Welcome to B.15 for 26/27

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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 29th September

BA 1 Catch-up – Thursday 1st October 

MA A+U – Friday 2nd October

MA A+AR – Friday 2nd October

MArch – Monday 5th October

Foundation – Thursday 8th October

MLA – Friday 9th October

Mixed Catch-up sessions Potentially more TBC

Wednesday 7th October 

Friday 9th 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

AiM: IN PROGRESS – Exhibition

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AiM: IN PROGRESS: EXHIBITION

September 14th – October 23rd
Launching at London Design Festival with hosts Material Source Studio London
Presented by the Architects Index of Modelmaking, AiM: IN PROGRESS is the first in a three-year series of architectural exhibitions exploring how physical models can influence the design process — before the full-scale build.
Rather than focusing on the fully resolved, each exhibition will evolve to reveal how projects develop through conversations between clients, end users, modelmakers and architects. Here, models are not simply representations of an architectural idea, but tools for testing, questioning and, sometimes, changing that idea.

EVENT

AiM: IN PROGRESS: Before It Gets Built – A conversation towards 2028
17.30 – 21.00, Wednesday September 16th
Does a model ever stop representing a design and start changing it?
Join us alongside representatives of the European Cultural Centre Italy and a selection of contributors, to discuss the latest AiM exhibition. Focusing on the models behind current  architectural projects, we’ll look at the stages of design development when ideas are still forming — and consider how much of what ultimately gets built is shaped by what happens along the way.

B.15 Summer Access July 2026

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Dear students,

Unfortunately due to an unexpected staff shortage we’ll be unable to open B.15 on the following days in July:

Monday 6th Full Day / Wednesday 8th Full Day

Monday 13th Afternoon / Wednesday 15th Full Day

Monday 20th Afternoon / Wednesday 22nd Full Day / Thursday 23rd Morning

Monday 27th Afternoon / Wednesday 29th Full Day

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

As always, any students wanting to use the space should speak with us at the earliest time to ensure the best possible outcomes for your project. Drop in to the workshop to discuss your ideas when you can.

-B.15 team

B.15 Modelmaking Awards 2026 – Winners!

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On Friday June 5th we were joined by Omar Gandhi Architects to judge this years B.15 Modelmaking Awards. The shortlisted projects were whittled down from a longlist of 70 to 20. These projecgts were viewed and graded in person before a round table discussion to decide the winners. In addition to the 4 equal prizes, 4 ‘wildcard’ awards were given to projects based on in-person assesment alone.

All the work submitted was of a great quality and both Omar Gandi and Patrick Handrigan were very complimentary of everyone. Congratulations to all who took part and thank you for your great work throughout this academic year. Good luck and keep making!

Winners 

Luke Ferguson

Maream Merza

Tianyu Zheng

Finley Hartless

Wildcard selections

Marwa Al-Saqqar

Neel Naregal

Natasha Webb

Tong Li

Check out the full longlist of submissions here

 

AiM: MAKING MATTERS – GRADUATE STORIES exhibition

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As part of our continuing Architects Index of Modelmaking project we are please to present ‘MAKING MATTERS – GRADUATE STORIES’.

This display brings together 16 profiles of MSA alumni presenting a mix of their student work alongside stories and examples of how the lessons learned through modelmaking have continued into their careers post graduation.

The exhibition is free to visit and will run alongside the MSA degree show which opens to the public 6th – 19th June, 10.00 -18.00 Monday – Friday and 10.00 – 16.00 Saturday / Sunday.

Thank you to all who have contributed to the display and to our product partner sixteen3 for generously providing the calvert shelving system for our display.

Featured alumni:

Wei Feng, Richard Owst, Daniel Vella, Natasha K. HE, Simina Ionescu, Aayu Malhotra, Camila Alvarado, Valeria Szegal, George Williams, Laura Sanderson, Niamh Murphy, Daryl Law, Anita Luburic, Laura Minca, Pete Lee, David Euinton

B.15 Modelmaking Awards 2026 Shortlist Announcement and Longlist!

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After 70 entires for this years awards we’re pleased to announce a shortlist of 20 students selected by Omar Gandhi Architects for in person judging this Friday June 5th. Thank you for everyone who took the time to include their work. Your projects will be retained as examples for current and future students.

View this years fantastic submissions document here.

Good luck to everyone who was selected, please be around on Friday evening for the awards presentation 18.00 at MMU Lowry Building!

