Personal Statement:Architecture 7

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Architecture Personal Statement

Frank Lloyd Wright called architecture "the Mother art", remarking on its ability to reflect the needs and values of a time. My choice to study this subject at University stems from this idea. I am fascinated by its breadth of concern and constant reinvention, as a field which must straddle both the practical and the transcendental.

Having been exposed, through my art projects both inside and outside school, to different movements and ideas, I have been drawn increasingly to those architectural styles that focus on a concern with humanity and our environment, employing the decorative and structural arts with a mind to improving the lot of both people and the planet. For me, it is that elusive intersection between art and science that architecture occupies which is so exciting, and this I hope is reflected in my range of A2 subjects, balancing Maths with Art and humanities.

Recently I have studied Gaudi and his innovative use of the catenary arch, and was able as part of my French AS-level to compose a presentation on Le Corbusier and his role in the history of social architecture.

The philosophy of treating a building as a single unified organism, taking inspiration from nature in its aesthetics, structure and services is something I hope to explore further this term, having just read and been much inspired by a biography of Frank Lloyd Wright.

At the moment, from what I can learn about contemporary architecture from monthly trade magazines, the field is at an exciting inflection point as new concerns for sustainability and building performance come to the fore. The challenge now is to incorporate these ideas into a new environmentally aware, responsive and efficient architecture, and this is something that I would very much like to contribute to.

I have been fortunate enough over the last year or so to secure some time at a number of different architectural practices. Last autumn I visited ORMS in North London where I was able to talk to a number of architects and designers and gain a feel for the role of architecture beyond the drawing board. Being part of a site visit was particularly rewarding, as it is easy to forget that drawings must be translated into actual bricks and mortar, and on time.

I was also extremely fortunate this summer to spend a few days at Foster and Partners in London where I looked over their plans for a sustainable city near Abu Dhabi. The marriage of sophisticated computer analysis with traditional Middle Eastern concepts such as wind catchers was compelling and has spurred my interest in passive energy saving, something I have since read about and incorporated into my work at school.

At school I am a captain of the Community Services Committee and will be House Captain next term. As part of my responsibilities I will be expected to build on the teaching I have done over the previous two years in primary schools by taking charge of my school's social and environmental responsibilities. Part of this will involve organising events for the local community, visiting nearby schools and setting up this term a recycling initiative. These issues are something I feel strongly about and intend to carry into University life and my student work there.

Besides the time I spend on my artwork, outside lessons I am a committed member of school teams for cross-country running and athletics, and play in the school orchestra. I am also a member of an active debating society, and co-run a discussion group. Currently, I am part way through my D of E Gold award, which I hope to have completed by next summer.

My range of interests, from ecology to literature and debating, I hope confirm me as an individual capable of rising to the challenge of a course that demands commitment and holistic understanding.

Universities Applied to:

• Bath (offer AAA)
• Cambridge (offer AAA - firm)
• Newcastle (offer AAA)
• Sheffield (withdrawn)
• UCL Bartlett (offer ABB - insurance)

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