinking about the types of spaces needed, the events that would take place in the spaces and the significance of having certain spaces together. This process helped in imagining the story of the users as they traversed through the spaces.

Textual References:

Below are a few examples of the main references that influenced the thought process during design, and informed the design decisions throughout the process.

Shirley Ardener: ‘ The Partition of Space”

Gender

“Behaviour and space are mutually depend-ent...Space defines the people in It...people define space” (113)

Ardener suggests that once space is bound-ed, it is not neutral, and can influence the social interactions that occur within it. Her text brought to question the dialogue be-tween inside/outside and private/public and made me think about the various ways that the spaces and events can and will affect each other.

Interview with Rozina Aktor and Ghazala Hussain

Community Engagement

“ Most women who come [to the Neesa Well Wom-en Project] are housewives who have just moved to Cheetham Hill or women whose children have grown up and they have nothing to do. When they come here, they get confidence”

[Speaking about Muslim women] “Most women don’t want to keep being looked at by the men. They don’t feel safe, and they don’t want nazaar (evil eye)”

Getting information from the community was just as important as doing the relevant readings around the subject. Speaking to both Ghazala and Rozina gave a much clearer understanding of the intended users of the Happiness Centre, including their needs and desires. This was an invaluable piece of research that informed the tectonics of the final proposal.

31


Facade

Carabanchel Community Housing, Madrid

• Notion of privacy control • Facade materiality • Sunlight control through facade • The overall rhythm of a moveable

facade

Construction Details

Hangar 16

• An understanding of the connec-tion details between swivelling doors and structure

Panels and Materiality

Masdar Institute, Abu Dhabi

• Dividing panels, layers of transparency and privacy, materiality of panels

Environment, Technology, Materiality

Waingels College, Reading

• Use of CLT and Glulam structure, join-ery detailing and structural integrity

Housing

Aquitanis Community Housing, France

• Wooden materiality for ceilings, and fa-cades

• Double height and void spaces • Balcony spaces as a social threshold• Interactions through transitory spaces

Materiality and Space

Peninsula House, Australia

• Facade Materiality -Material tones • Intermediate corridors • Light and shadows through facade • Moveable screens, facades and alterable

spaces

Major Precedents:

32


Engagement at Neesa Well Women Centre

Engagement at Urban Living Lab

Family Personal

Professional

Social lunches

Childcare talks

Social Trips Zumba

Sewing

Mental Health Group meetings

Visits to ICT Centre

Advice

Career Services

Conversations with Ghazala Hussein and Rozina Aktor, at the Neesa Well Woman Drop-In Project:

Speaking with Rozina and Ghazala highly influenced and directed the project as the conversation gave great insight into the life of the target audience for the project. Issues that were particular to middle-aged Muslim women (which would make up a large part of the users of the Happiness Centre) were discussed, resulting in a more thorough understand-ing of the needs and desires of the target audience of the Happiness Centre. Similar to the taxi driver approach during the beginning of the year, Ghazala and Rozina had experience dealing with many women in a similar position, and were therefore able to represent a larger group of women.

Learning from the Urban Living Lab:

Visiting and learning from the engagement at the Urban Living Lab revealed insight into the larger Cheetham Hill community (not just women). This change in scale put the specific engagement with the women in Cheetham Hill into context. Issues such as safety, facilities and community spirit was seen through this scale of engagement.

33


Summary of Design Iterations:

The three main stages of the design iterations are shown above. After the third iteration, where the spaces more or less worked together, incre-mental design changes were made to further improve the Happiness Centre. The process of incremental changes was key as it allowed spaces the fit together better, and also resulted in interesting threshold spaces (e.g. Swivel panel classrooms)

1 2 3

34

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementDesigning Through Experimentation and Iterations:

Throughout the process, along with sketching, drawing up plans, sec-tions and research, model making became a key method used to test out ideas. Designing through experimenting with models allowed me not to be too precious about certain ideas and to experiment freely. It was through experimentation and model studies that many issues were resolved, for example, the facade system, privacy mechanisms, roof design and spatial massing.

Personal Reflection:

Through working with models, I learnt the importance of the saying:

“Murder your darlings” - Arthur Quiller-Couch

It is only by letting go of old ideas that new ones can manifest, and the iterative and ex-perimental process was key in allowing this to happen.

35


Principal Improvements:

Below are the main improvements made to the design after reviews. Whereas the extension of the lobby and threshold space were incremental changes, the roof took a radical change for the better.

Creation of Flexible Threshold Space:

Extended threshold space to create intermedi-ate space and encompass a fire staircase.

Improved Sense of Entrance

An extended reception lobby to create a waiting space, and also improves the sense of arrival into the building.

36


Roof Re-development (Radical Change)

As seen in the initial section above, the previous roof design was not as dynamic or interesting and needed a radical redesign. Though a difficult stage in the design process, multiple iterations and model studies allowed for the develop-ment of a much more playful roof solution, that brought the building together.

The same language used for the Happiness Cen-tre roof was also translated to the housing, tieing the whole project together and creating a sense of continuity.

37


Updated Ground Floor Plan

Shows major updates in design. These additions improved the spatial quality of the building and entrance.

38


Roof Re-development (Radical Change)

Updated roof section through housing and Happiness Centre after roof development

39

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementMaterial Observations in Context:

Looking at the history of the site, the choice of materials used in the proposal would be ‘earthy’, relating to the graveyard as a place of nature. The predominant use of wood will related to the historical use of the site. Additionally, manufactured timber would promote a more sustainable form of construction.

