The collaboration
of Manchester University and Manchester Metropolitan, stands out to me as an
aspiring architecture student. Use of facilities in two separate universities
is something I have not seen offered by other universities. Upon visiting
Manchester University on an open day I was extremely impressed by the teaching,
facilities and student satisfaction, and look forward to seeing what Manchester
Metropolitan has to offer. The city of Manchester is one I am very familiar
with, and it, along with the university, provides an environment I would be comfortable
living at working in.
Norman
Foster, originating from Manchester, is a great inspiration for me. Hearst
Tower and the ‘Gherkin’ are some of my favourite architectural works, although
for me Foster’s most inspiring project is one of his most recent- the plans to
use 3D Printers to construct buildings on the moon. I’ve always been excited by
the possibilities of 3D Printers, and 3D design is a field I would like to
explore, so the combination of these with architecture greatly appeals to me.
And then Foster takes it up a step, and proposes to do so on the moon. Physics
is a key factor in this project, and too is a subject I have gained a passion
for through studying it at college. The idea of a project combining many of my
interests with such significance, and accomplished by a graduate of Manchester
University shows the endless and ideal possibilities unlocked through studying
architecture at Manchester.
My most
memorable first-hand experience of architecture is undoubtedly Sagrada Familía.
The main goal of experimental architecture is to amaze, influence and innovate.
Gaudi achieves and excels these goals with the cathedral. The astonishing
detail along with the breath-taking scale of the masterpiece is unparalleled. The
representation of Chirst and the Twelve Apostles through the main spire and towers
shows the extent of Gaudi’s creativity. Such extreme symbolism is something
rarely seen in architecture, and something I would like to explore.
Ever since discovering Frank Gehry’s
Guggenheim, I have been intrigued to see it in person. Photos of the building
seem unable to capture its true shape. The curvature and mirror-like qualities
of the walls create distorted reflections and shadows, rendering a 2D image insufficient
in representing the overall structure. I would love to visit and explore the
site, to develop a deeper insight of Gehry’s work. The design process of the
seemingly unmethodical yet intricate deconstructivism has always fascinated me,
and I am very interested in discovering how one would produce such magnificent disorder.
