Posts

Academic Blog Overview

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     The blog assignment was a good challenge for me to write consistently and thoughtfully on a range of different topics, some of which related to my personal experiences, professional interests, or academic insights. This weekly practice has helped me become a more consistent writer and helped with my writing discipline.      One of the most valuable aspects of the blog assignments was that I wrote regularly, which forced me to maintain consistency in my writing practice over the summer.  Having to write every week also helped me meet deadlines, even in the summer months when I don’t have other classes. It has also sharpened my ability to take a vague topic or blog idea and make it into my own, adding my own experiences, personality, and language into the topic and my writing. The challenge is turning real-life experiences into concise writing that engages a professional audience.      I enjoyed having the freedom to write in my own p...

Things I Wish I Knew Before Picking Architecture as My Major

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   When I got my first iPad, I was always drawn to playing home design games, and I remember spending hours on these apps designing my dream home and building houses. I was drawn to the creativity and the ability to create or design whatever I wanted. I appreciated the freedom to create a design as unconventional as I wanted, and I was aware of this at a young age. I never thought it could be something I could make a career out of. However, now that I'm further into the program, I've realized there's a lot I wish I had known before diving in. If you're considering a career in architecture, here's what I would tell myself now. I know now that it's not just about designing dream homes or creating perfect cities. But at the same time, there is still a significant creative aspect; architecture is a lot more about being technical and precise. You learn so much more, including building codes, structural systems, environmental design, and sustainability, all of which h...

Pros and Cons of Architecture

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       Architecture is often regarded as a dream career, where creativity, design, and purpose converge to create something beautiful. From sketching in a sketchbook to seeing real-world structures in the ground, the field offers a unique blend of art, design, and engineering. But like any other profession, architecture has its highs and lows. If you're considering a career in architecture or are curious about what it's like, here is a look at the pros and cons of working in the field of architecture. Pros: Creative Fulfillment:     Architecture is one of the few careers where you can blend creativity and technical knowledge. Each project is a clean slate and a great space for innovation, whether you are dealing with a single-family home or a high-rise building.  Global Impact:     Architects leave a lasting mark and impression on the world with their designs, and they influence and provide security for people every day, all over the world. Y...

Fallingwater Case Study

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      Fallingwater was built by Frank Lyod Wright. This home, built in 1939, is considered a national historic landmark.  It is located near the Pittsburgh area and has become a popular destination for visitors. The building cost was $155,000, which equals $ 3 million in today's money. I chose to conduct a case study on this building because it is very famous, and even people unfamiliar with architecture may have seen a picture or recognized it. It has been said that Wright and Albert Enstin were friends, and he frequented this home while it was being built.        Wright believed that people should stay as close to nature as possible, which is why the building was constructed over a waterway rather than below it.  The home had to be built into the rock to ease the tension and weight on the bottom floor, due to the building's construction. The tower and chimney support each floor with steel horizontal and vertical beams. The foundations ...

Why Do Women Leave the Architecture Industry?

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      Why do women leave the field of architecture? Why is it that approximately 40 percent of women who are architectural graduates do not enter the profession? This is a question that needs answers. In this field, it has been a growing space for women, although it is still a male-dominated industry. Could that change if more women who study architecture actually stayed in the profession? Studies have shown that women leave the field before or in their thirties. This question has a lot more to do with the bigger picture in terms of gender, identity, and professional change. Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the profession, with a steady rise evident over the last several years. This is a perfect opportunity to expand the profession and begin retraining, reteaching, and revamping it as a whole. This transition and change might be what women need to have longevity in the profession and create a better work environment. A study was conducted ...

Sit Still

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We often get so caught up in being busy that we forget to take a moment to live in the present, uninterrupted and undistracted. This can be a challenge for those who are always on the go. As humans, we naturally seek the next achievement and strive for more, but when we allow ourselves to sit still, we begin to notice the small details that make life meaningful. These are aspects we may have overlooked in the past or taken for granted. In this exercise, I was instructed to sit for as long as I could without interruption and remain focused. Just leave me, my thoughts, and silence. This exercise is designed to slow down our brains and allow us to process what is happening around us without the distraction of our screens. This exercise would be most fulfilling when done sitting outside in nature.  I went outside on my porch, a spot I often frequent to do homework or even eat dinner on lovely summer days. Our house is situated right next to a pond, and you can usually hear all the ...

Course Objective

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     Use evidence, some of which may be derived from personal experience and field research, to demonstrate an awareness of a larger conversation and multiple viewpoints surrounding an issue. I w           I would interpret this objective as understanding how you can use personal experience to develop an idea or theory, along with using other evidence. Personal experience can be a great tool to use when conducting research. Informing the reader of your understanding of a topic can make the writing feel personal and connect the reader more to who you, the author, are as a person. This is a part of the class objectives, so we can understand and demonstrate how we, as writers, can implement our own understanding and form ideas, and how that can be used to change our writing. We also need to understand and know how to use evidence that we may find, develop, and write about different ideas.             When we use our...