Significance of Material Study:

The Waingels College by Sheppard Robson was used as a material precedent, due to their use of CLT and Glulam. Research into the detailing for CLT and Glulam, the environmental implications of the chosen material and the aesthetics all helped in confirming the mate-rial choice for the Women’s Happiness Centre. It later also helped in forming the environ-mental and structural strategy for the proposal.

Reasoning behind internal and external material selection:

Structure:• Glulam as a sustainable material• Easy to prefabricate and construct, making construction quick and hassle-free. • Lower embodied energy as it can be sourced locally and transported easily.

Exterior:• Larch wood cladding is both sustainable and aesthetically pleasing • Wooden facade panels are light enough to be opened and shut, and can be prefabri-

cated in mass, resulting in an economy of scale

Interior:• Wood cladding, white render, wooden revolving panels, glass • Material palette chosen to maintain a relation with the exterior, whilst keeping a

clean and neat interior.• White render allows wooden cladding and wooden panels to standout, becoming a

visual language inside the building.

Though Waingels College gave a more technical, in depth precedent study for materiality, the above mentioned precedents such as Masdar Institute, Carabanchel Housing, and the Peninsular House served as inspiration on a more aesthetic and conceptual level.

The images from the Eurban website helped in visualis-ing the aesthetic qualities of a Glulam structure. The decision to have an interior cladding over CLT panels spurred from research into the aesthetic and mainte-nance issues that arise from using bare CLT.

40


Summary of Material Generators:

Key qualities sought: • Earthy aesthetic• Sustainable material • Possibility to be used alongside CLT and

Glulam structure • Low embodied energy

Before a choice was made for the building materiality, the decision had to be made between a steel or a timbre construction. Both had the capacity to be built quickly, but referring to the list above, steel did not meet the criteria as well as timbre. The creation of a specification list was a use-ful methodology in choosing the correct material for the Happiness Centre. This also shed light on the benefits and limitations of using certain materials, which helped gain a better understanding of construction, environmental and aesthetic qualities of the chosen materials.

(Left) West Elevation showing the mate-rial selection. Larch and wooden panels create a warm colour tone, matching the tones around the site. The choice of wood differentiates the building with the brick houses on site.

(Below) Facade axonometric revealing the colour tones and dynamics of the facade. Materiality is also inspired by the Caranbanchel Community Housing and the Peninsular House

41


Key

Pile Foundations

Level -1 Floor Slab

Level 0 Floor slab

Level 1 Floor Slab

Timber wall to roof cladding (sec-ondary structure)

1. Primary Structural grid (Glulam)

2. Wooden Facade Panels

3. CLT infill walls (secondary struc-ture), exterior clad in larch

4. Windows

5. Glulam wooden space frame

6. Larch roof cladding

1

2 34

5

6

Structural model showing Glulam grid and distribution of loads

The structural system was influenced both by precedent studies into Wain-gels College, as well as the Technolo-gies case study on the Ritblat Building.

42


Before finalising a structural grid, maximum spans had to be calculated in order to ensure that the columns were placed in the correct positions. This can be seen in the trace sketch above, where spans were being worked out. The final grid pattern can be seen on the left.

A long section through the centre of the building reveals the structural system including the roof space-frame, column and beam positions. The section also shows the transfer of loads, including dead loads, live loads and environmental loads. The primary structural system is made with Glulam, whilst the infill wall panels are made with CLT. In the sketch above, experimentation can be seen in order to understand possible structural connections.

Dead Load

Environmental Loads

Live Load

43


1

2

3

4

5 15

1514

6

8

7

2

12

13

9

1011

1. Larch cladding with insect mesh2. Aluminium Composite exterior

skirting 3. Mechanically liftable wooden

facade panels 4. Sliding facade panels 5. Glulam frame structure 6. CLT secondary structure (good

for thermal mass)7. Aluminium windows (double-

glazed) 8. Rigid PIR insulation mechanically

attached to structure 9. Soft wood batten system10. Vapour barrier 11. Hidden aluminium gutter system12. Mechanical pulley system 13. Sliding curtain channel for

facade panels to be opened and closed

14. Floor insulation 15. Screed with UFH (under floor

heating)

Facade Structural and Material Make-Up

Personal Reflection:

The detailed section of the facade technology was a chal-lenge as concepts derived from folding paper (study mod-els) had to be translated into technical systems that would work as imagined. However, precedent research and tech-nical analysis helped in understanding the mechanisms needed for a dynamic facade system

44


Floor Cladding - Oak

Internal Wall Cladding

Exterior Cladding (Larch)

Wall Composition

1. Larch cladding with insect mesh pre-attached

2. Ventilation cavity avoids moisture build-up

3. Softwood batten system nailed onto insulation

4.Vapour Barrier

5. Rigid exterior grade insulation

6. CLT wall secondary structure

7. Interior wooden veneer finishing or dry walling depending on use of spaces and interior atmosphere. Walls treated with intumescent system to avoid fire hazards

1

INTERIOREXTERIOR

2

3

4

56

7

Technologies Link: Ritblat Building

Carrying out the technology and envi-ronmental analysis of the Ritblat build-ing largely influenced the understand-ing of the Happiness Centre technology as well. Aspects such as the materiality, typical section construction and pro-cess of construction were a lot easier to understand after doing the same for the Technologies aspect of the course.

