Kelsey Howard 5216 Oak Lake Drive | Dallas, TX 75287 Phone: 214.577.5930 | E-Mail: khoward2@tulane.edu
[kmh]
P E R S O N A L
S T A T E M E N T
My personal style as an architect is still in the process of being molded and shaped. However, with every day and
every project that passes, my design choices are becoming more and more specific. Above all, the Tulane School of Architecture has taught me perseverance. The program has taught me how to communicate and support my design decisions and to design with purpose. Design is an interesting program because there is no one right answer. While that can be daunting and challenging, I have learned to embrace it and use it to explore multiple possibilities and answers to each problem. The program has instilled in me an unrelenting drive to succeed and never give up, even in the face of adversity. I had never put so many hours and effort into anything before architecture school. I feel that I am privileged to be in the program because I see the fruits of my tireless labor. Rather than turning in a paper or submitting a problem set, I get to see a finished model or a set of floor plans as my finished product. The program has been extremely rewarding for me and I feel lucky to be surrounded by such talented students and professors each day. These past eighteen months have been particularly meaningful for me. A year and a half ago, I was given the opportunity to study abroad for a semester in Rome. Following that, I was given another amazing opportunity to participate in Tulane’s URBANBuild Program, building a house designed by my peers in an attempt to revitalize a struggling neighborhood in New Orleans and reestablish a respect and passion for architecture in the community. Most recently, I participated in a design-build studio with the Tulane City Center. This allowed me to take my knowledge of construction from URBANbuild and combine that with new knowledge of furniture design and detailing. These eighteen months have given me the chance to broaden my horizons immensely, to explore all the architecture the world has to offer, to meet new people, and to discover new things about myself. This time has only reaffirmed that I am in the right place, doing what I should be doing. Studying abroad and working with my own two hands to build a house for my community and do a finishout for the city center have only made my passion for architecture grow. It has truly been a rewarding and enlightening period of time. As an emerging architect, I will enter the business world with all the tools I need to be successful, full of hope and ambition. I am hoping to start a meaningful, long-lasting relationship with a firm upon graduation. I hope to find work at a company that is happy to have me and that I can contribute to in some way. Above all, I hope to do meaningful work. Architects have the pleasure of being responsible for something that affects everyone on a daily basis. Though people might not take conscious note of the architecture around them each day, the fact remains that architecture truly is all around us; it’s unavoidable. I hope to be able to change the architecture around me in way that is relevant, meaningful, and everlasting.