Graduate / "Living In the Oldest City In The World"-SOP Master in Architecture [13]

Description :
Well ...as you can notice I'm trying to get a master degree in architecture. Unfortunately, my country Syria may encounter an imminent war and that could delay me if I tried to get the master degree due to governmental facilities and universities closing. Anyway, I don't want to make the SOP like propitiating the university but at the same time I want to state facts. ...so I draft some thoughts .I need serious help with this because my GPA is not that good...please feel free to ask me about further Information... thanks in advanced.

University SOP instructions:
In approximately 500 words, describe your background, your past work in your intended field of study, and your plans for graduate study and a professional career.If you have not yet come to a decision about your career, or if your plans are tentative, please do not hesitate to say so.

The statement:

A passion ,a vocation ,a calling as well as science and business. It has been described as a social art and also an artful science. I consider it architecture.

Many architects whom I have met over the course of my education and career seem to share the same story of always wanting to be an architect since they can remember. That's not my story. I did not aspire to be an architect until much later in my youth. In fact, it did not start off as an aspiration but a suggestion for my consideration when I came to decide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

Before the idea of an architect was ever considered, I wanted to be an astronaut or graphic designer. I've always have an interests of drawing and space exploration. I began drawing at a very young age, I drew on anything provided me with a blank plane, even white walls. I think my natural gift in art is moderate but it was something I enjoyed. Although being an astronaut could seems far from subject art and architecture, but I admired exploring mysterious space and seeing objects from different perspectives other than ground. This required physical training, which I did not think I had the strength and stamina to go through.

It's no surprise my father is an architect as he inspired me with his work and projects. I kept observing and helping him while he was working, planning, and interacting with people until I realize that architecture is much more than just building houses.

I enrolled in architecture school at International University for Science & Technology (IUST) in Syria for five years, Damascus the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world is challenging as it must preserve the fabric of the past in its contemporary design. I enjoyed doing that using computer programs such as 3Ds MAX and CAD. My professors were either Iraqis or Syrians who had studied in foreign countries, so there were a diverse opinions and different points of view in every project I completed.At that time my journey began to open my eyes and mind to the world of architecture.

Education alone did not inspire me to be an architect. It was from educational trip to Spain in 2008 at my 3rd year.I travelled all over Spain looking at modernist and contemporary architecture, specially those by Antonio Gaudi : Sagrada Familia one of my favourite buildings. We also visited Palau Nacional and El Pabellón de Barcelona by Mies Van der Rohe. The Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid by Jean Nouvel .I remember being impressed with what was happening architecturally in Spain . The architecture was progressive and slick in their forms and materials. The spaces within were full of character and complexities that played with light and program. I wanted to do that. I wanted to build those buildings in Damascus.

Unfortunately, unstable conditions in Syria are affecting my concentration and preventing me from achieving my dream of attending graduate school. After graduate school ,I plan to rebuild my country with new urban landmarks - memorial and residential projects.

Columbia university was my choice because I want to learn from the best and be with the best. Also, I'm looking forward to learn about NYC architecture such as Guggenheim Museum one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most recognizable architectural masterpieces. My professors were either Iraqis or Syrians who had studied in foreign countries, so there were a diverse opinions and different points of view in every project I completed.

My aspiration is to create something that has a positive impact on society and the people who occupy them. Being an architect may not be a childhood dream of mine but it is something I've been inspired to become because I want to do good creative things.

Research Papers / Reviewing the New Serpentine pavilion in London. [3]

Hello everyone , I'm a graduate Architecture student. I've been asked recently to research & visit the new Serpentine Pavilion in the Hyde Park, London.

The assignment requests :
"Write a short review of the pavilion by expressing your own stance by focusing on the feature of the building. that interests you in particular.(e.g. form, material, atmosphere, use, social and cultural aspects). position yourself vis this pavilion's architect. The text should be 500-700 words with some images related to the to the continent of the your review."

However, I feel that the structure of my review needs improvements and I wonder if you can help me with it. Also, I'm afraid to look like Mr. know in my review because of (for some) my harsh criticism for this project. But the project didn't impress me what so ever!

PS: I'll add my own pic later on this thread. I uploaded a general pictures of the pavilion to let you know what I'm talking about.

My review :
The Serpentine Pavilion

As every year the Serpentine Gallery hosts a new work for a new Architect in the United Kingdom. I was in London in 2013 and I visited the Cloud Pavilion by Sou Fujimoto architect. It was a such an experience sitting and walking between to what I used to call cubic fragments. On the other hand, the Pavilion of this year by Selgascano architect was a big disappointment for me. In my opinion, it was a great example of what not to do as an Architect.

- Chaos and Randomness were the dominant elements
According to Oxford dictionary, Architecture is "the complex or carefully designed structure of something " well I couldn't find these, I couldn't find neither complexity or carefulness in this project pavilion. Nothing but a chaotic, inconsistence form and inharmonious space frames.

I doubt if we should overvalue the illuminant shining materials on the expense of beautiful harmony, rhythm and coalition of a scheme. Or does ugliness and odd objects are much easier to be noticed?

- God in the Details
Almost in any field of professions, the way of connecting, welding, installing and the most important creating a transition between materials is the biggest challenge. In order to create a "comfortable to the eye appearance" there's should be a smooth neat transition from one element to another. Moreover , the transition between the space frames itself was random like if it was arranged in a way to tighten the plastic surfaces in the first place!

A caption on my own pic (Eyes hurtful material transition using a ruthless way. A tape! ) (pic not uploaded yet)

- Junction space and lack of circulation
Although, there were four entrances to the pavilion, to me somehow it was difficult to notice a clear inviting entrance. The welcoming interior & exterior space is important in order to make visitors stay as a participants not just a beholders or passerby. Many entrances one junction space with nothing to keep you busy. Once you get in you never know until you're out.

- Cheap materials pushed with an over rated way & potential.
Plastic is playful and compliant material but it should be used in the right environment & circumstances. Understanding the potential of any material will be exposed in the project itself making it either a successful eyes pleasing project with a "please come back" notice or just a poor and dilatory project. Considering the weather factors such as heat, moisture, wind...etc. beside the continuous tension of the plastic won't help the structure to stabilize. As the plastic strips in the pavilion seems to be falling apart already. Beside using plastic in one of the largest green surfaces in London such as the Hyde Park seems to be wrong methodologically. Meanwhile, the modern architecture is oriented toward environmental solutions and sustainable designs. I find it an ironic way to go build with such a material while the government started to urge shops to make clients pay for their plastic bags!

- The use of colors ,lights & shadows can be in an harmonic organized way too.
The colors of the space depends on its function and how long one could stay in it. But on the other hand, colors can be abused if not functioned in the right space. In the Pavilion there were a large variety of colors. For some it was fun and joyful as the director of the pavilion stated in an earlier interview. Personally, it were joyful colors but irritating if you stay enough. there was no gradual transformation between colors. It was a maze of colors.

THE END...regards.

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  General pic
  
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  interior pic