Internal and external materiality for the Happiness Centre is predomi-nantly timbre, creating a sense of continuity between the inside and outside.

45

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementSustainability Criteria:

• Material / Specification issues / Health:Predominant Material: TimbreReasoning: Sustainable material choice, cladding panels can possibly be recycled, lower embodied energy, locally sourced

• Processing / Conversion / Environmental impact / ResourcesBuilding to be prefabricated and assembled on site for minimum time on site, ease of disassembly and potential reuse of material resources after life in service.

• Transportation / Proximity of sourceCLT and Glulam locally sourced within the UK if not within Manchester. Eurban is a potential material supplier as their timbre is sourced from sustainable forests and promote low-energy material use.

• Construction / assemblyGlulam frame structure and subassemblies are prefabricated assembled on site. Reduces time on site, noise and disturbance in residential area. Glulam fram and CLT secondary structure can be disas-sembled if need be.

• Life-span and potential for recyclingMaterial choice has an approximate life span of 40 years. Additionally, the building can be easily reused due to the frame structure. The infill walls allows for flexibility of space, and the potential for enlarging and reducing sizes of rooms within the building. Due to large spaces and the construction method, there is also potential for the building to be used in various ways in the future. Above: Sketch showing potential method

of construction on site. Because compo-nents will be prefabricated and trans-ported on site, construction can be done quickly and easily.

Left: Flow diagram showing the life cycle for timbre, from ‘cradle to cradle’

Recycled

Sustainable Forest Manufacture Used in Construction

Turned into bio-fuel

Reused

46


Fire Safety (Part B)

Below are the methods in which the building adheres to fire safety regula-tions stated in Part B of the Approved Documents:• Maximum residential and institutional travel distance is 18m (Regula-

tion B 3)• Escape widths are all larger than 900mm, whilst regulations indicate

750mm for a capacity of 60 people and 850mm for a capacity of 110. (Regulation B 3)

• Corridors larger than 12m should be compartmentalised. In order to avoid this, corridors have been limited to 12m (Regulation B 3.26)

• Minimum fire stair width to accommodate 150-220 people is 1000mm (Regulation 4.18)

Fire Safety (Part B): Due to the fact that the primary construction method is timbre (Glulam and CLT), fire safety was an important consideration in the design. The diagram below shows the possible compartmentalising of the building in case of fire, as well as poten-tial fire exits. In order to avoid fire hazard, the timbre components should be coated in a fire retardant paint or varnish

Comparing an earlier stage of the design (above) with the modi-fied plan (right), an additional stair and corridor space has been added to the design (highlighted in red above). The staircase was needed in order to meet travel distance regulations and the extra corridor creates a safety space that can be compartmentalised.

47


Left: Main staircase leading to Level 1: This was designed with the necessary dimensions in mind. Additionally, this stair can double as a circulatory staircase as well as a fire staircase due to the dimen-sions and safety of the staircase.

Above: Images taken from the building regulations. These con-straints ensured that the staircases complied with the minimum and maximum dimensions in order to protect users.

Staircase Regulations (Part K):

Staircase design is important for safety both for regular use and in case of fire. Aside from the diagrams on the right (from the Approved Docu-ments), below are some of the staircase design constraints that played a part in ensuring that the staircases in the Happiness Centre conformed to the needs of Document K:

• Staircases meet minimum and maximum dimensions for treads, risers and headings ( Regulation K 1.2 and 1.3)

• Staircases allow for a headroom larger than 2m (Regulation K 1.11)• Public main staircases have a width of 1200mm in order to accommo-

date the estimated visitor capacity of the building (Regulation K 1.14)• All stairs have a minimum landing of 1200mm ( Regulation K 1.23) • Staircase handrails are all at least 900mm tall (Regulation K 1.34)

48


Social Inclusion:

In order to ensure that the building met the needs of people with dis-abilities, the measures listed below were taken:

• Level ground for both indoor and outdoor use: Allows wheel-chair users to access rooms and spaces without posing discomfort or safety issues

• Ground floor housing allows wheelchair users or older people to use access home space easily without needing to climb stairs. Therefore women with special needs are given priority for ground floor housing

• Wide corridors and spaces to allow for free movement for wheel chair users as well as women pushing child buggies (Regulation M 3.11)

• Main lift for accessibility to first floor for both disabled users and older people (Regulation M 3.21)

• Potential for stair lifts on staircases leading to level -1 and mezza-nine level in the Messy room. Though there is possibility for stair lifts to be installed, this could have been designed in a more com-fortable and proactive manner.

• Rooms have large doors for ease of access . • Disable-friendly bathrooms in all houses as well as in the main Hap-

piness Centre (Regulation M 5.3)• Accessible entrance for disabled visitors (Regulation M 2.8)• Reception easily and obviously accessed from entrance (Regulation

3.2)

Most of the criteria for social inclusion revolve around ease of acces-sibility and movement. This however, still has scope for improvement, including more accessible secondary staircases both in the Happiness Centre and in the housing. Though the housing does not have lifts, the staircase design is compatible with Regulation M 9.5 as a ‘suitable stair’

The initial plan for the Happiness Centre had a few spaces that may have been uncomfortable for wheelchair users. For example, as highlighted on the plan on the left, there was a column close to the entrance which would have been awkward to move around as a wheelchair user. This was removed and the structure altered slightly to accommodate for this. Addition-ally, the North end of the building had a few narrow semi-exterior spaces which again, would have been difficult to navigate as a wheelchair user. This was thus extended to include a corridor space resulting in an ease of access and circulation.

