Why We’re Not Buzzing for the Mancunian Bee Shaun Jenkins June 2017 Article A bee in the city would find lots of company the way Manchester splashes their logo everywhere Introduction Currently many are concerned where the direction of the city is heading and what the future Manchester will look like with major developments in the city sky-scape and infrastructure leaving people feeling insecure about their place within it. People have turned to the Manchester bee as a symbol during a time when they have never felt so excluded, searching for a visceral connection to newly built developments, where ultimately we feel the city should be striving to sustain our existence within it rather than make it more exclusive. The Manchester bee has always been a symbol of the industrial revolution and the prosperous era that made Manchester a vibrant and robust industrial city, reminding us that the city was built through the labour of the working class. When I asked this to people a few years ago however I was met with a series of vacant expressions, many wouldn’t have even recognised it as a prominent symbol for Manchester which makes me think the apparent cultural relevance is newly found and somewhat fashionable, maybe even seasonal and that this will wear off. So is there any point in cladding our buildings in honeycomb, bee infused references when the cultural style will become outdated long before architectural fashion has time to engage with the trend, especially when we know that the building will stand for significantly longer after that. Do we need to paint the town in black and yellow stripes as a visual symbol for people to feel valued or to identify with a city that is fast evolving and perhaps adapting quicker than its inhabitants? Perhaps hinting at a wider malice and disdain for the path our great city seems to be going towards. Bee-man just doesn't have the same ring to it... Just as the Batman symbol is shone in city of Gotham, one thing we can’t allow for is for the current popularity of the Mancunian Bee to be used as a smokescreen to hide the ineffectiveness of the current planning system and municipal powers. Current planning law states that if a developer will make less than 20% profit on a new development, they can ignore a council's regulations about building affordable and social housing [1]. The skyscrapers of recent offer little opportunity to local Mancunians with many developers not allowing high quality designs to be inclusive and affordable. So decorating a building in a way that pays a petty token to Manchester’s heritage does little to make the function of the building any more accessible to the public, including access to much needed affordable housing and community assets that bring people together. Campaigns such as the ‘Save Oxford Road Campaign’ in collaboration with Architecture Unknown & City Shape show that there is a proven method for involving the public in the development of areas that have community importance. After posting a short questionnaire on social media, to obtain public opinion on the future development of Oxford road, over 220 people responded within one month. The results from the questionnaire and data collected from the event will then inform a unique design report. This report is to be presented to developer giants Bruntwood in a positive discussion about the development of the area, in an effort to improve the success rate of planning applications. 1/2

The Mayfield Imaginarium: Redefining a Lost District Architecture Unknown November 2016 News AU's artistic reinvention of Mayfield Train Depot based on the responses to our community consultation, planning games, workshops and talks undertaken as part of the Mayfield Imaginarium The Mayfield Station and surrounding infrastructure was an integral cog in the transport heart of Manchester, but since its closure in the 60's became an abandoned ruin. Rebirth With its imminent rebirth by developers U+I in sight, volunteers from the Mayfield Imaginarium Collective sought to open the question of Mayfield’s future out to the people of Manchester. Over the course of two days of intense conversation focused on six fantastic community engagement workshops, data was gathered on Mancunians’ attitudes towards development and Mayfield’s place in that ongoing story. By asking creative questions we elicited creative answers that ranged from reusing the abandoned railway tracks as Manchester’s very own Highline Park, to redeveloping the existing station as an arts hub. The two day event was a huge success with other popular games/exercises that ran in the background all day complimenting the workshops including a cool wall to rate Manchester’s buildings and an importance wheel to gauge the relative priority of functions ranging from healthcare and offices to tourism. This fed into discussions surrounding the future forms and uses of these functions. We asked people to imagine how culture/tourism, housing, offices, green space and community infrastructure would change and successfully work for Manchester’s future citizens in 50 years and how we could prepare for these shifts. Think big, bold and hopefully was the overarching theme of the two days on that was captured and expressed by each of the six scintillating workshops that peppered the two days... Participants modelling a new vision for Mayfield in