Student Tips: Model making with Styrene

I used styrene to make a 1/4" scale model for the first time.

Pros:

• Very easy to use in terms of score it, fold it along the crease in the opposite direction and it snaps out. Compared to acrylic, this is super easy to cut. 
• Also gives you nice clean edges. 
• Also much easier to glue than acrylic. 
• Much cheaper than acrylic. I was able to purchase a 1/16" thick 4' x 6' (48" x 96") sheet for $ 30 tax included.

Cons:

• Can't laser cut, it melts. Scoring is possible and snaps off pretty easily after scoring 
• I still haven't mastered the art of gluing it neat. I have to use gloves when I use the plastic welden and I leave smudge marks that catches dust so that makes it pretty undesirable. 
• If you were sensitive like me, all the glues I've tried so far that work with styrene gives allergies.

Types of glue to use: Plastic Weldene, Locktite.


Tips:

• If you have access to a laser cutter, score all the line work.  Use a mask when laser scoring styrene. The burn fumes are pretty toxic.
• Make a jig (a contraption that helps you maintain consistency and control quality) 
• Use little glue
• Definitely wear a mask (a respirator recommended). Weather you use the toxic or the non-toxic glue types they all are very strong in smell and the vapor causes breathing trouble.
• Work in a well ventilated area. 

 Using a jig to make a floor plate using styrene - (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2012

Software

One of the things I love about SCI-Arc is the exposure to technology and software. For the past 5 weeks I've been here I've learned Maya, Rhino, 3Ds Max, Adobe Illustrator and Indesign. I've also been using AutoDesk and Photoshop as well.

Though I am still very new to Maya, I played around with it enough to be unafraid and I've been using it quite a bit in my design studio class. Maya, according to my Visual Studies instructor, was originally used for designing ships. It is widely used now for animation and modeling. If you spend enough time understanding the logic behind the commands, it is not that difficult to figure it out. It must be mentioned that Maya is very different from AutoCADD and Rhino. I am taking Visual Studies 1 class now and we are using Maya. I made below using Maya in my summer transfer digital design class.

Ducky by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2011

I've been introduced to Rhino and everyone uses it much more than I do and I plan to polish up my Rhino skills as well. Rhino works pretty much like AutoCAD and the commands are pretty similar. Can do accurate and precise drawings unlike Maya which is great for free forming and can do pretty accurate as well.

3Ds Max is a software that my current studio professor said he uses the most. He did a quick demo that really impressed us. It seems like a good balance between Maya and Rhino. I played around with a bit and I am still not using it for any classes but I plan on using it this semester for my studio classes as well.

I think its quite important to learn different software to be able to have the freedom to use different tools when we research and experiment various design ideas. I don't think we should stop making physical models but I think its very important to try it out in a software for accuracy and precision.

Student Tips: Paying for school and student loans

A few students who applied to SCI-Arc as transfer students, couldn't make it here even after they got accepted, because of finances. I thought of sharing some experiences that could help you organize yourself financially so you could receive a very good education.

I can't stress enough how important it is to apply to multiple schools. My friends I spoke of above were all ready to move to LA. They were looking for car movers and places to rent. Then something unexpected happened. Their student loans got rejected. If SCI-Arc was the only school they applied to, today they would be without a school. Thankfully they had applied to UF and got admitted there as well so it worked out for them.

The second thing I can't stress enough about is to have a strong application along with a very good letter of intent, an excellent portfolio and very good recommendation letters. This will increase your chances of winning a scholarship from the school. If you are eligible for academic scholarships or any scholarships for that matter, you should apply. You should aim for a scholarship that will cover most, if not all, of your tuition.

Next step would be to apply for federal aid - FAFSA. One of the most important steps in applying to college is filing your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You will need your tax information from the previous year to file the FAFSA. All details about filing for FAFSA can be found in their website here. If you want help filing your FAFSA usually the school financial aid office can help you with this. But trust me, you can fill it on your own online, just read the instructions carefully.

Then you should apply for financial aid with your school. Usually, all schools have a set of documents they would require you to fill for financial aid. These documents can be found at the financial aid office of the school and there will be staff who can help you with this. You should talk to them and don't be afraid to ask questions until you have absolute clarity. Remember, when in doubt, and that you will be, ask for them. Financial aid applications and the process can be confusing. Take time to do it. Don't miss the deadlines because money gets allocated pretty fast.

