L I A M M A R O S Y- W E I D E Eyes Through My Finger Tips “The working hand represents the true versatility of its actions as well as both its seamless unity with the intentioning mind and its cunning independence and capacity for autonomous thought” Juhani Pallasmaa
I have often been asked “why do I want to be an architect, how did I get here?” Architecture for me is a realm of creativity within which coexists sculpture, drawing, carpentry, construction, industrial design and anthropology. It is multifaceted and my arrival into architecture cannot be limited to one occurrence but rather a growing up into it. From a young age my hands were always in the dirt, stacking stones, sawing timber, moulding clay or packing sand, there were no rules or boundaries as the son of an artist, my creativity was always nurtured. Fortunately I was also exposed to a diverse range of architecture during our travels like the Empire state, The Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House, straw huts in Indonesia, mud cities in Morocco, stone castles in England, Saharan nomadic camps and Australian farm houses. They created in me an appreciation and curiosity for architectural forms and the manner in which they were made. This was compounded by my exposure to the building process as three of the houses I lived in underwent extensive transformations. I remember the architects and my parents asking my opinion “if this colour works here, or how far the deck should go” if only to humour me, the enjoyment I felt would come to define a dream of a creative professional life. In high school I loved sculpture and woodwork, however it wasn’t until I examined critically the tangible qualities of my ideas during my first semester at the University of Sydney, that I understood the significance of the mind to hand and vice versa. This became fundamental to my practice, leading me to the architectural rhetoric of Scandinavian and Japanese practice, which speaks of this relationship directly. Their sympathy to tradition when explored in the realms of contemporary design revitalises old materials and methods to create beautiful honed details resulting in an intimate experience for user and designer alike. Volunteering on a farm in Manger, Norway crystalised my interest in the use of traditional materials and techniques. Constructing a Lavvu from the forest has given me a healthy respect of the forms dictated by the materials available. This influenced me to do a six month exchange program with the Aarhus School of Architecture in 2012. It was here I discovered an educational system, which so profoundly reflected my philosophy of mind to hand and hand to mind. It was clear to me that this culturally, architecturally and socially diverse community nurtured the interplay of tradition and contemporary innovation to form a stimulating and globally relevant design style, which I believe is the future of architecture. I am currently working as a junior architect at Design 5 Architects, a medium sized firm based in Sydney, specialising in Heritage and conservation architecture. My roles include technical construction documentation and liaising with builders and project managers on site. This has given me an invaluable first hand experience in understanding and exploring traditional methods and materials through their conservation. The MA Architecture programme at Aarhus is a unique opportunity to participate at the forefront of architectural design in a world-class educational community. To push the boundaries and explore the possibilities of my own practice in an innovative environment. Studying at Aarhus will give me the privilege to engage with likeminded people whose appreciation for tradition and drive for the future will influence the evolution of our imagination to places not previously known. The Scandinavian lifestyle is defined by tradition and constant innovation; it is no surprise why I am drawn north and why internationally Danes are revered as to be at the forefront of Architectural design. Aarhus represents the style and vigor of architecture, which excites me, it is direct involvement, mind and hand are taught to operate as one entity, resulting in an intense and challenging programme, seeking to evolve the ideas and varying perspectives of its students. It is for this reason that the best place for my continued development as an architect and international craftsman is at the Aarhus School of Architecture. I feel the Aarhus Architectural community will benefit from the skills and understanding I have developed through my Australian studies whilst my potential Danish peers will be influenced by my excitement for exploration and creation. I see studying at Aarhus as an adventure into the next phase of my life. A place where I can embrace my studies, further diversify my understanding and practice and completely immerse myself in the Aarhus Architectural Community to make my own unique contribution.