Hiba Hallak
Dec 9, 2023
Graduate / PERSONAL STATMENT FOR MASTER PROGRAM IN SHEFFIELD UNIVERSITY (SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE DESIGN) [2]
In architecture, I see life and people as one. What I love the most is the fusion of science and reality and how it can contribute to creating a better environment for humanity. Growing up I've always loved the countryside, being surrounded by water and green sceneries as the horizon flows was a refreshing experience away from the carbon-saturated city fabric.
After completing my BArch degree in architectural engineering from Damascus University, with my graduation project titled 'Physiological and Psychological Therapy Centre: healing body and soul as one ". I had two main goals, one of them was making the incorporation of sustainable practices within the complex urban city plan the focal point of my design. at the same time, the second is using this sensitive period of my architectural journey as a stepping stone towards preparing for a more specialized program in functional low-carbon buildings anatomy in an effort to contribute to the field of green architecture.
My desire to learn more about designing eco-friendly buildings was an urgency born from the devastated state of my country's infrastructure after a decade of war, and the global warming issue where the need for respecting the environment was my driving force in pursuing more knowledge. I always found myself looking for new resources and needing to learn more by analyzing real-life projects and looking through the limited digital sources for more solutions in an effort to make connections between nature and human society's needs.
During my undergraduate studies, I had the honour of scoring 81% on my graduation project being among the top 20% of students in my graduation year and the 3rd best score in my studio. I was not only dedicated to excelling academically, but I also sought opportunities to enhance my practical skills. As a result, I founded a team called 'Horizon D-T,' consisting of four freelance teachers. I took charge of the work plan, scheduling, and marketing for workshops and courses. Additionally, I conducted my own course on drawing and sketching methods and traditional rendering and provided coaching to my fellow students. In my aspirations to help newcomers, my team and I held an in-depth 5-day introduction workshop, where we shared our experiences and views with aspiring architects. One of my personal goals was to showcase the difficulties of our lifestyle without sugarcoating the challenges, all while highlighting the importance of our studies for human society and mother nature. By providing a friendly atmosphere and initiating conversations with follow-up questions, I encouraged them to share opinions and ideas to raise their critical thinking and appreciation for our field. With our established mentor-mentee relationship, when they sought feedback, I noticed them taking the greener architecture approach with their designs and creations, proving my attempts to plant the ideology of energy-efficient buildings were successful.
During my professional life, one of the most impactful experiences in my journey was my work experience at GTC Construction Company in Iraq. During our last project in 2023, I had the opportunity to lead a team of architects in designing and drafting a proposal for the Amber Tower project in Karbala State. Although I realized that I still had much to learn regarding effective sustainable practices and how to enforce them within the project designing processes, I still managed to add an element of smart building with a hydraulic parking system prioritizing proper ventilation, and ensuring access to natural light, to reduce the building's energy consumption and reliance on non-renewable resources. this experience showed me that I had the ability to lead and influence a group of adults to successfully follow my lead towards completing work efficiently.
As I aspire to deepen my knowledge and expertise in non-consumptive buildings, your MSc in Sustainable Architecture Design presents an ideal platform to achieve this goal. I am mostly drawn to the program's emphasis on sustainable design principles and how to utilize weather simulation software to contribute to a balanced design. Through this program, I aim to become an advocate for healthier practices in architecture and apply innovative solutions to address the challenges of climate change. I am adamant about furthering my knowledge and skills to make human society more eco-friendly. If given the chance, I am confident I will make the most of this enriching experience and fulfil my potential as a future architect specializing in sustainable design. I am determined to make a positive impact on my community and contribute to the creation of a greener and more sustainable future. This scholarship would provide me with the necessary resources to pursue my studies and enable me to continue inspiring and helping others along the way.
In architecture, I see life and people as one. What I love the most is the fusion of science and reality and how it can contribute to creating a better environment for humanity. Growing up I've always loved the countryside, being surrounded by water and green sceneries as the horizon flows was a refreshing experience away from the carbon-saturated city fabric.
After completing my BArch degree in architectural engineering from Damascus University, with my graduation project titled 'Physiological and Psychological Therapy Centre: healing body and soul as one ". I had two main goals, one of them was making the incorporation of sustainable practices within the complex urban city plan the focal point of my design. at the same time, the second is using this sensitive period of my architectural journey as a stepping stone towards preparing for a more specialized program in functional low-carbon buildings anatomy in an effort to contribute to the field of green architecture.
My desire to learn more about designing eco-friendly buildings was an urgency born from the devastated state of my country's infrastructure after a decade of war, and the global warming issue where the need for respecting the environment was my driving force in pursuing more knowledge. I always found myself looking for new resources and needing to learn more by analyzing real-life projects and looking through the limited digital sources for more solutions in an effort to make connections between nature and human society's needs.
During my undergraduate studies, I had the honour of scoring 81% on my graduation project being among the top 20% of students in my graduation year and the 3rd best score in my studio. I was not only dedicated to excelling academically, but I also sought opportunities to enhance my practical skills. As a result, I founded a team called 'Horizon D-T,' consisting of four freelance teachers. I took charge of the work plan, scheduling, and marketing for workshops and courses. Additionally, I conducted my own course on drawing and sketching methods and traditional rendering and provided coaching to my fellow students. In my aspirations to help newcomers, my team and I held an in-depth 5-day introduction workshop, where we shared our experiences and views with aspiring architects. One of my personal goals was to showcase the difficulties of our lifestyle without sugarcoating the challenges, all while highlighting the importance of our studies for human society and mother nature. By providing a friendly atmosphere and initiating conversations with follow-up questions, I encouraged them to share opinions and ideas to raise their critical thinking and appreciation for our field. With our established mentor-mentee relationship, when they sought feedback, I noticed them taking the greener architecture approach with their designs and creations, proving my attempts to plant the ideology of energy-efficient buildings were successful.
During my professional life, one of the most impactful experiences in my journey was my work experience at GTC Construction Company in Iraq. During our last project in 2023, I had the opportunity to lead a team of architects in designing and drafting a proposal for the Amber Tower project in Karbala State. Although I realized that I still had much to learn regarding effective sustainable practices and how to enforce them within the project designing processes, I still managed to add an element of smart building with a hydraulic parking system prioritizing proper ventilation, and ensuring access to natural light, to reduce the building's energy consumption and reliance on non-renewable resources. this experience showed me that I had the ability to lead and influence a group of adults to successfully follow my lead towards completing work efficiently.
As I aspire to deepen my knowledge and expertise in non-consumptive buildings, your MSc in Sustainable Architecture Design presents an ideal platform to achieve this goal. I am mostly drawn to the program's emphasis on sustainable design principles and how to utilize weather simulation software to contribute to a balanced design. Through this program, I aim to become an advocate for healthier practices in architecture and apply innovative solutions to address the challenges of climate change. I am adamant about furthering my knowledge and skills to make human society more eco-friendly. If given the chance, I am confident I will make the most of this enriching experience and fulfil my potential as a future architect specializing in sustainable design. I am determined to make a positive impact on my community and contribute to the creation of a greener and more sustainable future. This scholarship would provide me with the necessary resources to pursue my studies and enable me to continue inspiring and helping others along the way.
