About me:
I am a third-year architecture student, studying at the University of Cape Town. I am intrigued by architecture that is aligned with the philosophy of Phenomenology. I am particular interested in creating interesting spaces through the manipulation of light and materiality to enhance people’s lives and experiences. I strive for architecture to challenge the norm, in order to design better habitable spaces for people. I believe architecture should encourage social and public activity, to enhance people’s lives and be beneficial to the environment.
In terms of my design process, I spend a great deal in the concept stage. I am passionate about understanding the typography of the site, researching the historical context, going to the site location and then combining it all to create a concept that will be site sensitive that serves the intended purpose and ultimately betters the surrounding buildings and environment.Equally to the conceptual stage, I strive to make the concept a reality using a logical and rational design methods, specifically when it comes to the technical plan. Visually, I express my thoughts best through analytical diagrams, three dimensional sketches and model making. I personally prefer to design by hand as I feel it is the best medium to fully express and understand architecture even though I am able to take the design from a hand drawing to a digital drawing.
A Self-Reflective Manifesto:
I like architecture that is personal and intimate yet isn’t exclusive. Architecture – to me at least –should provoke feeling. I do not like architecture that although might seem beautiful, doesn’t allow you to connect with it, leaving you with no memory of the place once gone. Although I am still young and have so much more to learn and discover, the one thing I am certain about is wanting to create buildings that are personified. I want people to experience the buildings I hope to create.public activity, to enhance people’s lives and be beneficial to the environment.
I hope people become inspired by my buildings, that they live in my spaces and understand my architectural elements. I am a human being who is compassionate, expressive, at times a little over-bearing, effervescent, sensitive, and not to mention with a few bumps and bruises. Architecture that is compassionate to its historical context, sensitive to its present context, expressive in form, a little over-bearing when necessary, effervescent with public life and memories, and overtime encounters a few bumps and bruises. Just as people are real, so should its architecture – be real.
*This manifesto was inspired by Robert Venturi’s Gentle Manifesto from his book: Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, first published in 1966.