MSA’s Open Day made a big impression on me for several reasons. First was the quality of the work, which reflected the School’s reputation. Secondly I was drawn to your research-based approach as it suits my personal style of studying; I am very interested in looking to the future and the development of our knowledge. Finally, the benefits of having access to both universities’ facilities is a big attraction. On a broader level I am also very drawn to the city of Manchester with its lively musical and social elements. I feel that MSA and I are an excellent fit and I can see myself being very happy and successful there both academically and socially.
To further my knowledge of what the best architecture students in the world are producing I attended the RIBA Presidents Medals Students Awards 2012 exhibition at The RIBA in London. The aim of the exhibition was to display the award winners’ work in a clean, clear and concise way. Although the standard of work was very high some of the explanations were, for me, too brief due to constrictions on each person’s space limitations. This did however allow the presentation of more students’ work and created a broader selection and diversity of work. Amongst the work that I was most impressed by was that of Martin Tang and his work on eternal autumnal microclimates. His use and combination of culture, senses, weather and the mind coupled with the brilliant presentation were very impressive.
One of my favourite buildings is the Niteroi Contemporary Art Museum, designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The building can capture the imagination of the viewer by creating something seemingly impossible through a combination of the arts and sciences. Its form contrasts with the upright verticals of the manmade tower blocks in the distance and complements the natural surrounding environment. I like the use of clean, bright concrete to create ongoing curves. The building represents a country that has developed and progressed through hard times, much like a lot of Niemeyer’s work.
A building I would like to experience is the D*Dynamic house by The D*Haus Company. It is constructed of 4 modular triangles that rotate to form 8 different configurations to adapt from day to night or by season. I am very interested in how the use of movement could revolutionize how we design buildings on a giant scale, like the proposed Dynamic Tower in Dubai, or on a smaller scale like the D*Dynamic. However, I would wish to experience the D*Dynamic for a whole year to see how our everyday lives and homes can be made to adjust to our environment and how well the concept actually works at a practical level.
