Play Patchwork! A Tapestry of Community Transformation in Harpurhey
Rethinking Play in the Urban Landscape
In the heart of North Manchester’s Harpurhey, the echo of absent laughter is growing too familiar. For Hana Ahmad Baihaki, a recent Part II/MArch graduate from the Manchester School of Architecture, this silence poses an urgent spatial and social question: how might we return free, unstructured play to its rightful place in children’s lives? The answer, stitched carefully together through 21 months of professional experience and a passion for social architecture, is Play Patchwork!—a Community-Play House that sets out to ignite renewal, belonging, and discovery for young residents and their families.
A Graduate’s Vision Grounded in Real-World Engagement
Hana Ahmad Baihaki’s journey is marked by a commitment to nurturing inclusive cityscapes. Her academic tenure at the Manchester School of Architecture saw her develop a keen sensitivity for user-centered design and participatory processes. This, coupled with substantial industry experience, informed her approach to tackling one of Harpurhey’s acute challenges: restoring equitable access to safe, stimulating play for children aged 5–12.
Recognising the erosion of child-led play—an often-overlooked casualty of urban policy and spatial planning—Hana places the physical and psychological needs of children at the centre of her work. “Play Patchwork! is about mending the spatial gaps that alienate children from their neighbourhoods,” she explains. “But it’s also about empowering the community to reclaim ownership over shared spaces and everyday experiences.”
Weaving Together Spaces for Free Play
Set against a backdrop of dense housing and patchy green spaces, Harpurhey’s landscape reflects the systemic and spatial barriers limiting safe play. Play Patchwork! responds directly to these deficits with a flexible, layered community hub that unites indoors and out. Far from a prescriptive playground, the scheme offers a series of adaptable, interactive zones—patches on a communal quilt—each encouraging curiosity and collaboration.
Inside, modular rooms morph from art studios to performance spaces, while semi-open pavilions spill into communal gardens, wild pockets, and nature trails. Hana’s careful selection of tactile materials—including recycled timber, colourful polycarbonate, and reclaimed brick—crafts an inviting palette that champions sustainability and echoes the area’s industrial heritage. “Play should happen everywhere, not just in fenced-off corners,” Hana notes. The building dissolves thresholds, creating a seamless flow between activity and calm, group play and solitary exploration.
A Hub for Growing Bonds
What sets Play Patchwork! apart is its deliberate blurring of boundaries—not only between indoor and out, but across generations and communities. Workshops invite parents, older siblings, and grandparents to participate in shared creative projects. Communal kitchens, sensory gardens, and storytelling benches encourage intergenerational learning and casual gather-ups, transforming the perceived ‘play house’ into a genuine neighbourhood commons.
This multifaceted programme combatting social isolation mirrors approaches advocated by the likes of Walter Segal and Jan Gehl. Hana’s vision is thoroughly research-driven, echoing best practices in inclusive placemaking and biophilic design. Extensive user consultations, walking interviews, and prototype play sessions informed every phase. As a result, Play Patchwork! serves as a working model for how vulnerable urban communities can be empowered to restore agency and joy to local environments.
Designing for Everyday Resilience and Future Growth
Flexibility is at the core of the project’s ethos. Modular constructions allow for future expansion and adaptation according to the changing needs and aspirations of the community. Rainwater harvesting, rooftop gardens, and solar shading ensure environmental sustainability, demonstrating that socially responsive architecture need not compromise on ecological responsibility.
Beyond physical attributes, Hana envisions the Play Patchwork! sparking ongoing dialogue. “It’s not a solution handed down from above, but an invitation for the neighbourhood to keep shaping the space,” she reflects. The project is a catalyst—an open invitation for collaboration and growth long after the ribbon is cut.
Recognition and Moving Forward
Though still seeking its first built commission, Play Patchwork! has garnered recognition within academic and professional circles for its thoughtful response to both local realities and wider urban debates. Tutors and colleagues alike have praised its innovative layering of programme and space, and its refusal to treat ‘play’ as an afterthought.
With over 21 months immersed in practical architectural work, Hana Ahmad Baihaki is no stranger to the complexities of delivery and the patience required to see socially ambitious projects thrive. As she seeks Part II Architectural Assistant roles, her portfolio stands as a testament to the power of research-infused and community-rooted design.
Connect with Hana Ahmad Baihaki
For architecture studios, community organisations, or others interested in collaborative and inclusive placemaking, Hana is eager to share her insights and explore new opportunities. Connect with her on LinkedIn or reach out via email at hwbaihaki@gmail.com.
Play Patchwork! invites us all to remember that, in the fabric of city life, the right to play is a thread worth reinforcing—one project, and community, at a time.
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