Manchester is a city which has so much to offer and is welcoming,
vibrant and it’s universities have an excellent reputation which, I would like
to be a part of. I feel that this is where I would like my future to start and
is the place where I can submerge myself into creativity and flourish as a
designer. I love Manchester’s current architecture in the city, for example Libeskind’s
Imperial War Museum North is an amazing concept; representing earth, air and
water in fragmented form.
During my open day visit the atmosphere and the work ethic
really grasped me. I particularly liked
the idea of combining two universities; widening the range of ideas and perspectives.
The whole approach of sharing the facilities of both universities in Manchester
is a fantastic pool of resources. I feel that moving away from home will enable
me to become more independent and I would gain valuable experience at MSA which
I would thrive on.
Recently, I visited Lincoln Cathedral for the first time and
was in awe of the sensational piece of architecture; gazing in wonder upon the
stone masonry outside, even before I had laid eyes on it’s amazing interior.
The stone gleamed gold, highlighting the intricate detail carved into the
exterior. The sheer size of the cathedral is astonishing and I really admire
the way it was reconstructed around 1192-1311 after the fire and earthquake.
Within the cathedral, I fell in love with the vaulted ceiling in the nave and
the tall columns which as well as reflecting the early English Gothic style,
they hold up the cathedral roof. The atmosphere within the cathedral was divine.
One of my
favourite architects amongst Dame Zaha Hadid, and her daring designs and
contemporary approaches to urbanism, is Lord Norman Foster. As well as his
current projects I really admire his earlier structures like the Hong Kong and
Shanghai Bank Headquarters, Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters and the Hearst
Tower. I admire the geometry inspired by Buckminster Fuller and in particular I
love the beautifully designed and engineered Millau Viaduct Bridge with it’s
slender silhouette merging into the landscape. As the world deliberates on
sustainability I am inspired by Foster’s ambitious plans of Masdar City:
combining low-carbon, low-waste ecology to become the one of the most
sustainable cities in the world.
