The second year of the BA (Hons) Architecture course supports students in developing greater independence, encouraging design exploration and personal architectural expression. Students are also prompted to critically engage with both current and long-term societal and environmental issues through research and design.

This year, we continued to strengthen the integration between Design Studio, Technologies, and Humanities, promoting cross-disciplinary thinking. Our open-plan studio environment and a teaching approach centred on communities of practice encouraged collaboration across the nine studio groups, supported by regular, year-wide reviews.

Students broadened their understanding of diverse urban contexts through both local and international study trips. Our chosen territories of Stockport and Castlefield reinforced key external partnerships - deepening ties with the University’s Stockport Creative Campus initiative and forming a new connection with the Castlefield Heritage Pathways. These collaborations led to public exhibitions in both locations, celebrating student work.

Studio 2.1 focused on Stockport, with students choosing between two distinct sites: the historic streets of Lower Hillgate and the suburban neighbourhood of Edgeley, shaped by its industrial past. These projects explored themes of regeneration, adaptive reuse, and local identity.

Studio 2.2, based in Castlefield, addressed the climate emergency by focusing on urban ecology and water systems, while proposing much-needed public amenities in a complex, layered urban setting.

As part of the studio work, students participated in MSA LIVE - our vertical collaborative, community-facing initiative - delivering live projects with external partners.

Teaching was delivered by a team of experienced academics and practitioners, bringing valuable insight and support to what has been a rewarding and productive year. and we are proud to celebrate the creativity and commitment of our BA2 students!