Between federal aid and financial aid with school, you should get a combination of grants, scholarships and loans. There are various grants like Pell Grant and grants from the school that you don't have to pay back. There are loans from the federal government such as the Stafford loans and PLUS loan. Based on if you are an independent student or a dependent student, you should get a combination of these options that should cover a good chunk of your tuition and other study expenses.

I fit in the category of an independent student because I file taxes on my own and I'm married. Your financial aid from the government and the school will vary greatly upon your dependent status.

Until I started at SCI-Arc, I didn't have any student loans. But, like any private school, SCI-Arc's high tuition required me to seek loans to pay the tuition. I'm taking all the Stafford loans they are offering me and I had to take out a private loan to pay the Summer tuition.

As far as I know, there are 3 types of federal student loans. The subsidized Stafford loan, the unsubsidized Stafford loan and the PLUS loan. Click here to read more about the Stafford loans & the PLUS loans.

Private loans are a bit tricky. Usually your school can provide you a list of approved or preferred lenders. This list will usually consist of a few banks and specialized student loan providers like Sallie Mae. I went with Sallie Mae because they know the drill about student loans, that's their specialty so they know the kind of problems you face and they know how to find solutions faster. They are pretty quick in processing the loans too.

The main thing to remember about student loans is that you have a good credit score and if you have a co-signer, that they have a good credit score and a good pay stub to show to the bank. I would check with the school before applying for the loan just to make sure that your chances of getting the loan approved is pretty good.

You have also remember, you may have to chase the bank and the financial aid office to see through that the loan money gets dispensed on time. So be on top of them.

As you can see, you have to be quite organized with the whole process. Do your research. Read on line, talk to people. Be careful not to apply for too much money in loans than you actually, absolutely need. You don't want to graduate and walk out with $ 150,000 in debt and not know how to pay it off. Loan Payment calculators such as this, can help you figure out how much money you will be repaying over how long.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions :)

SCI-Arc experience: The move & week 1

So I picked SCI-Arc to finish my degree. I moved to LA 19 days ago. A big change. Miami is a small place compared to LA. And moving was hectic. For about 3 weeks prior to the move was when I finally got all the info from SCI-Arc. Like I said in one of my previous posts, one of the things about SCI-Arc is that their decision making process is very slow and the wait is painfully long. But in the end it ended up being worth it. I got a very good scholarship and good financial aid. Everyone was very helpful in getting the documents processed.

To give you an idea of how I planned the move and everything, this is the time-line. (**Note: I started from week minus seven working up to week zero being the week I actually moved**)

Week -7:
Order packing kit. Think about drawing out an initial moving plan and do the math to see how much money I can spend on the move, etc. Start researching which areas in LA are good to living, read reviews, check prices, look for pet friendly places, etc. Craigslist.com & apartments.com was very helpful for this research.

Week -6:
Schedule appointments for house hunting. Start initial packing & pre-packing sorting process

Week -5:
Trip to LA for house hunting. I had short listed 16 places and actually visited 8 places. But I found a place I like the very 1st day and on the 4th day before I left I went back to this place and we put down the deposit, etc. Make sure to take checks with you for deposits.

Week-4: Looked for movers, car shipping company. Read reviews online. Check with Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complains, etc and address the issues.

Week -3: Decision from SCI-Arc, along with placement & scholarship information received. Time to pack, pack, pack

Week -2: Finalize the movers and sign contracts, etc. Pack, pack, pack!!!

Week -1: Finish packing. Ship the car & the household items

Week 0: Move

Week 1: First week in LA
Took time to adjust - the time change and all. But everything went well. Car movers were ok, household movers were splendid. (if you want references, email me)

Week2: SCI-Arc Summer transfer session started
So the first week at school has been great. I love the instructors we have. I was recommended to take only 1 class out of 4 classes by the application review committee. So my load has been pretty easy. I'm already learning Maya & Rhino. It's very exciting.

keep checking back for more updates... I promise to post more regularly...... :)

Student Tips: Picking the right school

After submitting all applications and fulfilling the application requirements, then came the time for waiting.... Finally when I've heard back from all the schools I had to make a decision. I'm sharing a few things about that process.

• Always apply to more than one college. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. I know a few people who applied to only one school and they got turned down/ rejected and then they have to wait a whole year to apply again.

• Even if you apply to just one school and get accepted, having a few options to choose from works better because you may get more scholarships or financial aid from different schools.

• You should visit the schools you are applying to. You have to see if you like the place. Also speak to an academic adviser to see if there are any classes you can or should take before you transfer into the upper division school.

• Get your parents and family involved in making the decision.
  

• Needless to say, financial aid & scholarship money play a big role in the decision.

