The document describes the evolution of the Architectural Aid Office (AAO) over time as they expanded their facilities and offerings. It started as a small shared working space for Miles and Martin, and grew to include additional buildings like the Philosopher's Escape quiet space, a book exchange, a workshop with donated tools, an inventor's room, a bicycle workshop, and a greenhouse. The AAO also began collaborations in other locations like Russia and received donations like a golden archive from Abu Dhabi which helped support its community role in Sheffield.

1. THE SHEFFIELD
UNIT
1
2009
DECEMBER
M&M launch a collaboration
after they are finished with their
studies. During conversations
amongst themselves and with
exchange students from
Norway they have found out
that they both share a wish to
help other people with their
architecture.
They start up the Architectural
Aid Office (AAO). They decide
to build a working space that
allows them to work on
different kinds of projects. The
rise of the Sheffield Unit and the
appendix toilet is happening.
Between the two little houses
they build a connecting floor.
The Sheffield Unit fulfills their
most elementary desires: A
solid table suitable for diverse
working like drawing, reading,
working with laptop, fixing
bikes, making absurd
inventions from abandoned old
machines and vehicles, cooking
food and making tea. The room
serves for evening parties,
performances, meetings with
clients, brainstorming and
chatting with friends.

2. THE PHILOSOPHER’S
ESCAPE
2
2010
MARCH
After a couple of
months of frenetic
working in the small
Sheffield Unit the need
for a more quiet space
rises for Miles. As
reflecting the different
ideas Miles sparks
from discussions with
people arountd him is
an important part of
his working methods,
he finds he cannot
adequately
concentrate at all times
in the common room.
When Martin takes up
his bike after lunch to
relax by fixing it in the
lazy afternoon hours,
Miles finds himself
chatting with him
instead of focusing on
his own stuff. To solve
the upcoming conflicts
before they become a
reality Martin and
Miles decide to expand
their working space
with the Philosopher's
Escape.

3. THE BOOK
EXCHANGE
3
DECEMBER
2010
Both Martin and Miles
find a lot of inspiration
by reading books and
discussing with other
people. After a year
with running the AAO
they decide it is time
for bringing new
energies to the project.
They build a new little
house that contains
books and room for
discussions. The room
relies on people’s good
will and honsty:
anyone can leave a
book on the shelf and
take one in exchange.
The interactive walls
are indeed a public
attractor - networks
develop and new
possibilities emerge. A
positive side effect of
the book room is the
opportunity for a
change of scenery
through a working
day.

4. THE KILKENNY
TOOLS
4
2011
JUNE
After working really
hard on the thesis and
straight thereafter
establishing the AAO,
Martin really needs a
break. He embarks on
a journey to Ireland,
back to the roots.
Already in the summer
2010, Martin’s family
donated a large
collection of tools to
the Architectural Aid
Project. Now is the
time to collect the
treasures and bring
them to Sheffield.
Old and new tools
hanging on the walls
decorate and make the
new workshop
building an inspiring
place to work. Martin
designs the room to let
plenty of morning
light in.

5. THE INVENTOR§S
DREAM
5
2011
AUGUST
Seeing the development of
the AAO going really well,
being joyful and optimistic,
Miles picks up on a dream
he had when he was a child.
The dream was to become
an inventor.
The first thing Miles
invents is a glass building
constructed with toothed
wheels.
Here he starts up an
inventor's room for kids,
and every Saturday Miles
leads workshops for
children.
After 6 pm in weekdays the
kids can come in and
develop their projects. In
the day time Miles
develops his own
inventions. The room
gradually becomes full of
curiosities. As the time goes
Miles does some extensive
weird research.
By now M&M receive
support from the city of
Sheffield.

6. THE BICYCLE
PARTICLES
6
2011
AUGUST
A collaboration with
the University of
Sheffield on the
Architectural Aid
Program frees a lot of
time for both Martin
and Miles.
With old and new tools
in hand Martin gets
really inspired on the
bike front. He shares
his knowledge on
bikes with the
community by holding
workshops on how to
mend bikes.
Inspired by Miles'
weird inventions
Martin constructs a
small universe of
bicycle particles ex-
ploding to the space
outside.

7. THE SIBERIAN
APPOINTMENT
7
2012
AUGUST
The AAO searches out
in the world, and
Martin presents the
concept on a field trip
to Russia.
The program is so
catchy that he gets an
engagement. He
works at the Kola
peninsula together
with local forces to
establish Kola
Architectural Aid
Office (KAAO).
In Sheffield there are
now many visitors and
projects going on. The
AAO employees
several people and
srves as a cultural
house, meeting point
and social arena for the
citizens of Sheffield.
When coming back
home Martin uses his
inspirations from
Russia to build
desperately needed
new meeting room.

8. THE GREEN
ROOM
8
2012
OCTOBER
A local collector of
seeds, plants, flowers
and vegetation makes
a deal with the AAO
and they put up a
green house for a new
botanical collection.
The green contribution
to the AAO facilities
strengthens the
character of change of
scene, and adds a new
variation of energy.

9. THE GOLDEN
ARCHIVE
10
FEBRUARY
2013
Miles is getting tired of the domestic
life, and decides to take a break from
the AAO. He goes abroad and
coincidences take him to Abu Dhabi
where he gets a job at the Abu Dhabi
Urban Planning Council (UPC).
Not long after coming to Abu Dhabi
Miles meets a girl with beautiful eyes.
He falls in love, and by showing and
telling her about the inventions he
made back in Sheffield she takes
interest in him. Warm feelings start to
grow.
Miles gets introduced to his beloved's
father, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan. Unfortunately he makes it
clear for Miles that he must
immediately
forget about his daughter.
Time goes by and Miles and the girl
with the beautiful eyes keep seeing
each other. In an attempt to get rid of
Miles, the Sheikh donates a golden
archive to the AAO and he urges
Miles to go back home to ensure a
safe delivery. When back home, Miles
realizes that life in Abu Dhabi might
not be for him after all. He has really
missed working with Martin and the
other staff at the AAO. He decides to
stay though his heart is bitterly
broken.

10. THE SPEAKER’S
CORNER
11
MAY
2013
Miles and Martin want
the AAO to give
people in Sheffield a
further chance to be
seen and heard. The
room is a bulletin
board with an
ephemeral program.
Opinions are spoken,
announcements are
made and debates are
beeing held. The room
soon becomes an
information hot spot
and makes the AAO
sequence house even
more accessible.