Architecture and Adaptive Reuse

Entry requirements

You will normally have at least an upper second class undergraduate UK honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related field, including architecture, architecture technology, conservation, spatial design or interior architecture, or an equivalent architectural, design or humanities based undergraduate degree (including history, geography, urbanism, conservation, heritage, environmental science, architectural or design history).

Equivalent EU/international qualifications are also accepted. Applicants who do not meet these criteria will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Other professional qualifications or degree disciplines will be considered on merit and/or with relevant professional experience.

We require the submission of a digital portfolio to evidence design/architectural practice and research, and may request an interview as part of the application process. Applicants with an undergraduate degree in architecture, interiors, design or art should make a 10-15 page portfolio that shows work that has been produced during the UG programme, if you have spent time in practice then that should also be included. If you do not have this background, then the portfolio should contain examples of work completed during the UG programme, such as a report or study, plus any post-degree work that you have completed - again 10-15 pages.

Overseas applicants will require IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with no less than 5.5 in any category, or an equivalent accepted English qualification.

Find out about English language requirements.

If you are an international student, you will usually need to get a student visa before you can study in the UK.

Months of entry

September

Course content

MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse is a programme about existing buildings, situations and places, and how over time these structures and locations can be encouraged to evolve, sustain new uses, and accommodate new users. It allows you to investigate strategies for adaptive reuse - strategies that are not applied as a reaction to current conditions, but in anticipation of future changes.

Adaptation is now at the forefront of architectural practice; two of the most pressing challenges in the 21st century are climate change and urbanisation. To reuse an existing building is an inherently sustainable action. Given that already more than half of the global population live in urban environments, and by 2050, it is projected that over 70% of the world population will live in cities, all societies need to be able to accommodate growth while at the same time, reducing consumption. The existing building stock needs to become both more efficient and more resilient.

You will investigate the three main tenets of sustainable reuse - environmental, societal, and economic – while also exploring inhabitation, heritage, culture, history, memory, community, and the influence these factors have on remodelling activities. Through looking at the impact that context and the environment have upon projects, you will develop an understanding of some of the technical issues including conservation, construction, environmental control, and materials in order to make creative and appropriate proposals for new users of buildings. You will also examine specific examples of adaptive reuse, theories of reuse and explore strategies for the conservation and adaptation of the existing environment, while also looking at the influence that art has upon architecture.

The course is therefore ideal preparation for careers in both professional and/or academic roles associated with sustainable urban, architectural and interior design, and within the heritage industry. Some examples of destinations that graduates on this programme have entered include: architectural and interior practice, conservation architecture, academia, and to progress into doctoral study.

Students benefit from the specialist workshops at Manchester School of Art and the University of Manchester to explore materiality, fabrication, and realisation of their ideas.

The programme is part of the Manchester School of Architecture, an internationally recognised leader in architectural education, with an outstanding employer reputation.

Information for international students

Please visit the international page.

Fees and funding

For further information please see the fees and funding page.