• You should research the living expenses in the city your school is at. Consider rent, food expenses, distance to school that affects the gas money, etc.
  

• Placement: most private schools evaluate to see which studio class they are going to place you in. You should make a case to them that you don't want to repeat a class you've taken already. This will save you time and money.
  

• Before you make definitive plans, check to see if your scholarships and financial aid from school/ federal government fills the tuition, fees, books & materials, room & board & other expenses. If it doesn't, then you may have to get private loans. Check to see if you qualify for a loan and if you would get approved.
  

• Research the city you are moving to. It should be safe and you should like living there. Being in a new city, without family and friends, starting at 3rd yr can be really tough. So you have to be mentally prepared to handle all of these.
  

Last 3 yrs of the Bachelors of Architecture program can be very challenging. So make the decision carefully. After all, you are chasing your dream and you should be able to enjoy the ride...

College Review: A student perspective - University of Miami

University of Miami (UM)

**Please note this review is mainly from a transfer student's perspective.

Location: Coral Gables, Miami

Degrees offered: B. Arch & M. Arch

# of Faculty: 75 full-time and part-time faculty and 7 associated faculty, collaborative associations among faculty and students are the norm. Of the 33 full-time faculty, 72% are involved in professional practice, 75% have terminal degrees in the discipline and the remaining 25% have terminal degrees in related fields, including fine art, art history or planning.

# of Students: nearly 400 students

Class size: small class sizes - around 10 students per studio

Cost: undergrad 2010/2011 Academic year

• Tuition - $ 38440 / yr
  
• Fees - $ 1214 / yr
  
• Books & Material - $ 4000 a semester ( from my experience this is actually like $ 6000 a yr but could be more)

Click here for all price details

Financial Aid & Scholarships: Available. Click here

Application Requirements: Application to UM (Common Application), Application to School of Architecture, Application fee, 3 academic recommendation letters, Letter of intent, resume, Portfolio, Letter from the dean of student services, transcripts. Click here for detailed description of transfer applicant requirements

Deadlines: Undergrad transfer Click here , Undergrad freshman click here.

Pros: Small class sizes, professional degree, aimed at professional practicing. Very convenient and beautiful location, the real college experience, experienced professional faculty

Cons: I loved the school setting so I am going to be bias. The biggest drawback would be the high cost.

Notes: Set in beautiful Coral Gables, a wonderful and a convenient location, UM is a school that offers small class sizes and probably the best Architecture undergraduate experience in Miami. A good place to study if you are planning to become a practitioner. Make sure to meet the dean of student affairs and find out what classes they will accept and what classes you can take before you transfer there. Their staff is very, very helpful.

College Review: A student perspective - SCI-Arc

I'm in California right now with a group from my school. We visited SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture) yesterday. After the visit, I got an idea to review a bunch of schools I've visited. So let me start with SciARC

SCI-Arc

Location: Downtown Los Angeles, California
Degrees offered: B. Arch & M. Arch
# of Faculty: 85
# of Students: 500 (50% B. Arch 50% M. Arch)
Class size: 15 - 18 students undergrad
Cost: undergrad 2010/2011 Academic year

• Tuition - $ 15,125 per semester ($ 3o,250 / yr)
• Fees - $ 200 ($ 400 / yr)
• Books & Material - $ 4000 a semester ( from my experience this is actually like $ 6000 a yr but could be more)

Click here for all price details

Financial Aid & Scholarships: Available
Application Requirements: Application, Application fee, 3 recommendation letters, Letter of intent, resume, Portfolio, transcripts
Deadlines: Click here

Pros: Small & close knit architecture community, latest technology - equipment and software, lots of visiting lectures, All the professors are practitioners so you can land on internships and actual projects easily. Did I mention latest technology? You can bring your pets to school. They bring in the big guns to do the final thesis reviews like Thom Mayne.

Cons: Hmm... this is a tough one because I loved it there. But not everyone may like the warehouse-look of the building. It's a quarter mile long old warehouse building, nothing fancy on the outside. I would say looks definitely are deceiving - its like a nerd's dream school :) One more thing is that it's located in the warehouse district so not your fancy-neighborhood school. But most architecture students care less about stuff like these - I didn't find this a reason why I wouldn't go there. It's a private university. So it is a bit expensive. This is a bit of a draw back considering the high cost of living in LA. But it would be an investment in your future.

Notes: Like I said, I loved it. Los Angeles is full of architecture and SCI-Arc is definitely the place to be. I was there at SCI-Arc when the finals were going on, so it was intense. You can feel the intellectual intensity in the air. They have a bunch of installations inside the school and in the parking lot - made by students with faculty's help. They have a gallery with exhibits. They have their own library, supply store, print shop, workshop with industrial grade wood and metal tools, many 3D printers, etc. (Read more about the full list of resources here). They are bringing in 6 or 7 robotic arms that will be installed in May 2011. So latest technology ! You get to work with software like Rhino, Maya, 3D Max, Grasshopper and more. Very computer intensive environment. Students work hard - almost every single one I met and I like that about SCI-Arc. If you are serious about architecture, you want an experimental design experience, and a non conventional educational institute then you should check them out.

Student Tips - How to write a letter of intent

Blogger has a very useful tool that shows me what keywords people are searching for and other useful statistics. So I saw someone searched how to write a letter of intent and I thought what a great idea, let me write about that !!

Writing doesn't come naturally to me but I am somewhat articulate in my verbal communication. So I'm using that strong trait and I'm writing as if I'm speaking. Writing this blog definitely helped me get comfortable with the whole idea of writing. I sometimes have my husband or my friends read over and give me feedback so I'm becoming more and more confident on my style. I suggest everyone take up at least writing a journal so you get used to expressing yourself well.

Getting back to the point, a letter of intent (or a statement of purpose) is something most schools require you to do as a part of the application documentation. They want to hear what you have to say, why are you studying what you are studying, what makes you unique and what should they take you.

When SciARC visited our school in February, they said don't be afraid to show who you really are; it's better to go on the bragging side. Show why and how you are unique. One of the most common "cheesy" reasons student give as what got them into architecture was playing with Lego as a kid and SciARC said, stay away from that.

I had trouble writing down all the accomplishments without sounding like bragging. I like to be modest and that totally felt wrong. So one day I got an inspiration to write it from the third person's perspective - meaning referring to myself as she and her. In the end, I produced a pretty cool letter of intent. Some people felt it was a bit flamboyant - some loved it. Most importantly, I found a way to express everything i wanted to say and who I am in a single piece of paper and I love how it came out.

The thing about writing is, from the little bit I know, you have to find your own voice. I guess this is true about many things. We, as architecture students, constantly look to find our own unique style. Creativity has a lot to do with the unique language / voice / style.

Take time to write the letter of intent. Don't try to wing it or come out with it in 2 hours. Some people naturally have this ability - but I think most architects do not. So ponder on what you want to say (you can't tell your entire life story in it) and how you want to say it.

Here's a link on some general tips: http://www.ehow.com/about_5068239_letter-intent-college.html

Good luck..!!!

Student tips - College applications & Design Portfolio

I spoke about selecting the right college in a previous post. Find out which schools are the best architecture schools in the USA in 2011 here.

The next step I went through was to apply for colleges. Some things to bare in mind:

1) Submitting the application well ahead without waiting till the last minute. Some schools require an essay. Make sure you have someone else proof read it and revise before submitting.

2) Ask for recommendation letters wayyyy ahead. I would say, at least 2 - 3 months before the deadline. When asking for a recommendation letter:

• first politely mention to the professor that you are thinking about asking for a recommendation letter from him / her and if they can write one? Most of the time, almost of them will say yes.
  
• Then make sure to print out the recommendation letter format from the school, fill in your information
• Make sure to waive your rights to access the letter of recommendation. This will give the professor more confidence in saying the truthful academic and other assessments about you. Also this shows you trust them.
• Give the signed & filled format, along with an addressed envelope (or a label) and a stamp to the professor you are requesting the letter of recommendation.
• These should be with the professor at least 1 - 1.5 months ahead of the deadline.
  

3) Submit transcript requests at least 3 weeks before the deadline. Some schools do overnight electronic transcript transmission but some schools only do it the old fashioned way.

4) Make a nice resume. Sometimes you can submit it with the application. If not, submit it along with your supporting documents.

5) Most important part of an Architecture student's application is the portfolio. Portfolio requirements from school to school differs. However, there are certain guidelines one should follow. Here are some the general guidelines + some tips to create an excellent portfolio.

• Take a portfolio making / presentations class if you must. Polish up your graphic design skills much ahead of time.
• Start working on the portfolio months ahead
• Document your work - take photographs of your models, scan your drawings. make a database of your work. From experience I found out, no matter how many photos you think you may have, you will find yourself wishing for that specific shot from a specific angle. So take many, many photos from different angles, different light settings, different distances. Keep your models as safe as possible at least until you have a great portfolio. Take high resolution photos.
• When scanning drawings, make sure to scan them at a 300dpi or higher resolution.
  
