Museum of Architecture is a pop-up and online museum where everyone can come to learn about architecture
​- Founder and Director Melissa Woolford
- Please support MoA's Charity Fund -

STORIES AND INSPIRATIONS

#WhyIWentIntoArchitecture
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Museum of Architecture launched "#Why I Went Into Architecture", a Stories and Inspiration Series featuring the personal stories from people in the architecture industry.
This week MoA invited Matt and Fiona, Directors of MATT+FIONA, to share their individual story with us.

Matt:  "My architectural education at the Mac and the Bartlett tutored me in the creative and technical processes of designing buildings as an individual author. Nothing prepared me for the reality of architectural practice where the process of making architecture is a collaborative, shared process where negotiation, and sometimes compromise, are generally critical to success..."

Fiona:  "The focus of architecture at university in the early 00s wasn’t enough on people, so I wanted to steer my working roles in that direction... I’ve strived ever since to make architectural education more fun (and by that I mean a space in which mistakes and experimentation are welcomed as the process by which we learn), more relevant to everyone and more open to enjoying multiple influences rather than a singular vision..."

Read their stories on our Stories and Inspirations page.

​Watch their interview here and on IGTV
​You can watch all the interviews by Melissa Woolford on MoA IGTV Channel.

Why did you go into architecture? Get in touch with us and share your story.
Please Support the
Museum of Architecture's Programming and Donate to the 
​MoA Charity Fund Here.
Thank You
MoA Directors Series
Session 3
Inclusion and Equity for Architects
New Date: 28 January, 2021
Speaker: Russell Pollard, MBA
Principal, Framework Leadership 

Many architecture practices have acknowledged the need to prioritise supporting diversity in their studio and in the profession. Announcements have been made, events attended, and initiatives started.

This session aims to support senior leaders begin 2021 in their leadership of initiatives that support diversity, foster inclusion, and establish equity. It will be interactive with a balance of focused presentation and peer discussion for learning.


MoA Directors Series
Session 4
Getting Recession Ready with PR
Date: 10 February, 2021
Speaker: Robert Fiehn
Architectural Communications

The UK is heading into an uncertain economic period and we’re already starting to see the effects on budgets and the amount of jobs out there. If there’s one thing we have learnt from the 2008 financial crisis, it’s that now is not the time for architectural practices to entrench and go quiet. Dependable clients might start to pause projects and stable sectors will experience new pressures and constraints. Your practice needs to be the first one on someone’s mind when they’re thinking on commissioning a new scheme which means consistent and clear messaging. 
​The MoA Directors' sessions offer the opportunity for directors and owners of small and medium-sized practices to have meaningful and purposeful discussions, and to share knowledge about how they run their businesses, tackle industry issues and explore business ideas. This programme is now free for all directors to join.

In line with MoA’s mission to help architects be more entrepreneurial, we are developing a series the MoA Directors that specifically focuses on the current situation and challenges to businesses due to the market disruption. 
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You can read more about the original programme MoA Directors HERE.
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Watch previous interview with Chris Hildrey discussing ProxyAddress, which has started the first live trial with the London Borough of Lewisham.
Read Chris' story here...

MoA FAMILY PROGRAMME

The School for Creative Thinkers 
is an MoA family programme aiming to inspire the next generation of architects, engineers and designers.

SfCT proudly launched the very popular Nature's Architects workshops in a box delivered to your door! A new theme in a box each month with magazines and materials for unique projects and activities, plus live classes, online video and an online members club.

You can find out more about it on the website.
Also, check out the #Alphabet of Buildings Series on instagram and on the website. Every new letter is introduced with the corresponding building, fun facts, plus free downloadable activity worksheets.

​The SfCT classes and activities are developed with a team of teachers, architects and designers for children ages 4 - 12 years old. The carefully designed hands-on projects teach children problem solving, design skills, and innovation thinking. ​

Free Online Advent Calendar

For December 2020, the GingerbreadCity website has been turned into a Free Gingerbread Advent Calendar filled with downloadable activities for kids and adults, behind the scenes, recipes and more.

Visit our website to join and access for free!

Be sure to visit The GingerbreadCity instagram account for a festive look back of all the years of the Gingerbread City exhibitions.

We hope to see you in person, surrounded by the scent of gingerbread and sweets in 2021!
MoA Business Academy Programmings are now free of charge

​In line with our mission as a charity to help architects and people in the industry to be more entrepreneurial, MoA Business Academy programmes are now donation-based and are free for those who can't currently contribute.
We wanted our programmes to be more accessible for everyone working in the built environment profession.