plasticine Day 1 The event started with Reece Singleton (Architectural Consultant) leading us on a journey through the Cognitive Mapping of Manchester. By challenging our memorised perceptual reading of Manchester, the workshop focused on analysing the urban signifiers on our routes into the city centre. By assessing the strength of the mnemonic imprint left by the city Reece drew a causal line to the need to make a readable city, one where way-finding was easy and defined by a strong cityscape. It was proposed that, as a hugely visible gateway site in Manchester, Mayfield Station had a responsibility to embody the highest quality design. The critical importance of city planning for Mayfield Station was underscored by Mark Hammil (award winning Town Planner and Urbanist) with Transforming Cities. This workshop was a fun exercise to imagine priorities for Mayfield by analysing the successes and failures of other parts of Manchester. From this discussion we created a list of key requirements for the site to send to Manchester City Council and U+I. In the late afternoon the plasticine and craft paper came out for Ghost Stations with David Chandler (Urbanist & Architectural Artist) who got the assembled people to explore the history of Mayfield Station and how its essential memory could be preserved and memorialised. People recreated their favourite artefact of the station and creatively reimagined the space in the future to place it within an as yet unbuilt urban landscape. The team and participants rounded off the first day with a drink and a celebration of the inspiring first half of the engagement programme Day 2 Kicking off Sunday was artist Ash Van Dyke’s Creative Spaces Dreams and a lively debate on the future use of the derelict station building itself and how we could enable this vision. Following a PESTLE:V scorecard (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental and Value) participants explored the the realms of possibility that the site provides creating proposals that remained grounded in analytical reality. There was a real sense of hope at the end of the workshop that with the right vision and drive Mayfield Station had a bright civic future. The ever present and never ending supply of plasticine and card reemerged for Vicky Payne’s Mayfield Masterplanning workshop. As a planner at URBED, Vicky used her experience to guide everyone through a typical URBED city planning engagement exercise where everyone got stuck in to reimagining the 24 hectare Mayfield Site as a newly completed piece of the city. Not letting the traditional pastel colours of the plasticine distract us the results were spectacular including a new 25-30 storey office tower next to Piccadilly Station, a new Manchester Music Pioneers Museum and strong connections to the nearby Piccadilly Basin development area. Rounding out an unparalleled two days of fun and excitement was Sally Titterington of Living in Future Ecologies Research (LiFE), showcasing some of the fantastic work done at Manchester Metropolitan University titled Opiso Visions. Opiso, an Ancient Greek word, described the state of walking backwards into the future, reliant only on past knowledge for information. Transposing this concept to Mayfield asked questions of us, not only about where we are headed as a city and a society, but also about what we will need to get there and why. There couldn’t have been a more fitting description to summarise everything the Mayfield Imaginarium sought to question and our hopes for a more inclusive process to this critical development. Everyone has a future, we are all heading somewhere, shouldn’t we have the right to say what we’ll need along the way? Read more on our Mayfield Imaginarium project page and download the FULL REPORT 1/6

103 Ashley Drive 1/7 Client Private Client Location Stockport Budget £100k Collaborators ​ Downloads ​ Suburban Black Timber Box Who says that modern design doesn't fit in the suburbs? Certainly not us! Our client wanted to add a sleek modern extension to their traditional suburban 60's semi in Bramhall and we were only too happy to oblige. Belying it's dark exterior our design for the interior spaces is bright and expansive with high ceilings featuring living walls and exposed brickwork that embraces the Japanese inspired rear garden. Crittall style glazing and a skylight spanning the width of the house maximise the light and creates a welcoming and warm space that leans into the honestly expressed materials. Visible beams and other structural elements further highlight the new against the existing while in the kitchen dark colours, modern cabinetry, wooden counters and polished concrete flooring with lots of countertop space elevate the internal spaces to a high standard. The project comprises a conservatory demolition and new large rear and a side extension to the existing house to make it fit for modern living and comfortable all year round. The materiality of the scheme has played a big part in defining and formulating the design response. A dark, palette of colours and materials in a contemporary industrial style, with some touches of exposed timber, brick and metal sit against the existing brick and generous amounts of natural light provided by large sliding doors and picture window. This is really exciting project and hope to go to planning very shortly.

