Architecture Personal Statement Example 22

I was brought up in a small flat which made me aware from an early age about the value of the space I was living in. The view from the flat has stayed with me throughout my life. From four stories up I saw two flats side by side with the sun hitting the side of a building. I have always remembered that even in that block of flats there was beauty in the design and the architecture transcended the mundane.

My love for art, Vedic philosophy and mathematics has informed my vision to become an architect, not only to design buildings but to build people's thoughts, ideas and beliefs through the physical environment. As a child I spent a lot of time drawing and playing with Lego which gave me an early insight into the value of imagination and creativity. At Hainault Forest High school I was selected for the gifted and talented group based upon my analytical drawing in design technology.

Natural forms have inspired my exploration of architecture. Observing plants under a microscope has been inspirational, I can see the outcome of natural spatial design in the vast array of different forms and structures that have developed through the evolutionary process. I am interested in the architectural potential that these natural structures present. This biomimetic architecture has presented me with innovative new design pathways.

I was fortunate enough to have work experience at Milan Babic Architects in London. On my first day Milan told me to create a brief for a dream house for my parents. I wrote a statement of their characteristics and formed a brief based upon their personalities and needs. I was taught how to section sketch, choosing the position of the house and shown how the research environmental factors with the Environment Agency such as the possibility of flooding hazard. I made a model of the house and in the end I presented my project to my parents and the architects. The passion I observed in the studio confirmed my interest in becoming an architect.

I have also been influenced by Peter Zumthor who developed a personal response to the concepts of modernism through his experience as a conservationist architect. His use of the raw materials selected in sympathy with landscape and cultural vernacular created buildings that harmonise with their landscapes and human occupants. As our awareness of the necessities of sustainability grows it becomes more and more important that architecture students consider the role they will have in building better homes and environments for the future. My experience of Summer school at Sheffield University reinforced this perspective as practicing architects gave presentations on making cities denser, more sustainable and more eco-friendly.

At college I have been elected as student union governor a role which I take very seriously, I am the voice of the students and part of the college board committee. I work to further my college's social and environmental responsibilities. As a representative of the college I have also been appointed as a student ambassador helping to organize open days and working on advising parents and potential new students about college life. I am midway through completing my Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award which has involved charity work and voluntary design work for the National Citizens Service's logo.

I am fully committed to studying architecture and I have chosen the universities that will help me to be at my very best. I am innovative, hardworking and competitive. Architecture is a natural choice, it is a course that best fits my interests and abilities.