On the left, an updated plan shows specific moments in the design that are relevant to promote social inclusion within the build-ing. This includes circulation, entrance ways, sanitary needs and vertical circulation needs.

The changes made from the initial plan above are highlighted in red. These changes promoted a more inclusive design and en-sured better comfort and safety.

49

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementBuilding form • Rational, linear form keeps construction quick, easy and can be

done by locals without needing specialists. With standard sizes and shapes, costs of prefabrication are also low

Buildability• Frame Glulam construction with CLT infill allows for quick con-

struction, and adaptability in the future – which will cut costs and promote sustainability.

Assembly • Prefabrication of components will allow for costs to be signifi-

cantly lower. However, there may be a large cost in packing and transporting material from the factory onto site. This can be reduced through efficient packing using recycled materials. Standardisation and repetition of façade elements allow for an economy of scale. Additionally, materials chosen allows for ef-ficiency, sustainability and cost-friendliness

Material selection / elements / details• Cost of materials: Materials have been chosen in order to dimin-

ish costs whilst maintaining quality and life in service. Aside from aesthetics, this is one of the reasons that CLT and Glulam were chosen as a cheaper but equally efficient replacement for steel.

• Timbre used throughout the structure could be sourced through EURBAN, who are associated with responsible forest manage-ment ( Inspired by Waingles College precedent).

Lifespan, maintenance and potential for recycling• Glulam and CLT are appropriate material choices for the British

environment, resulting in lower maintenance costs. Most materi-als chosen have a life span of at least 40 years.

• CLT panels can be reused, recycled and disposed as biomass fuel after its life in service.

• High quality of materials result in low maintenance and thus an overall lower building cost.

Time

Cost Quality

Above: Total cost break-down for realising a project ( Osborne and Greeno, 2007). By managing construction and material costs, the overall building cost can reduce significantly. It is thus important to consider as-pects such as material and building life-span, maintenance and the ability for materials to be recycled

The overall management of a project requires a balance between the cost of realising the project, the quality of the project (e.g. In terms of design and material choice) as well as the time it takes for the project to be realised, and the time frame within which it will be used.

Construc)on Cost 56%

Materials 38%

Planning 2%

Design 4%

Construction 56%

Materials 38%

Planning 2%

Design 4%

50

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementEnvironmental Systems and Strategy:

Overall environmental strategy• Solar shading• Natural day-lighting, and solar control through facade system • Solar thermal energy collection• Solar-powered under-floor heating system

Energy • Conservation: Energy use is conserved through the overall environmental strategy outlined

above. With a largely passive system, energy needs can be minimised through design rather than active systems which may require further maintenance and energy

• Generation: The large roof surface area allows the south-facing roof elements to hold solar ther-mals. This solar energy can then be stored and used for under-floor heating during winter months

• Emissions: Possible emissions can occur due to the energy needed for the laundry rooms, the kitchen, as well as the plant room.

Bio-climatic strategies / passive-active / equipment• South façade system is responsive to solar gains (active system), whilst north façade is passive

and user-controlled depending on daylight needs and activities that occur in the spaces.

User comfort / control of systems / quality of environment• Adjustable privacy for women using interior spaces (user control)• Controllable solar shading and potential for natural ventilation through tilting windows• Exterior break-out spaces for fresh air and social interactions

Waste recycling / conservation of resources• Rainwater collection through sloped roof-scape can be used for under-floor heating • Waste recycling bin provisions to promote sustainable living • Construction and disassembly methods (as mentioned above) allow recycling of materials and

spaces

Life-span and potential for recycling• Daily recycling within homes/communal kitchen,• Solar thermals may require a bit more maintenance but it provides the energy to heat water for

the under floor heating system • Long life-span as a usable building, though program may change over time as needs also change

Zones requiring mechanical ventilation

Plant room Main Under floor heating and electrical route

Down pipes positioned where rainwater naturally collects.

North-facing skylights

South-facing solar-panels

51


53

2

4

6

7

1

1. South-facing roof panels host solar thermal panels to heat water for the under floor heating system.

2. Natural ventilation through tilting windows, in order to create a stack effect

3. Active system of sunlight-responsive, south-facing facade panels in order to control the heat gains of the building. These can also be user-controlled on instances when privacy is needed.

4. Under-floor heating system heats immediate occupation zones, and rises. This is more effective than ceiling height heating.

5. North-facing roof panels with skylights allow daylight into interior space, reducing electrical lighting loads

6. Rainwater collection through natural drainage. This is stored below ground

7. Passive solar-gain control on north facade. Facade system is user controlled and can be manually opened to extend spaces outwards.

3

52


Above: Chart of main spaces within the Happiness Centre, the communal kitchen, and the housing scheme. The spatialisation and design of each space was considered after understanding the events that would take place within the spaces as well as the environmental and social needs. Whereas few spaces needed specific environmental needs, the social needs were key in the design of the building. Due to it targeting women, issues such as privacy and openness had to be balanced and designed for maximum user comfort.