Shortlisted students in are as follows:

William Himawan (BA2)

Prajesa Urip (BA3) Infrastructure Space

Hector Mellor (BA3) Non-Standard Habitats

Parth Jain (BA3)  Non-Standard Habitats

Aylin Rzayeva (BA3) Non-Standard Habitats

Marie Mamin (BA3), Some Kind of Nature

Anna Thomas (BA3) Continuity

Juliette Ruelland-Kennedy (BA3) Continuity

Joshua Parsons (BA3) FLUX

Zena Abu Shuqair (MA1), Research methods

Macie Jackson (MA1), Research methods

Pauline Joyce Mendoza Alviz (MA1) &rchitecture

Maream Merza (MA1) FLUX

Taras Mandziuk (MA2) &rchitecture

Finley Hartless (MA2) Continuity

Luke Ferguson (MA2) Continuity

Tianyu Zheng (MA2) Continuity

Angela Lai Ying Li (MA2) Non-Standard Habitats

Yiyue Dong MLA2

Kavya Baburaj Nair MLA2

B.15 Modelmaking Awards 2026 – Sponosred by Omar Gandhi Architects

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We’re pleased to once again be running the B.15 Modelmaking Awards scheme for 2026. This year in collaboration with Canadian based practice Omar Gandhi Architects.

The criteria for this, our twelfth annual scheme, will remain unchanged and we encourage any MSA students who have used modelmaking in their work to submit their work for inclusion.

Projects are judged for their strengths as creative tools and creativity just as much as in their finish and materials choices.

Announcement fromn Omar Gandhi:

We can’t stress enough that all physical models are valuable and can be considered for the awards scheme. If you have made models in your project work, take a look at the submission criteria and please submit your work to have it published and gain extra exposure to your fellow students, practicing architects and prospective employers.

Have a look at the fantastic past submissions here to see the wide range of models featured from all courses and year groups.

Who can submit?

If you’re a student at MSA that has made physical models then you are eligible to submit. Any study programme, Any year group, Any projects.

What is the criteria?

If you’re an MSA student on any programme who has made any physical model(s) of any kind then you can and should submit. Details of how what and how to submit can be found in the submissions pack. In the meantime keep making – any models count as we’re looking at overall use of modelmaking not necessarily just one model!

When do you need to submit?

Submission instructions are available to downloan in the submissions pack. From the point of announcement you will have until the Monday 1st June at 12.00PM  to submit your projects.

How are the awards judged? 

The submissions will be sent as a combined document to the sponsors who will select a shortlist to be viewed in person at the end of year show. The chosen projects will be marked against the submission criteria by representatives of B.15 and Omar Gandhi Architects.

When will we know the outcome?

The outcome of the judging process will be announced at the End of Year show awards presentation on the evening of Friday June 5th.

>>>>>>> SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN <<<<<<<

Please download the submissions pack here.

After preparing your submission as per the guidelines you can submit via this form link. 

In the meantime if you have any questions about the scheme please get in touch via scott.miller@manchester.ac.uk

On behalf of the B.15 team and our sponsors at Omar Gandhi Architects, good luck, get making and we look forward to seeing your modelmaking work in the next few weeks!

B.15 Late Opening Sessions and Bank Holidays April/May 2026

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We will be running a period of late workshop opening sessions for students starting next week to help facilitate additional modelmaking activity.

B.15 will remain open until 19.30 on the following days:

April
Tuesday 21st
Wednesday 22nd
Thursday 23rd
Tuesday 28th
Wednesday 29th
Thursday 30th
May
Tuesday 5th
Wednesday 6th
Thursday 7th

Capacity is limited to 20 students at workshop staff discretion.

Students wishing to attend must sign up via the link posted by Scott on Moodle announcments page.

****Please also note that the workshop is closed on Bank Holidays and therefore won’t be open for access on May 4th and 25th.

We look forward to seeing some great projects coming tyo life over the next few weeks

– B.15 Team

MAKING MATTERS Review in the Architects Journal

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‘Lots and lots of glue’: Manchester’s Making Matters exhibition
Making Matters, an exhibition at Material Source Studios in Manchester, reminds visitors of the power of tactile objects to teach, seduce and clarify

16 March 2026 ·By Luke Neve.

Photography by Oliver Webley

Our latest exhibition as part of the AiM project; MAKING MATTERS at Material Source Studio has been reviewed for the Architects Journal by Luke Neve and can be found here:

https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/practice/culture/lots-and-lots-of-glue-manchesters-making-matters-exhibition

 

B.15 Easter opening hours 2026

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Hi All,

Just a quick update that B.15 will be open as normal until the end of Thursday April 2nd before closing until Monday 13th April for the break.

Also a reminder that our practice models exhibition, MAKING MATTERS is also open Monday to Friday 9-5 at Material Source Studio until the end of the 2nd. Please try to visit and take inspiration from the 32 practices and over 70 models we have on display there.

See you soon, B.15 Team