Undergraduate / "We don't inherit the Earth from our Ancestors we borrow it from our children"; motivation [2]

What aspirations, experiences, or relationships have motivated you to pursue the study of architecture?

"We don't inherit the Earth from our Ancestors; we borrow it from our children." Do you know what I see? I see red lights all around us, red lights signaling a warning, a warning about the floundered future we are approaching. There are terrible things heading our way if we don't take action upon pollution, habitat destruction, water shortages, and many more environmental issues.

Architecture creates a place where educators can shape future generations, where innovators can continue their exploration toward an unpredictable future, where businesses can continue contributing to our economy, and where citizens can go through their daily routine in the best productive space. In other words, Architecture creates a whole new world with endless creative and functional possibilities, and I want to make those possibilities into reality while preserving the natural conditions of our planet.

Participating in the Safe City Art Contest in third grade cultivated my passion for art and a greener future. I grew infatuated with 1 Bligh and finally decided to become a Sustainable Architect. As I began to dig for more information about this building, I thought to myself, now this is the kind of place I would love to work in everyday. This building's astonishing view gives pleasure to the eyes, its green features benefits the earth, but its open environment produces a whole new level of innovation in the workplace. With the help of the web I discovered a whole new world of ecological technology and ideas. I realized I wanted the people inhabiting the space I design to feel completely comfortable while finding architectural solutions that guarantee the coexistence of inorganic elements, living organisms, and humans. I will design structures with features like a basement sewage system that recycles at least 90% of the structures waste water, and an innovative tri-generation system that uses solar energy to generate cooling, heating, and electricity. When I start my career, after obtaining my Master's Degree, I want to begin as an Architect supervised by licensed Architects to understand the quality of my designs and what I need to improve on. Then I will obtain my Architect license and after ten years I will become a Senior Architect. I will design buildings while preserving the flora and fauna, and remodel buildings that cause harm to the environment. My ultimate goal is moving my way up to a Project Manager or Department Head.

Architecture became my life, so I enrolled in an Advanced Architecture class to prepare for my future career. My class participated in the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Competition, which provides a scenario, setbacks, and a deadline. Being involved in the NAWIC Competition was a decision that I will never regret because I met marvelous people that share the same interest as me and gave me irreplaceable knowledge and experiences gifting me with a privileged peek at my future. Due to my class and the NAWIC Competition, I now think completely differently; I think of how each space can be used and what is the best way to use it regarding its inhabitants. I think of more possibilities and arrangements within a structure. I now have hands-on experience as well as computer experience. Another person that I owe my decision to becoming an Architect is my cousin because she is now an Architect and she always shares her experiences and love for architecture with me.

Thanks to the surroundings and people that encouraged and motivated my passion for sustainable architecture, I want to get rid of all those red lights because our existence is at risk, and I believe we can make it happen.