Level 0Level 1

Level -1

Housing

Space Event Environmental Needs Social Needs

Messy Room Arts, crafts, dance, yoga, leisure activities and classes, social interactions

Daylight, ventilation User-controlled privacy (through façade)

Study Room Library, individual work zone, social interactions

Daylight, sound insulation, ventilation Flexibility and variety in spaces, privacy control

Childcare Temporary child-minding Sound insulation, ventilation Safe enclosure, visibility Laundry Laundry, social interactions, ironing Ventilation, heat management Privacy, ability to extend outside in case

weather permits Classrooms Knitting, hobbies, small group meetings Ability to expand to exterior space Adjustable permeability and privacy Admin Office Security, safe, post, administration Heating, ventilation Compartmentalised, accessible for admin

employees, private Plant Room Solar energy collection, heating and

ventilation control system, M&E systems Accessible from outside, compartmentalised for safety

Accessible from admin, private

Reception Meeting, waiting, social interactions Daylight, ventilation Open space, accessible and comfortable 1-to-1 rooms Meetings, interviews Ventilation Controlled visibility Career Library Reading, waiting Lighting Enclosed, introverted space Advice and Counselling

Counselling, meetings, small group meetings

Daylight, ventilation Privacy

Computer Cluster Classes, individual computer use Lighting, ventilation, heat management

Not individualised, ability for social interactions

Lecture and Networking room

Lectures, social event, networking seminars Daylight, sound insulation Flexible use of space

Prayer Rooms Prayer Facing Makah, lighting Foot-wash, back facing bathrooms Showers/Lockers Showers, toilets, lockers Water/plumbing, heating, ventilation Security, privacy Homes Living, sleeping, adjustable activities Daylight, privacy Self-surveillance, Social interactions, adjustable Kitchen Cooking, interactions, eating, social

interactions Ventilation, recycling bins, daylight Seating indoors and outdoors

53

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementReview of Design Development, Integration and Spatial Synthesis

Review of Skills

• Iterative process: The design process started off quite diagrammatically, but as with more design resolution, the process became more detailed and kept develop-ing through to the final design. This was necessary as with each iteration, further thought and detail was put into the design

• Importance and enjoyment of community engagement: Throughout the year, the value of a conversation, whether planned or spontaneous was highlighted time and time again. For example, speaking with Terezia during the first site visit gave a much better understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the site de-spite being completely coincidental. Further along the design cycle, an organised meeting with the Neesa Well Women Project gave a lot more target market-spe-cific information. Designing for a group of people with views and needs different than your own requires engagement in order to benefit from the knowledge and experiences of the community.

• The value of repetitive model-making: For both the facade development and the roof development of the proposal, the ‘creative block’ was overcome through repetitive model studies. Knowing that the model does not need to be perfect allowed the design to become more creative and playful as ideas were tested out without the pressure of it being perfect the first time around.

Review of Design:

The main factors that controlled and contributed to the design: • The need for privacy resulted in a controlled and intricate facade system and inter-

nal panels that would allow women to interact with the architecture.• The need for private, women-only showers, changing rooms and a prayer room

resulted in a basement right below the private, multifunctional ‘Messy Room’• The need to maximise social space resulted in a large central atrium which allows

for visibility between the different rooms, and creates enough space for social interaction

• The placement and formal arrangement of spaces related to women-only spaces, privacy, and likely sequence of events between spaces

• Each space in the Happiness Centre affords social interaction, be it in the laundry room or in the Idea Room, highlighting the importance of ‘moments of interaction’

Diagram showing how through ups and downs. The design could move forward, and simultaneously, personal skills and under-standing could also improve.

The model of the plan was a useful tool in understanding spatial relationships and helped move the design forward.

54


Below are three sequential iterations of a principal section. The gradual integration of primary and secondary construction fabric was developed through the sections:

Development of Tectonic Section

Concept

3.

2.

1.

Material and Experience

Construction and Spatiality

The first section was made very early into the design process. At this point, the arrangement of spaces was not completely finalised and the construction fabric had not been looked into in much detail. This was taken as a starting point from which the rest of the design developed.

The second iteration of the section through a similar axis was taken after the plan and spatial arrangement was almost fixed. This section was created to experiment with spatial experience and materiality, in an almost study-like technique. This section was a useful tool in recognising that the roof did not comple-ment the building, and needed reworking.

The third iteration of the section was in response to the need to redesign the roof to create more vibrant spaces. Once the roof was designed, the structure of the building became more evident. Aside from the structural grid, a space-frame structure had to be made for the roof. This section allowed me to better understand the technology and constructional process of the building. Additionally, concepts such as user comfort, day light-ing and ventilation also became clearer.

55


Initial Axonometric of Idea Room (above)

Natural ventilation cools the space through a stack effect, entering from tilted windows of the facade. Due to the large number of windows, the space can be ventilated easily and efficiently. Natural lighting plays a dominant role in lighting the internal space of the Idea Room, leaving electrical lighting at a minimum. Natural light can also be controlled through the facade system, depending on the nature of the activities inside and the need for privacy.

Section through Idea Room (left)

As seen in the section, the room is heated from the floor, allowing immediate spaces to be heated (as opposed to ceiling-height heating). The section also shows a proposal for electrical lighting systems (both general and specific).

Wall and Floor Make-Up

0 2m

56


Both internal and external threshold panels allow for flexibility in the use of space. The continuity between in-ternal panels and external panels ranges from the ability to be user-controlled, along with scale and materiality. A repetition of panels (be it swivel panels internally, or sliding panels externally) creates a language that perme-ates and brings together various aspects of the building.