048 Manor Road Extension 1/7 Client Private Client Location Stretford, Manchester Budget £250k Collaborators ​ Downloads ​ House of Juxtapositions This tricky brief for a house was to combine private with public and original with modern and conflate widely varying occupancy requirements which changed from week to week. Though seemingly a simple double storey extension with 2 new bedrooms at first floor and additional ground floor accommodation what we were actually asked to do was turn a 3 bedroom house into a flexible 7 bedroom house which must be able to to transform operationally depending on whether your usage is public or private. Wrapping all this within a modern form to contrast with the traditional semi-detached existing made this an interesting challenge. Our proposal creates a new entrance and hall with a convertible W/C/utility space and walk through larder separated from the main hall by a sliding door under the stairs. The expanded modern kitchen has two entrances from the public and private halls and has sneaky storage and tuck away desks to convert if from family kitchen/learning room into an entertainment space. The ground floor office is will be fitted out to contain fold down beds and can operate as a bedroom at a moment's notice. With the addition of an external guest suite in the garden, an additional two large double beds upstairs and significant improvements to the Master Bedroom, this house has the ability to be a chameleon and adapt to its ever changing environment.

136 The White House 23.136.SK1 P1 - 3D VIEW- Option 1_page-0001.jpg 23.136.304 P1 - PROPOSED GA FLOOR PLANS (SHEET 2 OF 2)- Option 1_page-0001.jpg 23.136.304 P1 - PROPOSED GA FLOOR PLANS (SHEET 2 OF 2)- Option 2_page-0001.jpg 23.136.SK1 P1 - 3D VIEW- Option 1_page-0001.jpg 1/4 Client Private Client Location Hyde, Manchester Budget TBC Collaborators ​ Downloads ​ Giving the Attic New Life The project is split within two areas of the home. The first aim is to bring the attic back to life by creating a space that is open and connected whilst creating a play-haven that looks out into beautiful views at every window. Spaces need to be light filled, and make the attic a wholesome multi-purpose family zone by combining modern and traditional elements. Having discussed the design in detail during the Design in a Day session we agreed that the attic would be divided into two mains sections. One section to accommodate two bedrooms and one bathroom whilst the other end is a open landing, balcony, play room and office. This design option looks at creating a clear landing upon entering the attic space. The existing dormer will be changed to full glass with an access to a new balcony. This enforces a visual connection from the landing into the green belt, creating an indoor-outdoor picture moment, where pool is played whilst admiring the view. On the left, through a set of pivot doors that can be left open for easy circulation, is a sensory play zone and box window library that connects into a private office. On the right are two bedrooms and a shared bathroom for guests. One of the bedrooms converts the dormer into a modern box window whilst the other bedroom introduces skylights and a large gable end window that is perfect for sunset views. Under the eaves are storage drawers that can be rolled out. Secondly the aim is to an internal energy upgrade to the existing envelope of the house. To do this we will need to internally insulate several rooms and bathrooms, insulate the roof but using the existing structure and create a side dormer (that replaces the existing side dormer) that creates higher ceiling for easy circulation. The aim is also to minimise thermal bridging and increase thermal capacity within the home. We will also be looking into ventilation/ heating systems that are cost effective.

