Statement

Statement

I want to study architecture at the MSA due to Manchester becoming a key city within the British Isles with important companies moving there, such as the BBC. Therefore I know that the opportunities for work will be on the rise. MSA also offers me one of the largest Schools of Architecture in the UK as the result of collaboration between the University of Manchester and the Manchester Metropolitan University. This appeals to me, as it will give me a wider range of knowledge and viewpoints than other Universities. Manchester also has an important place in the history of urban development and industrialisation and will continue to be a fascinating site for my investigation into the studies of architecture. Manchester also offers me a link to my Fathers side of the family meaning support and hearty meals shouldn’t be far away!

I constantly attend art exhibitions, usually on Cork Street, London. However on my Birthday I went to see the ‘View from the Shard’. I appreciated the sheer size and quality of the build and how it has become an iconic British building. However I worry that the structure has become more of a tourist attraction, leading me to see it more of an amusement park than a place of innovative design. I would prefer to think of this structure as a catalyst for further development throughout our country. Others would say that this place encourages play whereas I believe it constricts the imagination.

I don’t have a particular favourite architect or building however I appreciate Sir James Stirling. Stirling’s vision of combining tradition with innovation was the stimulus for the regeneration of British architecture. Stirling’s aim was to wake us all up out of our slumber and get blood flowing through British design. He pushed people to invest in brave contemporary design during a time when Britain was conservative with its taste and in a time of deep recession. Therefore I believe without Stirling architecture wouldn’t be what it is today.

A work of architecture I’d like to experience in person is Sara Shafiei’s  ‘Theatre for Magicians’. Sara won awards such as the 3DREID prize for best final year diploma project for this piece. This design involves new architectural innovations in order to produce a contemporary style though layers, patterns and textures. Sara was inspired by the extravagance of baroque decoration leaving detailed patterns on the outer shells of the building allowing light to riddle through. I know that this building is unlikely to be built however this piece particularly entices me due to an absolute structure covering a subjective show, leaving the building to capture all options of what is reality.