Interior Threshold Exterior Threshold

57

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementKey Intentions : Happiness Centre

• Privacy controlled by women, both internally and externally

• Spaces that celebrate social interaction, but also give opportunities for solitude

• Women-only spaces and spaces which can be unisex

• Flexibility in use both pre-sent and future

• Celebration of the every-day through social interac-tions

• Inclusive and open spaces creating a visual connec-tion between spaces for family, career and personal development.

• Spaces that enable women to be happy

58

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementKey Intentions : Temporary Housing for Vulnerable Women

• Temporary housing for vulnerable women to get back on their feet, using the Happiness Centre as an incubation hub

• Balcony thresholds to promote interaction between neighbours

• Inward-facing for self- surveillance and security

• Small green spaces to enhance the apprecia-tion of the nature and the everyday

• Balance between privacy and social spaces

59

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementSite Visit: 42nd Street

Visiting 42nd Street was a great learning experience not only to analyse an in-teresting piece of architecture, but more so because of the dialogue between the architect and the user. It was valuable to see how the architect perceived the design, and how the users used the spaces. If anything this brought to light the importance of understanding the client’s needs before (and during design) and accepting that spaces are not always used or work as planned.

Lessons:

Designing a space for a client in a hypothetical situation is one thing, however, once time, money and quality are involved, a balance needs to be made in order to meet the needs and desires

Post-practical evaluations are key for architects in order to learn from mistakes and to observe how the architecture acts in use

Importance of the entrance should be considered, especially in light of who enters the building, and what sort of atmosphere the entrance allows.

Sometimes, as an architect, we expect the building to be used in a particular way. Many times, it is used differently than expected, but this is also acceptable (e.g. The open-able facade had not been opened for use since the building’s use)

Questions Raised:

What is the role of the architect? How does the architect reflect his/her own ideas back to the client?

How often is community architecture really community driven?

How often does cost and time restrictions limit the degree of community en-gagement during design?

60

Part B: Spatialisation, Materialisation, MeasurementPLACED Workshops

As a student ambassador for PLACED, I volunteered at a workshop aimed at designing houses with sustainability and client in mind. Students from various European schools had also come to Manchester to attend, creating an interest-ing mix of experienced and opinions about the meaning of sustainability.

Lessons:

The importance of learning about sustainability from an early age

How can we design ‘fun’ into sustainable architecture?

Learning from people around the world - our perceptions of the built environ-ment change and evolve depending on where we are and our past experiences.

Student CPD with Grant Erskine

The lecture, hosted by Grant Erskine and Irina Adam gave insight into the workings of a professional practice. This included a sum-mary on submitting planning applications, the key building project stages, and the importance of self-branding and marketing.

Additionally, this lecture gave insight into applying to, and ap-proaching architectural firms for year out opportunities.

61

Bibliography

61

Bibliography

Books:

Bell, V. Materials for Architectural Design. London: Laurence King, 2006. (Self- Directed)

Bingaman, A. Embodied Utopias: gender, social change and the modern metropolis. London: Routledge, 2002. (Self- Directed)

Borden, Iain. Gender Space Architecture: An interdisciplinary Introduction. London: Routledge, 2000. (Self- Directed)

Knaack, Ulrich. Facades: Principals of construction. London: Springer: 2007 (Self- Directed)

MDRVD. KM3, Excursions on Capacities. Barcelona: Actar, 2005 (Self- Directed)

MDRVD. The vertical village. Rotterdam: NAi, 2012 (Self- Directed)

Muckenheim, M. Inspiration: Contemporary design methods in architecture. Amsterdam: BIS Publishers, 2012 (Self- Directed)

Osborne D., Greeno, R. 2007. Introduction to Building (Mitchell’s Building Series). Essex, Pearson Education Limited (Self- Directed)

Segantini, M. Contemporary Housing. Milan, Skira, 2008. (Self- Directed)

Smith, P. The Dynamics of Urbanism. London: Hutchinson, 1974 (Self- Directed)

Van Chaik, L. Spatial Intetlligence: New futures for architecture. New Jersey: Wiley, 2008. (Self- Directed)

Weesep, J. van. Government and Housing: developments in Seven countries. London: SAGE, 1990 (Self- Directed)

Wienand, Norman. Materials, specification and detailing: foundations of building design. Abindgdon: Taylor & Francis, 2008. (Self- Directed)

Yeomans, D. The Trussed Roof: its History and Development. Aldershot: Scolar, 1992 (Sefl-Directed)

62

Bibliography

62

Extra Lectures (Self-Directed):

Before You’re 30 Lecture Series

Spotlight: Adam Khan

Ex- MSA Praxis: Scott Bearman

Stephen Hodder’s Inauguration Speech

TEDxChorlton: Marcus Orlovsky (Entrepreneur), David Schneider (Actor), Otti Vogt (Vice President Global Vertical Industries), Steve Bartlett (Entrepreneur)

Simon Smithson, Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners

Grant Erskine CPD

Ethical Business: Jane Binion

Curating an Exhibition: Lydia Moyer Portfolio Workshop, Janet Moore

Spotlight Lecture: David Lambert, Alaster Smurthwaite, John Holroyd, Jane Leach, Matt Pilling, Paul Iddon, Maurice Shepero

Hawkins Brown- The Social: Harbinder Birdi

Videos (Self-Directed):

“Why We Should All be Feminists”, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, TEDxEuston. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg3umXU_qWc

Reports (Self-Directed):

Walking With the Cloak in Cheetham Hill, RAPR Report, 2009

Manchester Housing Market Assessment, AGMA Report, 2010

63

Part C: Resolution, Impact, Reanalysis

Roof design was problem-atic and did not follow through the dynam-ics and intricacy of the facade system.

