B.15 Modelmaking workshop is part of the Manchester School of Architecture providing modelmaking advice and practical support to students at Undergraduate and Post-graduate levels of study.  

The workshop was established in 1970 as part of the then Victoria University of Manchester before being amalgamated with the joint institution it is now in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University in 1996.  

Working on the full spectrum of model making from initial sketch modelling through development, prototyping and presentation models, students at MSA are encouraged to develop and maintain a level of practical skill through engagement with modelmaking. This ethos of learning by making fostered at B.15 helps to produce graduates with a broad skillset that bridges their understanding between digital and practical constraints of real-world construction.  

In addition to its primary role of supporting students, the workshop staff are also actively involved in the subject through guest lectures, internal/external research and exhibitions. In recent years the workshop has exhibited locally at the school and externally at the Venice Biennale, European Cultural Centre, and as part of the ‘Shaping Space – Architectural Models Revealed’ exhibition in 2021. A recent investment has seen the workshop almost double its original workspace to accommodate increased student demand.

Name of Institutional representative in network:

Scott Miller, Technical Workshop Manager at B.15 Modelmaking Workshop 

Institution location:

Manchester School of Architecture, Chatham Building, Cavendish St, Manchester M15 6BR