057 Rural Revival Catalogue 1/20 Client Rural UK communities Location UK Budget ​ Collaborators Kerry Dragon - Architect Marinella Nikolova - Architect Downloads ​ Supporting the rebirth of rural experiences As our personal worlds seem to shrink we believe that reconnecting with nature is one of the only, generally applicable, ways of healing both mind and body after the collective struggles of the past six months with the Covid-19 crisis. This is an exceptionally difficult time for many environmental conservation charities such as the National Trust, English Heritage and the RSPB. With drastically reduced visitors numbers comes significant financial impacts, however, as with any crisis in confidence one tried and tested way out of difficulty is strategic investment and expansion. Our catalogue proposes a series of cost effective, environmentally sustainable and high quality WikiHouse structures that lean into the volunteer support networks that many rural charities can call upon which aim to rejuvenate or expand on existing provisions. With so much of the rural economy dependent on local tourism without this investment from key organisations we worry about the recovery of rural areas which have been equally affected by the economic downturn. Without the the broad base of capital incentives to recover as many urban areas countryside towns and villages are extremely reliant on national conservation charities to give people reasons to return to the countryside. With products ranging from glamping pods, bike storage facilities, modular off-grid toilets, solar electric vehicle charging points and small cafe stands to ticket booths, gathering halls, outdoor kitchens and rangers storage, we have tried to create opportunities for the "everyday expansion" that can create targeted increases in visitor numbers for minimal investment. Our use of the WikiHouse construction system makes these building easy for volunteers to build, low impact, fully demountable and moveable and very cost effective. If any rural enterprises would like to read about the full scope of the options available please download the catalogue in the downloads section below or feel free to contact us to discuss.

RPT Scout Hall Revival Eco-Buildings Scout Hall Revival Eco-Buildings Title Page Internal View Comparisons Scout Hall Revival Eco-Buildings Title Page 1/17 Client Scouts, Sports Organisations, Community Groups Location Nationwide Budget ​ Collaborators Chris Shepard - naked build co. Ian Grinley - ING Design Steve & James Robinson - Digital Woodoo Downloads ​ Enabling Our Scouts! SEE LINK TO THE SIDE TO DOWNLOAD BROUCHURE Affordable sustainable and realistic WikiHouse eco-buildings desgined for the scouting community with standard and bespoke designs available. If your scout hall is old, cold, shabby and unfit for the great troupe you represent and you would like a building that will: • Secure the legacy of your Scout Group and build a long term home. • Boost attendance and spread the benefits of scouting more widely. • Generate additional income support from outside groups. • Reduce the cumulative cost of maintenance and repairs. • Remedy common fabric problems, e.g. high heating costs, health and safety. • Address the Climate Emergency and reduce long term emissions. • Engage with your surrounding community and inovate on your marketing strategy. • Offer your Scouts the once-in-a-lifetime chance to build their own Hut. Then give contact us to get the ball rolling. By using the amazing WikiHouse construction system we can offer a chance to self build, save on costs, and involve Scouts of all ages, parents/families and the local community directly in the actual assembly of a new building. FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION AVAILABLE

WikiHouse Special Edition 2023 EZINE 09- Download Now Architecture Unknown October 2023 Article ​ Welcome back to the WikiHouse Special Edition of the Architecture Unknown Ezine where you can get all your AU News update fixes. This issue is a bit different because it’s our WikiHouse special edition, where we celebrate everything WikiHouse during AU’s WikiHouse month. To all our friends, clients and casual readers, as we head into autumn we hope you had an enjoyable and great summer of 2022 so far and hope to see you over the coming months. Follow us on our social media and website to keep up to date with our latest projects. ​ WEBPAGE LAUNCH We have just launched our official WikiHouse page that highlights AU’s ambitions through design and technical knowledge. The page, will showcase our portfolio of past, current and upcoming projects that utilise this system. We also have a new FAQ section that answers common questions we face when approaching a new WikiHouse project. NEW CLIENTS AU would like to take this opportunity to formally say hello to our new clients, the Langdale Hotel and Spa in Ambleside, Lake District, where we’ll be working alongside them to provide eco-friendly WIkiHouse accommodation for their onsite staff. THE WIKIHOUSE PRODUCT Be like Charlie... Build your own home extension! At AU, we are now offering a package deal for you to get your hands on Charlie’s extension Wiki-files for only £297 incl. VAT. This package includes: 1. An instruction manual that denotes a step-by-step process of your build from start to finish. 