In order to escape the ‘creative block’, multiple paper roof studies were made. Repetition al-lowed for the design to become more playful

Roof design was developed and made a huge difference to the quality and energy of the design. Being confident of the roof renewed the energy and drive for the project

MSA Praxis group discussion about the role of an architect with Emily Crompton. Discus-sion about the different types of architect we can be, and the variety of routes that are open for us to take.

The act of drawing out, developing and expressing the final project was not only enjoyable, but also helped in understanding and appreciat-ing the project. It enforced the idea that drawing is not only a way to express ideas, but also to explore them further.

Simon Smithson, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Talk“ The most rewarding aspect of being an architect is...People”

Phone call with Yasmin Sheriff- Advice on career paths, and the journey to reaching goals

Future develop-ment and use of skills learnt from the journey.

Challenge to develop a stable structure for the building with CLT spans.

An understanding of the structure of the roof and build up of the project helped in carrying for-ward with detail draw-ings, visuals and sections

Technologies Link: Studying the Ritblatt as a case study proved valuable in helping to understanding the detailing and construction.

PART B PART C Time

Challenges

‘Highs’



64


0 8 16m

Site/Roof Plan

65


0 4m 8m

Level 0

66


0 4m 8m

Level 1

67


0 4m 8m

Level -1

68


0 2 4m

East Elevation

69


0 2 4m

West Elevation

70


0 2 4m

North Elevation

71


0 2 4m

South Elevation

72


Happiness Centre East-West Section

73


Detail Section of Idea Room

74


Site Section Through Housing and Happiness Centre

75


Commercial: Potential crafts shop brings women at the forefront of the commercial strip

Green Space: Landscaped development pro-vides women with a safe and comfortable green space to enjoy

Residential: Temporary housing as a part of the surrounding residential development

Education: Happiness Centre aimed at devel-opment and education for women and al-lows women to entertain hobbies or careers.

Leisure and the service provisions: available specifically for women, within the same area for ease of access and to promote a balance

Public transport: allows women to access the centre. Additionally, parking provisions allow women to drive themselves if preferred

76


Main vehicular roads

Chosen SiteSecondary vehicular roadPrimary pedestrian route

Possible entries onto site

Initial Site Movement - Graveyard as an Obstacle

Site Movement with Happiness Centre


The location of the Happiness Centre shifts the graveyard site from an obstacle to a site of interaction. Previously, the adjacent street was used as a transitory space for women walking between the main road and their houses. However, the position of the Happiness Centre would allow a diversion off this pedestrian route. With the addition of the Happiness Centre, more movement would be present around the site as women come from various locations to seek advice, develop hobbies or socialise. This influx of people will create a more energetic place, and with it, opportunities for interaction.

77



During the beginning of the project, when speaking to Yilber, the owner of Godfather Cafe close to site, he said “ I would like for the graveyard to become something else, not housing. Its good to get a mixture of people in”. The addition of the Happiness Centre increases the pedestrian movement around site, and therefore would have a positive impact on local businesses such as Yilber’s cafe. The introduction of a nonresidential space into a pre-dominantly residential area also creates variety and subverts the need for separate uses. This would therefore create more incentive and opportunities for women to leave the home and interact with each other. It acts as an incubation point for women, which would have a knock-on affect on gender empowerment and economy generation (as women become self-sufficient), allowing gender roles to slowly, but surely start to evolve.

Green space : provisions within Happiness Centre

Housing: Incorporated into development

Commercial Space: local businesses im-pacted by increased visitor count

Happiness Centre

High Footfall

Renewed pedestrian flow feeds off busy high street, and allows women to securely access the Happiness Centre

78

Part C: Resolution, Impact, ReanalysisAs seen in the revisited site mappings, and further exemplified in the dia-gram below, the addition of the Happiness Centre will break the monotony of segregated uses of space. This would result in an interaction of people with different outlooks, needs and experiences. The importance of social interaction is pivotal in instigating change, because it is through the spread of ideas that old mentalities can begin to change. Though this may not have the same scale as the Harlem Renaissance, or the Egyptian Revolution for example - both which started through social interactions and conversations about change - there is potential for incremental change over time. On a practical level, the development provides spaces and resources for women to grow and learn, but on a social level, it can provide opportunities to question social norms and pressures.

Private ( Residential)

Key:

Reidential Space - Less interactions with other people

Community Space - Breaks monotony of residential space and encourages interaction

Additional housing in resi-dential area = Monotony

Public centre with housing= Mixed use spaces

Public (Shops, Centres etc)

Green Space

79

Part C: Resolution, Impact, ReanalysisWomen in Cheetham Hill


Choices

Choices

WorkIncome

Responsibility

Successful

Draining Sources











Backward

Career

Skill Development

Domestic Care

Family

Traditions

Friends Hobbies

Home

Personal

Secondary

TraditionalModern

Work HomePersonal

Encouraging Sources

Impact Prediction

As seen in the Happiness models, the intention for the Happiness Centre was to transform the current ‘Women in Cheetham Hill’ model into one similar to the Dutch model. Through the creation of choice (via program), a supportive and dynamic atmosphere (via form and interior/exterior treatment), and a mix of women with different backgrounds and experiences (value of the user), the Happiness Centre is aimed at giving women the opportunity to balance work/family/personal development and the freedom to choose what they want to do.

