Personal Statement: Master of Architecture and Urban Design

Personal Statement: Master of Architecture and Urban Design
Growing up in an urban village in Guangzhou, the architectural wonders did not surround me. Indeed all I could see were the various villages which gradually formed infringes in China since the early 1990s and became the habitats of the people with low income. Every time I walked through the urban village, I was astonished by the sprawling and awful environment due to the overcrowded structures. As a result, I started drawing and making my dream houses, from clay and because of the urge to do something in future, I decided to take architecture as my major in the college. To further my studies and having studied basic theory and design skills, I chose to participate in the urban design studio so that I could be able to come up with at least a solution to the problems that China is experiencing a rapid growth of urbanization.
As I grew up, I came to notice the connection between architecture and urban design, with what I used to do while I was a kid. Indeed, architecture is defined by an environment of built structures, while on the other hand; urban design focuses on an area and the space around it. A structure must be constructed on a space hence architectural work creates cohesion by combining the spaces and structures together. The urbanization has been accompanied by growth in buildings that are not in harmony with the environment, and I believe that skills in urban design, added to architectural knowledge puts me in a better position to provide a solution to the overcrowding of buildings, currently experienced in my country.

A career in architecture and urban design is a lifetime opportunity that also provides room for application of my passion for design and art. My experience has made me realize that architecture and urban design is a bridge that connects a world of dreams and imagination to creativity and reality. However, for success to be realized, proper communication between various stakeholders and teamwork must prevail. My participation in two international workshops (SCUT & UC Berkeley International Joint Workshop, International Workshop with Tokyo Institution of Technology) presented me with an opportunity to work with people from different countries and learn from different cultures. Some of my Chinese teammates were not good at English, and I greatly helped them to communicate with our foreign teammates.
I have had an opportunity to travel through different cities to discover their characteristics, and this has really excited my interest of learning urban design. The crowded alley filled with vendors and tourists in Taipei, the quaint and narrow street in Kyoto, the chic and full of life streets in Singapore, the glamorous and wide road in Las Vegas. I am impressed by the streets, the squares, the parks, the buildings, and the various combinations they make to transmit different expressions. The most amazing thing is that all of them can be concluded as a certain pattern in urban design.
From my perspective, architecture focuses on individual buildings while the urban design is concerned with the large-scale organization of buildings, streets, and public spaces. To come up with proper organization of urban structures, architects, urban designers, engineers, and landscape designers, must all combine up with conventional ideas, and work together to produce a quality urban design. Architectural works follow three phases namely: Design phase; Design development, documentation & building approvals; and Construction. The skills of urban design are therefore crucial to an architect, and I believe that by learning urban design, I will be the best architect.
My approach involves considering each design as a process of discovering problems and coming up with imaginative and transdisciplinary solutions. Urban design in China still lacks experience, something that is already present in the United States. Furthering my study in urban development and architecture in the US will help me acquire a hands-on experience in dealing with the associated problem.
Considering my excellent background in architecture and urban design; experience and interests to cooperate with different people; and a broad horizon due to my travel, I am brave enough to take the path towards realization of my dreams. My ambition is to become an architect, and urban designer, and establish my practice with what I have learned to improve the living environment in our country one day. I am very sociable, team player, and I am confident that my contribution to the institution will not go unnoticed. Please grant me this opportunity to take my knowledge, skills, and career to the next stage.