Personal Statement: Why I Want To Study Architecture

Honourable Dr. Jean Augustine is a black Canadian woman who changed Canada. She will always be a part of Canada’s history. She is the first Black female member of Parliament. She helped show people what Black History Month was and appreciated it. A politician and activist from Grenada, he has educated many people about the history of the black community.

When I graduate college, I would love to design a building that would fascinate kids and encourage them to be an architect. Someday, I want to create a building that will better the city of Altoona. Most importantly, I want to be known for contributing and giving back to my community.

Architecture matters, it is omnipresence; we use and encounter it on a daily basis, but most often one tends to focus on the building’s function and the way it looks. Architecture is more than mere buildings that serve its function to meet our own human needs; it has a lot more to offer. Architecture matters because it can become a symbol that represents something that has a deeper meaning as well as an “ultimate representation of a culture.” Architecture is a powerful icon because it symbolizes experience that we as a community share, which is far beyond what other forms art can offer.

I am applying to QUT to study the Bachelor of Design – Architectural Studies because I have a passion for design. I haven’t known I wanted to go down this career path long, possibly only six months. I have always had a passion for the same area of work although I haven’t been able to pinpoint the career I really want until recently. Once completing this degree I would like to complete my masters in architecture then create my own business designing sustainable, environmentally friendly and carbon neutral housing.

As a developing and growing student, I realize that I need a plan for success, even though that plan may change. At Indiana University Bloomington, I plan to study in the School of Art and Design in order to eventually become an interior designer. While I may change my career choice and area of study, my drive and dedication to achieve excellence will never waver. However, that does not mean that I will not face challenges along the way.

Architecture should be nurturing, responsive and alive, dynamically shifting spatial balances, organically expressive forms, subtly luminous colors and biologically healthy. To achieve such life-enhancing architecture, it has to address all the body senses simultaneously and fuse our image of self with experience of the world. By strengthening our sense of self and reality, architecture serves its all-important function of accommodation and

I am in college because of several reasons. Neither of my parents went to college and they constantly remind me of how much they regret it. I would be the first person in my family to receive a college degree and that motivates me to continue my education. My dad is in the United State Air Force and he has transferred his Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to me. Receiving the benefits gives me a large percentage off of my tuition and it also allows me to receive a check every month to help pay for housing. I have one goal for being in college and that is to finish. I have had many setbacks in my four years of college because of how many times I have transferred, but now all I can do is finish what I started.

In my last year of L.Arch Undergraduate program, I started to think of what my future plan is, and what I want to achieve in my life in Landscape Architecture. I realized I have goals which can be achieved and dreams that can only be achieved through hard work and luck. To further elaborate, I will categorize them into short term goal, long term goal and advocator.

We finally made it to college! Since we are living together, you should know a few things about me.

Baruch has a huge population of diverse students from numerous backgrounds, ethnicities and culture. Being a part of that existing undergraduate population has exposed me to how the college and student body melt into one and bring forth a unique culture not found elsewhere. I knew if I wanted to become a well-rounded and well versed individual, I needed to expose myself to unfamiliar elements, thus enabling me to broaden my scope and view of the world. I needed to explore, feel and touch things, places and ideas that I have never seen before, only then can I truly expect to add value to my character.

Growing up in a town in which most people took advantage with civil service or union jobs, I always pictured myself doing something different;I strived to find a more meaningful purpose for myself. While training and developing a skill set or trade was admirable,I was of belief that I was meant to do something more challenging with my life. With this in mind, I decided to initially pursue a degree at Nassau Community College with a focus in the field of architecture. It was at Nassau where I quickly realized choosing a future career was not as easy as I expected. After studying diligently and absorbing as much information as possible pertaining to architecture, I recognized that the passion and spark I presumed I would have for architecture had not developed.

Why am I in college? For the love of kids! While I have always loved being around kids, never would I have imagined my adult life would be centered on raising children and I would be attending college for that very reason. You see, when I was young, college was never really discussed in our family. Although my mother was the valedictorian when she graduated high school, she never attended college. My father attended classes when I was a child, however, never earned a degree. As it turned out school never was my forte; I did just the bare minimum to pass and graduate. However, a friend talked me into taking a college class my senior year, but with my parents living paycheck to paycheck the cost of classes were my responsibility, and I just didn’t have the drive to pursue my education any further. My dream was to continue working in the corporate world, marry and start a family.

Why do you want to go to college? Is a great question, but one, unfortunately, that I did not ask myself sooner, after high school and my mandatory military service I asked myself: WHERE do you want to go to college? And I answered myself, the best of course. And so I signed up to Tel Aviv University a short 1 hour commute away. After spending a semester in classes that did not interest me. Professors that I found lacking. I found myself thinking, what did I do? Is this right for me? And most importantly why am I doing this to myself? Why do I want to go to college? After thinking long and hard I finally had my eureka moment. I did not want to go to college, I wanted college to come to me. I wanted to be able to study at my pace, with students

Before the end of my second year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute School of Architecture, I began to ponder on the possibility of quitting architecture. It was a convoluted time of uncertainty; I wasn’t sure whether I was prepared to become an architect and take on the responsibility and commitment to better the built environment. Nevertheless, I decided to give myself one last shot at architecture before giving up – I accepted the internship offer from MAD Architects in Beijing, China. There, I got to meet many young architects

Question 1. Choose an architect or practice whose work is covered by or relevant to this course and discuss critically one or more of their design projects or drawings or urban proposals as precedent case-studies. Selectively situate this work in relation to their body of work, and against the practices and concerns of the period. Focus on the architectural qualities of a specific key aspect of the design of the projects. Selectively consider how they might relate to the historical situation, cultural values, theoretical concerns and design practices of the time. This may involve a selective analysis of compositional design practices, material fabrication production and the experiential reception of built outcomes of the projects.