From the workshop to the world…
17 Dec 2025
Take a look at the Manchester School of Architecture’s new MSA model archive.
Our University’s Research Lifecycle Programme and the B.15 Modelmaking Workshop launched a newly digitised Manchester School of Architecture (MSA) Model Archive.
From the benches of the B.15 Modelmaking Workshop to a global digital platform, the archive celebrates and preserves the craft, creativity, and legacy of modelmaking at MSA.
The MSA physical model archive is now represented in a collection of high-quality photographs, 3D scans, and reference information hosted on the Figshare platform. This collection showcases decades of models created by students, researchers, staff, and collaborating practices.
Manchester School of Architecture is an innovative collaboration between Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Manchester, currently placed 5th in the world in the QS 2024 Architecture rankings. It unites two schools with more than 100 years’ experience, over 100 experts in their architectural fields, and more than 1,000 students from over 80 countries producing creative, challenging, and academically rigorous work and research in the heart of Manchester.
Every model tells a story
For over fifty years, the B.15 Modelmaking Workshop has been the centre of making at MSA. It’s a space where ideas take shape, materials are explored, and creativity is built by hand.
From student projects to research prototypes, each model tells a story of process and progress; a testament to the craft, curiosity, and collaboration that define MSA.
But the physical archive is fragile and ever growing. Hidden away in a small, hard-to-access space, its stories risk being lost. By digitising the archive, we are opening the doors to a global audience, celebrating the work of our makers and supporting open research and learning for generations to come.
The people behind the project
Matthew McGill, Research Lifecycle Programme Project Coordinator, spent months inside the B.15 Modelmaking Workshop, meticulously documenting and digitising MSA’s modelmaking legacy. He’s also developed and documented a process for makers to digitise their own models, ensuring the collection will continue to grow.
Bill Ayres, Research Lifecycle Programme Theme Leader and Strategic Lead, Research Data Management at The University of Manchester Library, took his original idea of using the Figshare platform to host the archive and turned it into reality by sourcing funding, securing technology, and driving the project forward.
Scott Miller, the B.15 Technical Workshop Manager and the B.15 Modelmaking team, worked tirelessly to champion the project, supporting the digitisation process and leading the promotion of the archive.
The archive is just beginning
The MSA Model Archive is a living resource, which we invite students, researchers, and alumni to continue building.
Share your models. Document your process. Whether you’re showing your latest design or revisiting past work, your models can help inspire and inform the architecture community.
Learn how to upload your work to Figshare by speaking to B.15 staff, and join a global community celebrating the craft of modelmaking at the B.15 Modelmaking Workshop on Instagram.
More RLP news
For more information on this and other RLP projects, visit: