Robert Antony Cresswell Personal Statement
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Education is a process that can never truly be completed. I believe that developing information held both creatively and informatively allows for a greater potential to succeed in the field in question. Formal academic education provides the backbone for the next tier of learning and understanding, aided by like-minded creatives maximising the possibilities of reaching full potential, whilst breaking boundaries and creative conforms in the process. Postgraduate Architecture is fundamental in aiding my progression within the field to become the architect and person I aspire to be. The final year of my undergraduate course saw the appointment of new tutors and head of course. A refreshing and inspiring programme followed this re-structure of the school that encouraged independent exploits in architecture through informed projects that grew by an intense process of examination, adaptation and refinement. The programme titled ‘Extra Ordinary’ addressed and explored re-use as a provocative act; allowing us to work within and around a site earmarked for regeneration in order to question conventional values about how our cities are remade. In depth exploration and research enabled me to use the underlying ethos of my design project to inform my dissertation, the title of which read, ‘Is the Role of Context within Architectural Design Outdated’. These ideas developed an understanding of context as a theory, allowing the expansion of my design and dissertation modules alike. Greater understanding of the theories surrounding my research allowed my passion for the course to flourish through the enjoyment of my project. Moving from the studio into practice provided further insight into new and innovative architectural approaches. Adapting to office environments while adopting the aforementioned approaches allowed me to showcase my skills obtained within a professional setting. Working in practice has seen me undertake projects in various areas of the industry, from small scale residential to large scale commercial projects in the public sector. Seeing this broad range of projects evolve from an idea through to practical completion has given me the technical ability to apply the theories and processes of design to real world scenarios in which client satisfaction, budget and resources are all under intense scrutiny. Throughout my academic and professional years within the architectural field I continue to pursue a passion for the arts in attending various exhibitions, galleries and shows. Recent events I have enjoyed and drawn inspiration from include; Sensing Spaces – Royal Academy of Arts, Constructing Worlds – The Barbican, Conflict Time Photography – Tate Modern and Savage Beauty - The V&A. Collectively, I believe these to be relevant in the progression of architectural education as they all share contextual similarities. Two exhibitions that I drew parallels from were Eduardo Souto de Moura and Álvaro Siza Vieira’s sensing spaces installation and Hélène Binet’s Constructing Worlds collection.
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Souto de Moura and Siza’s installation altered the perspective of the occupant in a way that allows the rich context of the space to be re-examined through careful repositioning and simple material translation. Binet’s collection of photographs examines Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum. The photographs were taken before the completion of the building and distort the implied contextual values that the completed building holds thus allowing the viewer to re-examine the fundamental characteristics of the building. Through drawing parallels between many forms of art, architecture and design I am able to initiate new lines of investigation which enrich my understanding and aid in the progression of my informal education. My academic, professional and personal achievements give me a solid foundation for the progression of my academic education. I believe within a challenging environment I will have the opportunity for elite development within the field. I aim to one day be able to examine and comment on the world of architecture and design through self-employment at the forefront of the field. I believe this will enable me to pursue my true passion within the field which, at present looks at the relationship between architecture and its future. Not only the future of buildings, but the ideologies of cities and countries and how this ties into the fundamental roots of contextual design.
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