Modelmaking in the Digital Age Symposium Videos: Introduction from Dr Raymond Lucas

“Modelmaking is one of these core activities within architecture and it’s something that we often take for granted. It’s a key way of us actually exploring what it means for us to produce architecture” – Dr Raymond Lucas

On March 9th we hosted a day long symposium on the theme of Modelmaking within architecture and how its role has changed from the different perspectives in which it takes place. The presentations and debates from the day were recorded in full and we are pleased to able to present them here to all who were unable to attend or have an interest in the field.

The event was chaired by Head of Architecture at the University of Manchester Dr. Raymond Lucas who, in our first video explains the key areas in question.

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B.15:45 Extended Interview with Eamonn Canniffe

As part of our B.15:45 Exhibition we put together a short film telling the story of how modelmaking is used in the life of an architecture student and beyond. The full versions of the interviews tell many more interesting stories of modelmaking with individual case studies and memories accounted first hand by staff past and present.

In this first extended interview with MSA Principal Lecturer Eamonn Canniffe we hear about how history models have been used as precedent examples and tools in understanding space as well as thoughts on the introduction of digital tools to the school over the past 30 years.

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B.15:45 Professor Nick Dunn Opening Speech 12th September 2014

As part of our opening night for B.15:45 Professor Nick Dunn kindly gave a short speech about the origins of modelmaking through to present day. For those who don’t know, Professor Dunn is a former student here at Manchester who then went on to teach at MSA and is the author of one of, if not the most successful architectural Modelmaking book to date, ‘Architectural Modelmaking’ which is now in it’s second edition.

His speech was filmed in it’s entirety and you can watch it below:

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B.15:45 Years of Architectural Modelmaking Documentary Video

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As part of our B.15:45 exhibition we have produced this documentary film exploring the constant but changing use of modelmaking within architectural education here at The Manchester School of Architecture within The University of Manchester.

The film interviews past and present academic, teaching and technical staff about their thoughts on modelmaking in architecture and how the tool continues to be used in design teaching today.

We hope this provides a good insight into Architectural modelmaking and helps to define its place in student studies here.

We would like to say many thanks again to all involved in the production of this film.

Scott and Jim

B.15:45 ARCHITECTURAL MODELMAKING EXHIBITION – Job Done

At long last we have completed our snapshot look at the past 45 years of the B.15 Modelmaking workshop at the University of Manchester.

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It’s been challenging and fascinating taking this from an idea to reality over the last year. We’ve had a lot of fun putting this all together and hope you learn and enjoy it as much as we have.

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It goes without saying that there’s a lot of thanks to others for helping us along the way. In particular we’d like to acknowledge Louise & Saul Parker-Backhouse and Paul Thornber who went above an beyond the call of duty to give their time and help us get this fantastic collection on display.

If you’re not joining us this evening for the private view we’ll see you soon to start making exhibits for the next one…

Scott and Jim

B.15:45 EXHIBITION Opening September 12th 2014 and Running throughout 2015

At long last we are able to give some definite details of our upcoming retrospective exhibition. The exhibition will open on September 12th with a private view and will run throughout the remainder of 2014 and 2015.

B15 Poster INVITE

Over the last few weeks we have been compiling, repairing, cleaning and organising models in preparation for the exhibition. In addition to the display of a wide range of model types and styles the exhibition will feature a video overview from academic and technical staff that have worked in the school over the years giving their perspective on the use of models.

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A Platform to Archive

Whilst this exhibition will present a range of making over the last 45 Years here in Manchester we would like to continue to expand our archive and record and even more in depth history of Modelmaking in Architecture. With this in mind we would like to encourage and welcome any further stories or media, physical or digital to keep expanding our heritage collections. If you have any stories, images or models from the history of the university as a whole please get in touch to help us expand our archive and heritage collection.

We look forward to seeing you at the opening!

Scott and Jim

B.15:45 Exhibition Updates

Hi everyone!

Apologies for that lack of recent updates. We have been very busy researching, designing and building the upcoming B.15:45 Modelmaking Exhibition for September.

We can now be almost 100% sure that the exhibition will be opening on the evening of Friday 12th September 2014 – This will be confirmed very soon and we will be sure to post full details on here.

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We have been able to gather a fantastic array of projects from the schools most recent exhibition as well as other more historic examples presenting a great range. If you haven’t already we encourage you to share this link to help us get even more responses for our survey and record a more complete history of the workshop through peoples accounts.

https://selectsurveys.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=92MH6l42

Every view is valuable to us so don’t hesitate to add your own!

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Today we conducted the first of an upcoming series of video interviews on the role of Architectural Modelmaking and the history of our workshop. We spoke to MSA Lecturer Eamonn Canniffe who first began working at the school in 1986. He gave his perspective on how the use of models has influenced architectural design for students up to it’s current role as well as informing us of the role his study models of classic 20th Century Architecture with students played.

This interview along with several others will be edited to help us tell the story of modelmaking in our exhibition. Complete individual interviews will also be posted over a period of time to hear more accounts of modelmaking and workshop life at the school over the past 45 years – B.15:TV is born!

More updates soon!

Scott