The temporary housing works together with the Happiness Centre, giving the most vulnerable women extra support. The Happiness Centre acts as an urban catalyst for social change. Because of this, it is predicted that through incremen-tal changes in mentality, women will be more free to choose their own version of success. Through the resources and support, draining sources would slowly be eliminated and replaced by encouragement

BEFORE:

AFTER:Women’s Happiness Centre

Choices



Social interactions during domestic chores

Development of skills that can result in profit and self-sufficiency

Support, advice, and activities defined by needs of Women in Cheetham Hill



Work HomePersonal

Encouraging Sources

80


Impacts direct surroundings

Creates a network of change

Change is socially ac-cepted and implemented

PHYSICAL ADDITION MENTAL CHANGE SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE

INCUBATION INDEPENDENCE

Check-up

OpportunitiesEducation

Women drawn-in

Support Resources

The Re-establishment of Community

With the correct support, the empowerment and increased happiness of women in Cheetham Hill would ideally have a long-lasting impact on the community. The Happiness Centre can-not resolve all issues that challenge women in Cheetham Hill, as this is both impractical and idealistic. However, by acting as a social catalyst, and providing opportunities for future develop-ment, this Happiness Centre would be able to provide the resources and awareness needed to re-establish a community where the backward notion of gender roles do not affect the deci-sions and freedom that the women deserve.

81


Exhibition Reflection:

Working as a part of a team to organise, curate and build our exhibi-tion has been a great experience so far. Separating the group into organisation, construction and publication sub-groups helped in spreading workload, and allows a smaller group to be responsible for certain decisions. Whereas smaller groups manage their respective jobs, larger decisions are made through group discussions and brain-storms. This balance allows for efficient time and resource manage-ment, which is key in ensuring that the exhibition is built successfully and in a timely manner. So far, development is slow but steady and hopefully will continue to move forward at the required pace.

82

Part C: Resolution, Impact, ReanalysisOrganisation: Rotaract Manchester International Role: International Committee Chair

Responsibilities: • Organised the year’s first event: International Night for Rotaract members

and Rotarians. Was able to raise £400 for the club and promote fellowship between members

• Communication liaison between Rotaract Manchester and other clubs around the world, including clubs in Luxembourg, Cairo, Dar es Salaam, Manchester (Jamaica), Friedrichshafen, Varna, Sofia, Karachi, Curtain and Genova. Encouraging fellowship between clubs and requesting possibili-ties for twin-projects

• Organised and lead the ‘Acts of Kindness’ movie project which aimed at creating a 5 minute movie of Rotaractor’s doing small meaningful acts to spread kindness. This included free hugs, giving children balloons, ‘Take What You Need’ slips (photographed on right), giving the homeless socks, and volunteering during Stroke Awareness Day.

Skills Developed:

• Team Leading • Communication between club members and international clubs • Organisation and management of people, time and resources • Learning from MSA Praxis studio projects about homeless people: was

able to give something meaningful to the homeless (socks during winter)• Engaging with people - how to ask for something ( learnt from studio

engagement activities) • Volunteering with stroke association, interacting with people, experience

in inviting people to participate • Volunteering to raise money - observations about movement around

space • Social and professional development and networking

83

Conclusion

83

Personal Reflection and Conclusion

Danish economist Esther Boserup once said that “necessity is the mother of invention” and I am a strong believer in this statement. This year, many skills were developed as a result of not only wanting, but needing to express my ideas. One example of this is my approach to-wards diagrams. This year, due to group work and engagement activities, diagrams became a necessary tool to express thoughts and ideas concisely. By understanding and appreciat-ing this need, my diagramming skills improved drastically from previous years as I realised the importance of using them as a tool. Boserup’s philosophy also trickles down to design iterations and how the ‘creative block’ was approached and overcome. For design issues such as the facade or the roof, successful ideas were generated through the various needs of the project. Once the need and the desire has been recognised, the method to achieve the goals is much more manageable.

Whereas the design report was a lot about the development of the studio project, as seen in the start of each part of the design report, personal development was of equal impor-tance. As seen in those diagrams, there have been a series of ‘Inspirations’, ‘Challenges’ and ‘Highs’ which have directed my developmental trajectory. By no means is the final project perfect, and like in the personal development maps, there is always scope for improve-ment.

The chosen gender-orientated project created opportunities for in-depth reading and re-search into gender roles within society (both in relation to Cheetham Hill as well as gender issues in the architectural profession). This has become a topic that I feel strongly about and this year’s studio project has created a platform from which I can research and pursue the topic further.

In addition to studio work, attending external lectures and participating in extracurricular activities have played a part in my personal development. Through these activities, soft skills were developed, which later came to influence my studio work, and vice versa. Be-cause architecture is a multidisciplinary course many skills can be transferable to, and from external activities.

Overall, through the journey of this year, I have been able to improve my skills, and way of thinking and dealing with challenges. I believe this learning process is as important now as it will be in the future, and I look forward to being able to take what I have learnt through MSA Praxis into future projects and challenges.

Diagram of iterative process (both in design and per-sonal development) where newer ideas and skills build on positive aspects of the previous ones

Project 3.3 IDR (test pub)

Documents

Transcript of Project 3.3 IDR (test pub)