2. Support from the Architecture Unknown team if you have any queries during your build/ order process. 3. The cutting files you need to have your new 4.2x2.6m extension fabricated. 4. All the background information required to set up your site and guidance on who you need to speak to to finish your build. https://www.architectureunknown.co.uk/a-wikihouse-product CHARLIE'S HOME! Charlie’s house got a makeover! A bunch of us went over to his place and built this 11sqm extension in two days. This single storey rear extension, 3-frame structure which we designed and was manufactured with Digital Woodoo. Here’s to experimenting and looking forward to the complete extension. HOLME HOUSE FARM The proposal is for a new build house nestled within woodland as part of the redevelopment of Holme House Farm. The aim is to provide an eco-family home that embraces the unique rural-edge setting, the site and it’s constraints, the neighbour’s previously completed designs and the Cumbrian backdrop but also the character, lifestyle and desires of the clients. 2023 WikiHouse Update 1_Page_1.jpg 2023 WikiHouse Update2.jpg 2023 WikiHouse Update4.jpg 2023 WikiHouse Update 1_Page_1.jpg 1/4

Get everyone involved in architecture Your building, our knowledge, think different with WikiHouse WikiHouse is a low-cost, sustainable and simple solution to construction in the 21st century that you can build yourself. Think differently about your capabilities and empower yourself to build for yourself or with your community. Imagine a system that does for construction what IKEA did for furniture, i.e. make it possible for everyone to get stuck into a building project and save money whilst retaining a high level of quality. We are specialists in designing and building using WikiHouse to facilitate our client’s ambitions through our design and technical knowledge. We can also provide training for any volunteers and onsite leadership to help during the build process in addition to our typical architectural duties. It's so easy the whole family can get involved! Our WikiHouse Portfolio At Architecture Unknown we believe design and construction should be an inclusive dialogue where everyone takes part, one where architecture becomes more than just the route to a building. With WikiHouse we are able to cater to the needs of your future build, by empowering you to build with those closest to you! No project is too big or too small for a WikiHouse solution. Our WikiHouse Clients ​2nd Whalley Range Scouts (Charity)​​ ​ ​ Homes 4 Ulverston Community Land Trust (CLT) ​ ​​ ​ Little Hulton Big Local (Charity)​​​​​ ​ Numerous Private Clients​ Rooted In Homes (Charity)​ ​ ​ Digital Woodoo (CIC) ​ ​​ ​ Ford Park Community Group (Charity) ​ YOU!​ The WikiHouse Process Watch our Wikihouse build vlog to understand how WikiHouse hacks the typical construction process by putting the power in your hands. From the beginning of installing the screw pile foundations to the installation of the last wall cassette WikiHouse puts you in the driving seat of your project. All it takes is some sweat, sunny weather and good company - get your mallets ready! WikiHouse Articles Newbie takes on WikiHouse Extension Article EZINE- A WikiHouse Special 022 Article Newbie takes on WikiHouse Extension 045 Article WikiHouse SKYLARK Launch Event How is WikiHouse different from other forms of construction? WikiHouse is obviously different in that it's designed to be assembled by volunteers with no construction experience required and no significant tools! However in many ways it's very ordinary and performs very similarly to any other timber-framed building and we have used timber in buildings for hundred of years. Even masonry buildings usually have timber floors and roofs. When it comes to longevity, it all comes down to how a structure is maintained and whether it's been built in a careful and considerate way. Timber requires different detailing to masonry to make it watertight but it is just as robust and much more sustainable. How do I assemble my WikiHouse? WikiHouse is like a giant 3D jigsaw puzzle, where each piece slots into another. However, unlike a puzzle we provide you with instructions! WikiHouses only go together the right way so if two pieces don't fit, they probably aren't meant to. Our detailed construction manuals break down the process into easy to digest steps with pictures and diagrams to demonstrate assembly from the beginning to the