Statement

There is a particular reason as to why the Manchester School of Architecture is deemed in my eyes a centre where I can truly learn to innovate in my challenge to become an architect. Aside from the fact that MSA offers two research facilities from both its school of architecture and the University of Manchester, it is highly known that their research departments happens to capture my interest in studying in this particular prestigious school. In particular, their development of graphene, a lightweight material much lighter than steel yet stronger, has strongly convinced me that the connection I would make in this university could certainly expand the usage of materials and engineering in architecture. Sure, the program offers promising development of theory and practical applications for seven years, hence ensuring a promising future for a young architect. But it is the promise of innovative engineering within this university that I want my forms of architecture to bridge and expand upon, hence making this university such a top priority to go to.

There was this exhibition that I had recently gone to, Art Stage Jakarta, and a certain artwork by artist Ng Joon Kiat caught my attention.

Titled Untitled Cities 3, my interpretation to this artwork was that the artist was trying to represent the growing urbanisation of civilisation as humans begin to build their own environments to grow and develop. This artwork had me thinking, "if earth were to replace all the green in that painting, how would architecture play a role?" 

I assumed that one key important role to architecture in the urbanisation of cities is to maintain and preserve the nature's very own architecture and integrate structures of our own into these forests, caves, waterfalls and many other forms of nature.

There is this one building that I read about, by Vietnamese architecture firm Cong Sinh Architects called Symbiosis, that integrate the firm's living space with a growing tree in order to prove that urbanisation occurring near its streets could also integrate nature into the plan.

I would not only like to experience such a harmonious integration of workspace and nature, but perhaps have the chance to intern there or work for a few months just to experience the union of both environment harmoniously coexisting beside one another.