sam1012
Nov 20, 2025
Graduate / 'Learning to Listen: How Places and People Shaped My Architecture' - Graduate Statement of Intent [2]
My interest in architecture began long before I actually even knew the word for it. As a child, I was very observant and crafty, which made me notice how changes in light, the width of a passageway, or even the sound associated with a space could change the way a place felt. That subtle awareness of how a space affects emotions has stayed with me ever since. Over time, I realized that through design, I could transform intangible feelings into something others could sense too. What motivates me is the desire to create contextual architecture that respects the environment and community and simultaneously preserves them. I'm driven by a strong desire to create architecture that responds to its context; designs that not only respect the environment and community but actively preserve and strengthen them.
Studying architecture at the Military Institute of Science and Technology has shaped my skills not only in technical drawing and construction knowledge but also in how I think, observe, and question. One of my professors told us that architecture is not just a discipline; it is a way of living. Over the last five years, I've learned how true that is. Each of my studios pushed me to explore new scales and contexts, starting from the intimacy of a single-family residence to the complexity of urban housing. Adding to that, studying the history of art and architecture, learning from the designs of master architects, and designing for tropical climates have broadened the way I think about space, function, and content. I want to build on these experiences and continue exploring thoughtful architecture in Virginia Tech's Master of Architecture program. As my undergrad projects grew in scale, I began to see architecture as a conversation a dialogue between design and function. The perfect mixture of both art and engineering. Designing an art gallery not only helped me understand how a building itself can become an art exhibit but also appreciate how space can bring out evoke emotion and guide movement. Early studio projects helped me realize that a successful design always begins with an understanding of the context; that is, studying not only the site but also the lives it touches.
My perspective on design matured during my later design studios, where I began to see how social, cultural, and economic factors culminate in shaping urban life. My urban design studio focused on placemaking; Creating a Disaster-Resilient Public Space based on community needs. From the site assessment of a public space to using the public space toolkit, I have had the opportunity to experience field research and stakeholder engagement. Working directly with the users taught me that meaningful design begins with understanding the people who will use it. My interest in urban systems grew further with A Tale of Buriganga, an adaptive reuse and conservation project on the historic riverfront of Dhaka. There, I learned to treat heritage not as some frozen past but as a living framework. The challenge was how to conserve the identity of the urban fabric and yet allow for adaptation, allowing architecture to be a bridge between memory and modernity. In contrast, my housing studio, Living on the Edge: Community and Nature in Harmony at Korail, taught me how architecture is shaped by the people who live in a place. Working in such a vulnerable community changed the way I think. I learned that design keeps changing as people use it in their daily lives. When I mapped the neighborhood and talked to residents, I understood how strong and resilient the community actually is. Even narrow streets became places for people to meet, and small courtyards still found ways to let in air, light, and life. Around the same time, I was part of a group case study on the Bihari community in Geneva Camp, Dhaka, about the meaning of housing. Looking at their livelihood pattern made me realise how deeply architecture is connected to identity and also reminded me that meaningful design begins through noticing and understanding lives that are often overlooked.
What I learned more than anything else is that design starts with listening, and I also began to see sustainability differently. It is not just about new materials or technology; rather, it is more about shared habits: rooftop gardens, common courtyards, or even small self-managed drainage systems that make daily life work. Adding to this was an internship at Volumed Zero Architecture I had the opportunity to understand how architectural decisions are made in practice. I worked on ongoing projects, supported drawing and presentation tasks, and joined site visits where I could observe construction progress closely. Being involved in these tasks made me realize how much design depends on teamwork and clear communication.
These experiences collectively taught me that the true task of architecture is to serve as a connector between human stories and the built environment. Travel has also played a role in shaping my thinking. From the Mughal and Byzantine legacies of India and Turkey to the walkable urban fabric of Bangkok, each city showed something different about how culture, density, and adaptation coexist. The way Istanbul weaves its historic core together with modern high-rises, also the way Bangkok's elevated metro creates shaded pedestrian life below, taught me that every place tells a different story about coexistence and change. These experiences continually remind me that architecture is both local and global, an act of translation between past and present, nature and culture. This journey has inspired me to pursue a master's degree to further develop my design and research skills."
I will be applying for a Master of Architecture at Virginia Tech because I would love to further learn how context and sustainability make architecture thrive in the growing city and in face of climate change. What impresses me most is how this program connects design with research and involves context intrigue at every step. Coming from Dhaka-a dense, historically charged place with rich, convoluted social life-I have been taught to look at architecture as that which really connects people, culture, and the environment together. The WAAC campus feels like the kind of place where I could take that perspective further. Being in a diverse, urban setting means that ideas and cultures are constantly mixing; that kind of environment pushes you to think beyond your own perspective. I am also inspired by Professor Susan Piedmont-Palladino's vision of the city as an evolving system of relationships and her view of drawings as a means of communication that bridges imagination and reality. Her work in sustainable urbanism and adaptive reuse resonates with my own approach toward renewal through continuity. On similar grounds, I also highly appreciate the investigations of Professor Paul Emmons into representation and architectural theory, as they echo an intellectual foundation I look forward to when thinking through drawing and creating places that will be conceptually rigorous and emotionally perceptive.