This includes the MoA Directors series now held online. Please see MoA Directors section for more information.
Thoughts and Advice From MoA Experts

For the MoA Expert series, Juliette Mitchell offered her advice and tips on writing to “help you rediscover your purpose, tell your story and find your voice. Think of it as a starter kit to shake things up.” Read more about her “three-step action plan.”

You will also find helpful tips from the other #MoA Experts: Guy Johnson on wired negotiation, Celeste Bolte on good communication, Sue Austin on becoming a thriving practice, Russell Pollard's thoughts on being Future Focused Leaders, and Helen Santer's advice on evaluating your workspace needs.

​Read more Thoughts and Advice here
Resources for Setting up New Practice

Wondering whether to start your own practice? We have compiled information and resources that you may find useful.
photo © jeff sheldon. unsplash
How to Start a Practice
Recent webinar on with Simon Foxell

As the UK considers how to emerge from the CV19 lockdown, many furloughed architects and others are thinking about setting up their own practices and building an independent route to economic recovery. 

Simon Foxell, author of the RIBA’s bestselling Starting a Practice: A Plan of Work, discussed how to go about this and how to prepare for a future working for yourself.

Visit our Setting up a New Practice page for other helpful resources.

 Past Events and Workshops

MoA Special:
Colour in the Built Environment
20 November 2019
​Lecturer: Tyen Masten, PHASE3
                 Kingspan Facade, Axalta, Shakerley

​‘Every perception of colour is an illusion, we do not see colours as they really are. In our perception they alter one another. ​ ’ ​ – Josef Albers

​In this Special Workshop on Colour, Tyen Masten discussed the basics of colour theory and how his practice, PHASE3, integrates colour into their schemes and design process.
MoA Gingerbread Skyscraper Workshops
- part of the Design Manchester
16 November 2019 
Venue: Manchester School fo Art

The Museum of Architecture brought gingerbread creativity and fun to Manchester this holiday season. Working with local practice Playground Design Studio and Manchester School of Architecture, the team from MoA held a gingerbread skyline-building workshop for families as part of Design Manchester 2019. 
Sponsored by Hawkins\Brown
Photo Credit Richard Abram
MoA's The Gingerbread City ®
is an annual pop-up public exhibition showcasing an entire city made of gingerbread. Its aim is to connect the public with architecture in an exciting way, and spark important conversations around cities and how we live in them.
Visit our Instagram page for images from the four years of The Gingerbread City ®
"The popularity of Gingerbread City has enabled us to set up a grant-giving fund this year. This new fund will allow MoA to support new projects which help people to create betters places and communities, and enable the public to better engage with architecture.”
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    - Melissa Woolford, founder and director of Museum of Architecture
​MoA Business Academy
Past Programmes 
MoA Alternative Careers in Architecture

Speakers: Holly Lewis, We Made That
                   Matt Thornley, Gibson Thornley
                   Laura Sanjuan, SODA
                   Chris Hildrey, Hildrey Studio

​​MoA Alternative Careers in Architecture is a series of MoA talks that explores the vision, ideas and approaches that architects bring to other professional environments.
MoA Academy programming is kindly hosted by ​Build Studios, the first co-working space in the UK to focus on the whole built environment.
MoA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
UNKNOWN: Strategies And Solutions In Shaping the Built Environment
​​7 JUNE 2019   
Aga Khan Centre / King's Cross

This year’s theme unpacked the notion of crossing into the unknown in design, architecture, art and science, discussing the boundaries and cultural borders created and traversed through drawing and communication, memory and imagination and collaboration.
The Glass Notebooks © Kate Davies 
This was the third edition of the annual conference led by women in architecture. This event was co-curated by Melodie Leung, Senior Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects and the Museum of Architecture. Sponsored by Finsa and as part of the London Festival of Architecture.
Watch highlights of the conference, including thoughts from the curators, Melodie Leung of Zaha Hadid Architects and Melissa Woolford of MoA, the speakers of the panels, and the architects of the Wooden Parliament,  AMID.cero9.

EXHIBITIONS & EVENTS

Wooden Parliament by Finsa for LFA 2019
Temporary pavilion with public programming  June 2019
Coal Drops Yard, London

​Want to hear about our upcoming programmes, workshops and events?
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