end. What is WikiHouse made out of? Is it heavy? WikiHouse is cut out of 1.2 x 2.4m 18mm thick plywood sheets which means none of the pieces can actually be bigger than that size. This allows for the pieces to be easily lifted, manhandled without needing to be a professional weight lifter! For small buildings or extensions, such as the example shown in the video, two people is ideal to ease manoeuvring of the larger finished assemblies on site. That being said, WikiHouse can scale to pretty much any size and for larger projects you may need more volunteers, equipment like a genie lift or even a contractor to help with the bigger pieces but it depends on the project. Can Architecture Unknown help me build this? Although we are based in the North West, we are happy to help you build your WikiHouse wherever you are in the country. We can help you lead the process and give you guidance and inductions on how the system works when you're first starting as well. WikiHouse works best on the principle of sweat equity, where you donate your time to reduce labour costs, so we try and make it as easy to understand as possible so that you can do as much yourselves without needing to rely on us. Do I need a contractor for my skill-level? Not everything on your building site can or should done by you. We hired a contractor to help install parts of the structure we weren't confident to do such as installing the steel beam. You should always know your limits and build safely and sensibly to achieve a great outcome but what WikiHouse does is open up an entire major building process (erecting the superstructure) that otherwise would have needed an expert contractor. This helps to reduce costs and is fun for all the family. For our build we installed the screw pile foundation, timber foundation rails, built the retaining sleeper wall, the WikiHouse itself including all the damp proofing and insulation, internal and external membranes for waterproofing, plasterboarding, flooring and all the external cladding and I certainly wouldn't say we're expert DIY-er's just passionate about construction and willing to give most things a go. If that sounds like you or someone you know you can save a huge amount of money by doing work yourself and being responsible for managing the build. Is my design bespoke or off-the-shelf? WikiHouse is great because it can do either! It's very easy to adapt to alternative sizes and we have developed our drawing process over the past few years to allow us to create almost any shape. So if you see one of our WikiHouse products that interests you that's perfect but if you like the concept and want something that's all your own that's also very possible. Feel free to drop us an email to discuss your project requirements and we'll be able answer any queries you have. Who can help me build my extension? WikiHouse can be done by anyone, thus making it a fantastic tool for small teams or larger ones. We've had young Scouts as well as their parents, grandparents and neighbours all chip in to build their own Scout Hut before. We think WikiHouse is suitable for anyone 10 years and older of any ability, all you need is time, enthusiasm and a mallet! If you need more professional help then we can be on hand as required or we can always organise for a local team of WikiHouse anoraks (believe us there's quite a few) to come and assist. Will the WikiHouse be safe in an event of a fire? Timber and steel behave quite similarly in the case of a fire, and often steel behaves worse. In this way WikiHouse is no different to any other timber framed house or timber element in a masonry built house like a floor or roof, it just needs to be protected. With proper detailing, which is where our architectural knowledge comes into play, other parts of the building will be able to protect the timber WikiHosue structure to ensure that you and your family can escape safely in the event of a fire. Is WikiHouse really that cheap? How is it cost-effective? Since you construct the WikiHouse yourself, you save significantly on labour costs. This principle is called sweat equity, where putting in your own time and energy is the main solution to building your extension. The WikiHouse itself is comparative in cost to masonry when considering only the building material but when you consider the potential savings from actually getting hands dirty with it, there is a big cost benefit. This varies between projects but our advice is to use WikiHouse as a spring board to do as much as you feel comfortable with. You've successfully built the structure, why not insulate it too? You did the insulation why not the membranes or cladding? We think that a lot of building tasks are not that complicated in reality they're just manual and time consuming but if you're up for the challenge a WikiHouse build can multiply the cost benefits of your DIY ambitions. What types of