My interest in architecture began long before I actually even knew the word for it. As a child, I was very observant and crafty, which made me notice how changes in light, the width of a passageway, or even the sound associated with a space could change the way a place felt. That subtle awareness of how a space affects emotions has stayed with me ever since. Over time, I realized that through design, I could transform intangible feelings into something others could sense too. What motivates me is the desire to create contextual architecture that respects the environment and community and simultaneously preserves them. I'm driven by a strong desire to create architecture that responds to its context; designs that not only respect the environment and community but actively preserve and strengthen them.
Studying architecture at the Military Institute of Science and Technology has shaped my skills not only in technical drawing and construction knowledge but also in how I think, observe, and question. One of my professors told us that architecture is not just a discipline; it is a way of living. Over the last five years, I've learned how true that is. Each of my studios pushed me to explore new scales and contexts, starting from the intimacy of a single-family residence to the complexity of urban housing. Adding to that, studying the history of art and architecture, learning from the designs of master architects, and designing for tropical climates have broadened the way I think about space, function, and content. I want to build on these experiences and continue exploring thoughtful architecture in Virginia Tech's Master of Architecture program. As my undergrad projects grew in scale, I began to see architecture as a conversation a dialogue between design and function. The perfect mixture of both art and engineering. Designing an art gallery not only helped me understand how a building itself can become an art exhibit but also appreciate how space can bring out evoke emotion and guide movement. Early studio projects helped me realize that a successful design always begins with an understanding of the context; that is, studying not only the site but also the lives it touches.
My perspective on design matured during my later design studios, where I began to see how social, cultural, and economic factors culminate in shaping urban life. My urban design studio focused on placemaking; Creating a Disaster-Resilient Public Space based on community needs. From the site assessment of a public space to using the public space toolkit, I have had the opportunity to experience field research and stakeholder engagement. Working directly with the users taught me that meaningful design begins with understanding the people who will use it. My interest in urban systems grew further with A Tale of Buriganga, an adaptive reuse and conservation project on the historic riverfront of Dhaka. There, I learned to treat heritage not as some frozen past but as a living framework. The challenge was how to conserve the identity of the urban fabric and yet allow for adaptation, allowing architecture to be a bridge between memory and modernity. In contrast, my housing studio, Living on the Edge: Community and Nature in Harmony at Korail, taught me how architecture is shaped by the people who live in a place. Working in such a vulnerable community changed the way I think. I learned that design keeps changing as people use it in their daily lives. When I mapped the neighborhood and talked to residents, I understood how strong and resilient the community actually is. Even narrow streets became places for people to meet, and small courtyards still found ways to let in air, light, and life. Around the same time, I was part of a group case study on the Bihari community in Geneva Camp, Dhaka, about the meaning of housing. Looking at their livelihood pattern made me realise how deeply architecture is connected to identity and also reminded me that meaningful design begins through noticing and understanding lives that are often overlooked.
What I learned more than anything else is that design starts with listening, and I also began to see sustainability differently. It is not just about new materials or technology; rather, it is more about shared habits: rooftop gardens, common courtyards, or even small self-managed drainage systems that make daily life work. Adding to this was an internship at Volumed Zero Architecture I had the opportunity to understand how architectural decisions are made in practice. I worked on ongoing projects, supported drawing and presentation tasks, and joined site visits where I could observe construction progress closely. Being involved in these tasks made me realize how much design depends on teamwork and clear communication.
These experiences collectively taught me that the true task of architecture is to serve as a connector between human stories and the built environment. Travel has also played a role in shaping my thinking. From the Mughal and Byzantine legacies of India and Turkey to the walkable urban fabric of Bangkok, each city showed something different about how culture, density, and adaptation coexist. The way Istanbul weaves its historic core together with modern high-rises, also the way Bangkok's elevated metro creates shaded pedestrian life below, taught me that every place tells a different story about coexistence and change. These experiences continually remind me that architecture is both local and global, an act of translation between past and present, nature and culture. This journey has inspired me to pursue a master's degree to further develop my design and research skills."
I will be applying for a Master of Architecture at Virginia Tech because I would love to further learn how context and sustainability make architecture thrive in the growing city and in face of climate change. What impresses me most is how this program connects design with research and involves context intrigue at every step. Coming from Dhaka-a dense, historically charged place with rich, convoluted social life-I have been taught to look at architecture as that which really connects people, culture, and the environment together. The WAAC campus feels like the kind of place where I could take that perspective further. Being in a diverse, urban setting means that ideas and cultures are constantly mixing; that kind of environment pushes you to think beyond your own perspective. I am also inspired by Professor Susan Piedmont-Palladino's vision of the city as an evolving system of relationships and her view of drawings as a means of communication that bridges imagination and reality. Her work in sustainable urbanism and adaptive reuse resonates with my own approach toward renewal through continuity. On similar grounds, I also highly appreciate the investigations of Professor Paul Emmons into representation and architectural theory, as they echo an intellectual foundation I look forward to when thinking through drawing and creating places that will be conceptually rigorous and emotionally perceptive.
