year 1 2012_13 msa |Manchester School of Architecture|

Welcome to the Manchester School of Architecture! I have pleasure in confirming your place on the BA(Hons) Architecture course at the MSA and look forward to meeting you
in September. The term begins on Monday 17
th
September 2012 and you are required to attend the introductory lecture where essential handouts and information will be
issued to you (such as timetables, studio groups, details regarding your library and workshop inductions, and your first project brief), so please bring with you a focused mind, a
notepad and something to write with.

This booklet contains a timetable for the first couple of weeks, staff contacts, important information on our study trip to Berlin, and some essential information to help you
understand the context of your journey through architectural education. Please make sure that you read all information carefully! I look forward to meeting you and I wish you
all the best in your move to Manchester.
Best Wishes

Helen Aston [Head BA1]
H.Aston@mmu.ac.uk
0044 1612476963

Please note the following term dates all mandatory events within Manchester School of Architecture fall within these dates
Autumn Term_17
th
September 2012 until 14
th
December 2012 Spring Term_7
th
January 2013 until 22
nd
March 2013 Summer Term_15
th
April 2013 until 21
st
June 2013
ARCHITECTURE AT MSA
_studio projects
_skills sessions
_studio lectures
_technology and humanities lectures
_end of year Events Programme

Most of us begin our first year of architecture school thinking that we know what architecture or landscape is. This initial preconceived notion, although not incorrect, often
covers up a much richer kind of knowledge that we already have knowledge about concepts, processes, and materially and physically known things that may at first not seem
to be relevant. It is important that at the beginning you understand that you already have a vast resource of visual material within yourselves, and that you understand that the
environment of the studio should be seen as one in which individual investigations and debate are as important as being taught. The development of self-criticism is an
important goal of the design process and you should take every opportunity to develop this capacity in your interaction with fellow students and staff. It is important that you
work on assignments as much as possible during studio sessions and throughout the week. This ensures that you receive as much help as possible from your studio tutor and
also that you learn through discussions with other students and observe their design processes. Each Year 1 student will be assigned to work within a studio group of a
maximum of 16 students with whom you will work all year. This year we are teaching architecture and landscape students together in studio and some lectures. Design studio
tutorials are where you work in the studio environment as a group of young designers with your personal tutor. These tutorials offer you the opportunity to develop your own
design process and attitudes as a designer. The informal discussion and sharing of ideas with your fellow students and tutor is vital to your development and to your skills of self-
critique.

First year have their studio day on Mondays, skills workshops on Wednesday mornings, and lectures all day on Thursdays. On other days you are expected to work
independently on your design work, portfolio development, skills, essays and technology projects throughout the three terms.

BERLIN STUDY TRIP
During the week beginning 15
th
October 2012 we will going on an architectural study trip to Berlin. Please make sure that you read the following information carefully!

You should travel on Sunday 14
th
October and orientate yourself around the city on the Monday, study tours and presentations will take place throughout the week. Returning
flights to Manchester should be booked for Saturday 20
th
October. Further details of the study trip itinerary and project brief will be handed out during the studio lectures.

Students must arrange their own travel and accommodation. I recommend that you book the return flights from Manchester (or Liverpool) to Berlin NOW (i.e. way before you
come to Manchester) so that you can take advantage of cheap flights! It is extremely unlikely that you will end up travelling alone as we all tend to end up on the same flights.
The closer we get to the dates the more expensive the flights will be! We suggest that you stay with groups of your choosing so it might be sensible to book your
accommodation once you arrive in Manchester and find out which studio groups you have been placed in. I can recommend some good quality and affordable youth hostels
used by previous students.

Overseas students who require additional visas to travel to other countries other than the UK should begin preparation a soon as possible, please ask for guidance if needed.
Most consulates operate an appointment system for visas, please contact the German Embassy/Consulate as soon as possible.
Embassy of the Federal Repubic of Germany, 23 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8P2 tel +44 (0)2078241300
German Consulate Liverpool, 40/42 Kingsway, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 4RQ tel +44 (0)1519208800
German Consulate Leeds, c/o Cobbetts LLP, 1 Whitehall Riverside, Leeds LS1 4BN tel +44 (0)1133840601

This trip is a recommended learning experience plus an opportunity to get to know many students and staff from the year. If you cannot attend the study trip you should discuss
this with myself once you have arrived in Manchester. Do not worry alternative activities are planned which work in parallel to the study trip.



TIMETABLE FOR THE FIRST TWO WEEKS

17.09.12

MONDAY
BA1 INTRODUCTORY
LECTURE
_introductory meeting with all
1
st
years for location and
time please see letter from
Heather Gomes

TUESDAY
MMU library inductions

please refer to the inductions
handout for groups, location
and times

WEDNESDAY
UoM library inductions

please refer to the inductions
handout for groups, location
and times

THURSDAY
MANCUNIAN FLANEURS
ORIENTATION PROJECT 1.0

[self-directed study]
FRIDAY
MANCUNIAN FLANEURS
ORIENTATION PROJECT 1.0

[self-directed study]
24.09.12

STUDIO 10am-5pm
_this where you will meet
your assigned studio tutor for
project 1.1 Now you can
spend some time getting to
know your studio group and
tutor.
WORKSHOP inductions

please read inductions
handout for groups, location
and times

WORKSHOP inductions

please read inductions
handout for groups, location
and times

LECTURES 10am-5pm
_studio, humanities +
technologies

[self-directed study]

A detailed timetable for the whole academic year will be issued to you on 17
th
September.










