An architect’s journey starts right from the moment he/she finds themselves intrigued by the endless possibilities and fun behind it. Pursuing the same we managed to pull our weight to get through the entrance exam aiming for our desired college. Finally, when we manage to make it through to our desired college, that would be the day we will remember for the rest of our life as a milestone.
And before you know it, you find yourself in a studio along with a bunch of strangers excitedly waiting for orientation to start, little did you know that these strangers are the people you will come to recognize as your family in near future.
There will be a lot of variables in your life at this point of time, new places, unknown people, a different routine, new opportunities, everything might seem a bit chaotic at that moment. But strangely, unknown even to you amidst that chaos you start to feel right at home.
If someone told you that this is the start of the most exciting, fun-filled, and memorable phase of your life, they mean it. A bunch of new terms like redo, jury, submission, NASA, study trips, club meeting, etc. becomes a part of your daily vocabulary. Amidst all this, you are introduced to the world of architecture where you are taught a bunch of different things while you wonder when they will ask you to design that skyscraper you have been dreaming to design.
But slowly it all starts making sense when you realize that a walk on the street doesn’t feel the same now, unconsciously you start to notice the character of the street you are in. How and what activities are being performed?
Scale and proportions of built structures, vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns, various time-space activities that take place simultaneously and details of such kind are something you will take note of unintentionally. You will start noticing and assessing your surroundings with respect to many aspects such as how a particular built form is designed as it was with respect to climate, wind directions, sun path, and a handful of other parameters. You will start noticing how vegetation surrounding us isn’t mere eye candy but contributes substantially to the microclimate.
A simple act of opening the window to let sunshine enter holds a lot of meaning now. We understand the significance of various public spaces and understand that they act as binding agents to keep the community together and promote many social activities. This process of understanding and comprehending various aspects of architecture becomes even more interesting when we are taken to study trips.
You understand that exploring is one of the best ways to improve your understanding of any architectural form. And the fun filled time spent with peers and those memorable moments sit in your heart for the rest of your life.
You now see heritage monuments in a new light as now you know both cultural and historic significance attached to them. And you are able to interpret tangible and intangible aspects of those age-old structures.
You discover that vernacular practices and techniques that we have today are the results of constant evolution over a large span of time and that flexibility of improvement is what makes it even more interesting and intriguing. These vernacular traditions when combined with advanced technology unlock endless possibilities for a much brighter and successful future.
Architecture has a far more powerful impact on our lives in more ways than we give it credit for. For example, we now know the reasons behind why certain spaces were more inviting and warmer giving out positive vibes than other spaces. We realize that the spatial configuration of space along with its materials and even the colors surrounding us has a significant impact on us at a subconscious level.
Such an effect is quite subtle but highly impactful. This discovery evokes a sense of responsibility in us, as now we realize that architecture is a very powerful tool that holds the power to guide the path to future generations. This is proof to say that architecture improves us architects as an individual as well.
This huge responsibility is one of the reasons behind the rigorous process of architectural education which we all are a part of. This system though being stressful and nerve-wracking is necessary to prepare us for our role in the future because besides teaching us the art and science of architecture it also trains and improves us as individuals, a better human being.
Every architecture student goes through a rollercoaster ride full of discoveries about a myriad of different things which shape their future self. And the best part of being an architecture student is the realization that it is completely fine to make mistakes, provided we are willing to learn from them. This encourages us to explore various new possibilities, pushing boundaries, and strive for a better tomorrow.
The journey of an architecture student never ends, it is a path that urges us to dabble in incessant knowledge of architecture.
