The B.15 Workshop (Part of the School of Environment Education and Development or SEED at UoM) caters for students from the Manchester School of Architecture (MSA) – a shared school across the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.

We offer facilities and advice for the production of scale development and presentation models for use in student projects. The workshop offers state of the art digital fabrication technology alongside core traditional manufacturing techniques.

Our aim is to continually develop our workshop to remain in line with industry standards whilst equipping our students with a good understanding of contemporary and traditional approaches to modelmaking.

As well as our main function toward MSA we offer consultancy work and are regularly involved in Architecture related projects across campus and externally.

Short History of B.15

The workshop in its current location has been providing modelmaking advice and facilities to Architecture, Planning and Landscape students since its completion in 1970. Whilst technology has evolved since then, the workshop has always played a key role in the study of Architecture at Manchester. Originally part of the University of Manchester, the school merged with Manchester Metropolitan University Architecture Course in 1996 to form MSA. Find out more in this documentary short produced for the workshops 45th Anniversary.

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) workshop is located in the basement room B.15 of the Humanities building off Bridgeford Street on the University of Manchester Oxford Road campus.

Contact

Address:

B.15 Modelmaking Workshop

Humanities Bridgeford Street

University of Manchester

Oxford Road

Manchester

M139PL

Telephone: Office: 0161 275 6876 or Workshop: 0161 275 6853

Please note that due to the nature of our role we are often away from the desk to answer phone calls so leave a message and we will try to get back to you. Urgent contact can be made through the university switchboard directly to our workshop but we recommend either of the following e-mail addresses.

Staff Email addresses: Scott.Miller@manchester.ac.uk / lara.gerrard@manchester.ac.uk / paulina.voang@manchester.ac.uk / ken.chan@manchester.ac.uk

Please note that CAD related bookings can only be made in person although you are welcome to get in touch about machine availability or with and other questions.

Opening Times

Refer to the up to date opening times page for this years calendar.

For any further information about the workshop rules and regulations refer to the General Users Guide .

Welcome to B.15 for 26/27

Posted on September 25, 2026 by mzfassm2

Hi all,

Welcome and welcome back to 26/27 MSA students!

A couple of headlines for you about the upcoming weeks/months.

New B.15 Technician

We have a new technican, Peter Williams who will has joined the team and is ready to welcome you all, please help welcome him in! You can find out more about Peter and the rest of the B.15 team here.

New student Inductions

Over the next few weeks B.15 will be closed on allocated induction days. For new starters you can find the induction video, quiz and sign up links on your course moodle page under the Workshop Inductions making section. Please follow the instructions and sign up to a time slot on the dates listed.

It should appear something like this:

We will be closed to general access on the following days to induct groups as follows:

BA 1 – Tuesday 29^th September

BA 1 Catch-up – Thursday 1^st October

MA A+U – Friday 2^nd October

MA A+AR – Friday 2^nd October

MArch – Monday 5^th October

Foundation – Thursday 8^th October

MLA – Friday 9^th October

Mixed Catch-up sessions Potentially more TBC

Wednesday 7^th October

Friday 9^th October

Exhibitions

AiM: IN PROGRESS, the first of 3 evolving displays of practice models is open at Londons Material Source Studio until October 23rd. The Architects Index of Modelmaking is a network of practices who make physical models and is an ongoing project coordinated by B.15.

The free exhibition is open 9-5 Monday to Friday and features 101 models! Check it out if you’re in the area. Following London the exhibition will expand and move to Venice next year – Details to follow of events that will be open to you to attend. Find out more.

Schinkel in Manchester exhibition in ongoing at the Manchester Central Libraryuntil January 2nd. The exhbition features student models from research mothods projects over the last two years and tells the parallel stories of buildings in Manchester and Berlin conected by the work of Schinkel. A talk will be taking place on September 30th – find out more here.

Talks

AiM: In the Making – Earlier this year we hosted a day long event with practitioners discussing the role of modelmaking in the their work. The event was recorded and is now online to rewatch on the new AiM Youtube chennale. You can find it below on the along with other past videos.

We look forward to meeting you all soon to start work on this years projects!

– B.15 team

B.15 MODELMAKING WORKSHOP

Architectural Modelmaking, Design Development, Bespoke Design & Construction. Part of The University of Manchester (SEED School of Environment, Education and Development) Part of the Manchester School of Architecture

About the B.15 Modelmaking Workshop