Why MSA?

Through my Mancunian grandfather, a haulier who experienced the changing face of manufacturing industry in the 1970s-90s, I have an appreciation for Manchester's industrial heritage, and the development of buildings and infrastructure in the city. The combination of this historical backdrop and MSA's innovative, forward-thinking attitude attracts me. I get the impression that the school's location amidst industrial past and urban development is highly beneficial to students intending to practice architecture in present day northern England.

I was initially encouraged to apply for the course by the flexibility of its requirements. I imagine that the acceptance of a variety of A-level profiles (particularly those not including art) contributes to a more colourful and diverse student body than would be possible with more prescriptive requirements. MSA's affiliation to both of Manchester's universities appears to offer a uniquely varied student experience.

Sketches of details

Two examples of observational sketches based on details that have caught my eye - to complement my more technical project-based work. Above: a cast iron fish motif adorning a bridge in central Berlin. Below: the heavily eroded lintel of the arch over the 19th century boys' entrance to Scarcroft Primary School, York.

Containers: art pavilion design

The above sketch, produced during my placement at Grimshaw architects in London, gives a sense of the versatility of used shipping containers as a module for portable structures. The drawing below is a screenshot of my 3D Sketchup model, which allowed me to manipulate the containers into different layouts and add additional, perspex-glazed stories whilst developing my hypothetical gallery design.

York Wesleyan Chapel

This view of York's defunct Wesleyan Chapel is based on a photograph taken at an unusual angle, producing slight distortion. The incomplete detail shows the viewer the basic elements, which may be useful in considering its potential for redevelopment.

Cooling towers - investigation into thermals and lighting

As an enthusiastic physics student, many of my sketches feature busy annotations to do with heating and lighting. This sheet represents my thermal and lighting considerations when designing cooling tower residences.

Cooling Towers and Hyperboloids

For a number of months I have been working on an ongoing project looking into the possibility of converting disused power station cooling towers into residential blocks. This image, showing a hyperboloid form constructed from straight line planes, was produced as part of a technical drawing exercise.

Introductory Statement

This blog aims to convey my enthusiasm for the conceptual and practical aspects of design through a selection of recent sketches, technical drawings, and other images. These represent a number of projects that I have independently undertaken in preparation for applying to study architecture, and as such revolve around architectural themes.