buildings is WikiHouse suitable for? WikiHouse suits most building types! Even though it was designed for the housing market (hence the name!) it's a very flexible system and doesn't have a fixed building type it suits. Whilst there are some limits on the structural capacity of the system (set span lengths, number of storeys etc) these are almost always able to be designed around by us using our architectural skill and experience. WikiHouse is compliant with all structural requirements, is robust as long as it's well maintained, has great thermal properties and is very sustainable. If you have an office or business premise you want to expand it will work. If you need an additional school classroom that you want you community to build let us know. If you need a stand alone garden studio it's perfect. If you need an extension to an existing community centre nothing will beat it for the hope and passion it will generate in the local area. If there's any other building types I've missed give us a call but I'm sure we can make something together that meet your needs. What system of WikiHouse do we use? Magpie is our new version of the WikiHouse that is designed for community-self build projects. WikiHouse has always been about intrepid and bold people looking to create a new vision for their spaces but Magpie is even more accessible for everyone and further lowers the skill level required for engaging with your own building projects. It's quick, materially efficient and very flexible to design with, thereby reducing the amount of on-site construction time required and the costs to you. We utilise a “cassette system” whereby all the walls, roof and floor panels can be pre-assembled, insulated and lined away from the site Magpie streamlines the construction process and allows people of all ages and abilities to get even more involved with their build. WikiHouse FAQs Be like Charlie... Build your own home extension! GET YOUR WIKI-FILES for only £297 inc l. VAT Our WikiHouse Product ✔ Instructions on how to build your own home ✔ Stay in control of your construction timeline ✔ Get everyone involved (we've had kids do this) ✔ Carbon negative and fully recyclable Standard Construction ✘ Avoid cowboy builders ✘ Expensive skilled labour required ✘ Wet trades needed (concrete) ✘ Non-environmentally friendly, carbon intensive and wasteful Currently accepting new applications Get your WikiHouse today! First name Last name Email Package Type Choose a package Phone Message GET ME THE FILES NOW! BUILD YOUR OWN EXTENSION IN 7 EASY STEPS Step 1 Place your order with us Step 2 CNC cut your WikiHouse pieces Step 3 Flatpack delivery to your doorstep Step 4 Install screw pile foundation Step 5 Construct your WikiHouse Step 6 Complete your building inside & out Step 7: Add your finishing touches and enjoy! What does our standard pack contain? ​An instruction manual that denotes a step-by-step process of your build from start to finish. ​ Support from the Architecture Unknown team if you have any queries during your build/ order process. The cutting files you need to have your new 4.2x2.6m extension fabricated. All the information required to set up your site and guidance on who you need to speak to, to finish your build. Find out more about these unknown architects you really should know about... Drop us your email address to receive news and updates. Subscribe Thanks for subscribing!

084 Carlton Road Extension P1145981.jpg P1145962.jpg P1146001.jpg P1145981.jpg 1/9 Client Private Client Location South Manchester Budget £100k Collaborators ​ Downloads ​ Industrial Light and Magic Rear infill extension of a Victorian semi-detached house to open up and expand the kitchen and better integrate this space into the flow of the house. Our client asked us to address the currently cramped cooking area and lack of pleasing flow or connection between spaces to make this house fit for modern living and future proofed family home. The design integrates the wall and roof capturing expansive views of the sky through the large bespoke skylights. Internally, this design creates an exciting and dynamic feeling of space. This single volume will be clad in a single material will be a robust and invigorating statement against this traditional house. We propose zinc standing seam cladding for the cladding throughout to contrast against the timber and glass. Having flipped the kitchen orientation to allow for a larger sliding door to the garden, the extension now breathes light and prioritises the views. The wrap around step down to the garden level creates an easy flowing transition from the house to the garden level disguising the significant step down. To prevent the façade from becoming too “flat” the elevation cladding is subtle angled into the middle of the glazing highlighting the double pitched sawtooth roof profile and creating a central focus for the scheme.