MSA STAFF
Head of School, Professor Tom Jefferies
BA Programme Leader, Dr Darren Deane
M.Arch Programme Leader, Dr Nick Dunn

Head of Year 1 Architecture, Helen Aston
Head of Year 1 Landscape Architecture, Eddy Fox
Year 1 Humanities Coordinator, James Roberston
Year 1 Technologies Coordinator, Rick Dargavel
Head of Year 2, Siobhan Barry
Head of Year 3, Amy Hanley

Student support officer, Helen Bowman

Workshops in Chatham, Sue Merrill
Workshops in HBS, Jim Backhouse

Architecture Librarian [MMU], Elaine Cooke
Architecture Librarian [UoM], Francoise Sullivan


Dr Ralf Brand
Richard Brook
Eamonn Canniffe
Dr Luca Ceseply Knorr
Dr Isabelle Doucet
George Epolito
Ian Fisher
Professor Simon Guy
Rob Hyde
Dr Andrew Karvonen
Vikram Kaushal
John Lee






Dr Ray Lucas
Dr Geoff McKennan
Dr Leandro Minuchin
Colin Pugh
Dominic Sagar
Laura Sanderson
Dr Magda Sibley
Becky Sobell
Sally Stone
Stefan White
Dr Albena Yaneva


There are many other part time teaching staff,
graduate teaching assistants, administrators and
visiting tutors at MSA. A full list of the Year 1 studio
tutors and the studio groups will be issued to you at
the introductory meeting on September 17
th
.

EQUIPMENT
Architectural education combines drawings, model making, photography, experimentation, computer presentations, note taking during lectures, and all of this requires lots of
equipment.
We suggest the following:
A2 or A3 portable drawing board to use at home and/or in studio mechanical pencil 0.35mm and leads
selection of sketchbooks [A3, A4 and A5]; notebooks and files for lectures
A2 orA3 portfolio
30cm metric scale ruler [scales 1:5, 1:10, 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:500, 1:1250, 1: 2500]
10 or 12 adjustable set square
refillable technical drawing pens [0.25, 0.35, 0.7mm] and ink
sketching pencils
erasers and sharpener

magic tape
model making glue
cutting mat
steel ruler
stanley knife and blades
scalpel and blades
calculator
map and A-Z of Manchester
If you are thinking of buying a computer before you come to university we would recommend you purchase a laptop as this allows you to bring it into studio to show work during
tutorials. As we have both PC and MAC labs it is completely down to personal choice and budget. Even though we have extensive and extremely affordable printing facilities
within the faculty we also encourage digital presentations using our large plasma screens located in all studio spaces. You should also purchase an external hard drive and
routinely back your work up. I would also recommend that you purchase a digital camera (preferably a digital SLR) as you will be using your camera for site studies and
documenting your models. Again, like a laptop it comes down to personal choice and budget. Over the summer vacation get to know all of the functions of your laptop and
camera really well, even the in-camera editing facilities as we ask you to make small architectural films throughout your degree.

Try to carry a small sketchbook with you all of the time. We require you to submit city scale and building study sketchbooks throughout first year, so starting to sketch everyday
now will get you into the habit of noticing the details, the artefacts and the inhabitants of the everyday life of our cities.


STUDENT SUPPORT
Helen Bowman is the Faculty of Art and Design Student Support Officer. Helen is employed by the Faculty to support students during their time at University. She can advise
students on a range of issues relating to university life including: managing your time, presentation skills, reflective journals, research, essay writing, exam tips, dealing with
stress, getting the best from your course, finding your way around the campus and Manchester, jobs and careers, accommodation. She can also signpost students to other
relevant sources of information and advice around the university. Helen will be running timetabled sessions on research and revisions for exams for architecture students during
the 1st semester. Workshop sessions on study skills will also be available to all students across the faculty.

www.artdes.mmu.ac.uk/studentsupport and via email notifications

Helen Bowman is available to meet with students by appointment on a one-to-one basis, in confidence. Please feel free to contact Helen by email h.bowman@mmu.ac.uk or by
telephone on 0161 247 1711.

If you are disabled or have a Specific Learning Difficulty, such as dyslexia, and might need support with your studies you should seek advice from Learning Support (1st Floor, All
Saints Tel 0161 247 3491), as soon as possible. Learning Support provides a comprehensive advisory, assessment and support service to students with disabilities. If you
would like an initial confidential discussion with an adviser please contact the above telephone number to arrange an appointment. You may find that you need some extra help
when faced with the demands of Higher Education. Using medical evidence and an initial assessment a Learning Support Adviser can help to identify your needs and suggest
strategies, which will prove helpful. The adviser will produce a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) with you, which identifies to teaching staff your support needs and advises them of
any reasonable adjustments they may need to make. The PLP is then sent to your department (with your permission).