Home Life: Supported, Self-Built, Housing First Initiative Architecture Unknown April 2023 Article ​ Manchester, like many other cities around the world, has a significant homelessness problem. According to the latest figures, there are around 1,200 people sleeping rough in Greater Manchester on any given night, with many more living in temporary accommodation or sofa-surfing. There are a number of factors that contribute to homelessness in Manchester, including high housing costs, poverty, mental health issues, addiction, and family breakdown. In recent years, there has also been a rise in the number of people becoming homeless as a result of the UK government's welfare reform policies. There are a number of organizations and charities in Manchester that work to support homeless people and provide them with essential services, such as food, shelter, and healthcare. These include the Booth Centre, the Mustard Tree, Coffee4Craig and the umbrella organisation, Manchester Homeless Partnership, which includes all 10 boroughs under the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. However, despite the efforts of these wonderful organisations, there is still much work to be done to support those who are sleeping rough or living in precarious housing situations. ​ We at Architecture Unknown want to lend a hand and use our design expertise to directly enable homeless people to be involved in the design and construction of bespoke homes as part of a unique Housing First strategy. Through the concept of self-build homes, we want to offer opportunities for skill advancement, construction site training, exposure to contractor employers, personalised support and ongoing assessment. This would address social isolation within the homeless community whilst creating vibrant housing developments within existing neighbourhoods that positively impacts their surroundings. By using placemaking we can enable homeless resident led-briefing, leading to participatory design processes and finally community-led construction, promoting engagement at every level. We at AU are ready to take action- all we need is you! 1/3

Increasing Social Value Through Architecture Daniel Kelso April 2018 News Peel Park Community Centre converts an underused pavilion in a multi-functional community hub that protects the longevity of one of the area's most active charities The question of how to increase the social value of projects and to swing the priority back from ultimate economic gain towards a more balanced approach is a very difficult one and at times a fruitless endeavour. Since we have lost the affordable homes criteria the situation has got far worse. New ‘laws’ and schemes seek to address the void but are clearly inadequate and the system falls massively short on providing good integrated urban landscape. Aside from affordable housing we are clearly missing the adequate provision of valuable community assets. The provision of community assets has by and large in the past been provided by local councils and authorities but with the stripping of council assets, budgets and morale, we seem to be losing more and more of the frontline action that communities really need. So what is a community asset and why do we need them? Community assets fundamentally are land and buildings owned or managed by community organisations. These assets cover a wide spectrum and include: town halls, community centres, sports facilities, affordable housing and libraries while also encompassing services such as: drug addiction clinics, homeless shelters and youth clubs. These are spaces owned by the community to provide community services; with the community the main beneficiary. However in the eyes of the council and developers it appears that ‘community assets’ are now: boutique shops, cafes, restaurants, high street stores and copious office spaces, while we shouldn’t forget the abundance of carparks springing up around the city. This for me is a result of the imbalance between social value and economic value that is systemic in British society and especially in large scale urban developments. I would highlight that I do not deny that we need more housing, more workspaces; the growth of our cities is inevitable and must be embraced, but my concern is that without a more balanced approach, our cities will fail and the future occupants will not have the quality of life they deserve. ‘Community assets’ knit spaces, people and cities together, they are a fundamental part of the urban fabric and we must endeavour to increase these vital assets. Concept imagining of the Mayfield District Park - ownership is a huge part of defining a community asset, how privatised public spaces like this are managed is a huge determinant of their impact. How do we stop developers and those who grant the schemes from building with little regard to the urban fabric and aiming for maximum profit? I propose a possible solution that for all new schemes, 20% of the total build must create social value. I hear you say, but how do we measure social value? I see this 20% being provided in two distinct ways. Firstly, the developer must provide space (20% of overall build) to community assets; assets defined by the local council. Providing direct funding for a fixed term to a local community asset i.e. pay 50% for 6 years of the local library staff budget. Developers can offset their losses through tax breaks or a loosening of certain planning laws. This means local communities are directly affected and forces schemes to properly engage with the area. Secondly, allowing developers to offset in these ways would necessitate the creation of far tighter and more comprehensive ‘strategic framework’s’ or a ‘community asset framework’, created with the full engagement of the local community. These frameworks would set the guidelines for these 20% social value gains based on a balance of: social value, local desires and economic requirements. It would thus guarantee the communities were receiving what was needed, whilst also having an element of control over how these assets are allocated. I believe this method has the potential to benefit both parties. It would also move the responsibility of the council to provide these assets, to a more advisory role, helping reduce costs on already broke councils. Conclusion I feel it is important that we look at alternative ways to fund and develop our cities and their communities: to reduce the burden on tax payers whilst allowing the inhabitants of the city input into how their communities are comprised. We must also advocate for a strong council, who can act on these ideas and bring about change. 1/0