• Make it personal. Add a lot of your personal work. Add sketches and anything that will make you stand out - in a positive way - among the other applicants.
• Show process of how you arrived at a final design. The best way to do this is to show progression using a combination of sketches, drawings, process models, graphics, etc.
  
• One of the comments I got when a professor from SciARC reviewed my portfolio is that they want to see details. So put photos of different scales of your models, photos that show details.
  
• Most schools don't want you to spend a lot of time/money on fancy covers and packaging. Keep it simple, professional and original.
• Have a strong letter of intent or a statement of purpose. One of my professors always say that we architects are no great readers or writers. So always have someone else proof read.
  
• Depending on your choice, you could also include your resume in the portfolio.
  
• Personal work - you can add photography, travel, artwork, poetry and anything that shows that you have additional skills you bring in to help succeed in your career.
• Some schools give a limit of how many pages they want you to submit in your portfolio. When they don't, its ok to call them up or better yet go and visit the school and ask how many pages they think is OK to have in the portfolio. Most schools will say, bring everything you have and more the merrier. So include all your work - as much as possible.
• Make sure you leave enough time to get it from the printer and have it checked. You will see small details that need to be adjusted. Show the portfolio to your design and or presentations professor before printing. Show the portfolio to at least 3 professors / professionals before turning the final version into the school. The portfolio - most of the time - decided if you get into the school and if you get any scholarship money. Put your best effort into it.
  

6) Supplemental documents - Some schools require extra paperwork other than the above list. For example, University of Miami won't even open the file until they have received the form from the dean of student services. Make sure to check with the schools you are applying to. Ask them for a checklist.

7) Financial Aid - again, different schools have different requirements but all schools will require you to fill the FAFSA. Ask your schools for their FAFSA Codes, take your Tax documents and file the FAFSA as soon as possible.

8) Scholarships - Most schools have some scholarship opportunities for both 1st year (Freshman) students and transfer students. Be sure to check with the respective financial aid offices / scholarship offices in the schools you are applying to. Put your name down for scholarships. Don't be shy to ask for the money that is available out there. Every year so much money in scholarships go unused.

I'm still in the process of applying to schools myself. So I will keep you posted about the many exciting opportunities and challenges up ahead.

Education in Architecture

It is that time of the year when lower division architecture students start applying to upper division schools for transferring out.

Finding the correct school can be challenging and time consuming, also many factors should be considered while doing so.

Some schools such as the one I am in right now, has 2 year lower division programs. They offer an Associate in arts or architecture degrees. Then there are 5 year schools. They have both lower and upper division programs. They typically offer B. Arch degrees that are accredited by the NAAB (To find an accredited program click here) . Then there are 4 yr architecture schools that offer Bachelors in Science or Arts of technology degrees. These are not accredited meaning you will not be able to get your Architecture license registration with this degree but with an accredited Masters degree for additional 2 years you will be able to solve this problem. If you are in a 2 yr degree program like me, then you have to search for an upper division school to complete the rest of your education.

The most important factor as I see it, when trying to decide which school I want to go to, is to find out what is it that I want to do with my career - what are my professional goals, where do I plan to end up in 15 yrs?

In my case I want to pursue a career in design research. I do want to be a practicing architect but I also want to be an educator and I think I will be able to continue my research work at an academic background better. One thing about knowing what to do is accepting the fact that what you think what needs to be done changes over time. My idea of what I must do with my life has evolved, but I the basic idea still remains since I was 16. So I am open to the idea that this idea of what I want to do with my career will evolve and transform as I go along.

Once you have the answer to this question, it would be wise to look at programs that suits your career goals - a program that is likely to support you achieving your goals. Of course, the majority of the responsibility is in the student's hands. It is up to the student to work hard and take themselves there. Even though the school you attend may play only a small role in your career, things such as the direction of the program and the focus of the program could be important in giving you the exposure you need to get to where you want. For example, if the school you pick has a program that focuses on historical architecture and you want to study experimental design research, that school may not be the right fit for your career choice. So do a bit of research, look at student work and see if you would like what the school does.

Then I would consider the other factors such as location, tuition fees and scholarship opportunities. Some cities are a lot more expensive than the others. Some colleges offer full scholarships to deserving students. In state colleges are cheaper than the out of state colleges in some occasions. Some private universities have scholarship opportunities that is not known much.

Often architecture is perceived as just designing a beautiful building. This has been my experience with my friends and family who cannot be blamed for thinking as such because even most people who go into studying Architecture start out this way. I must confess, even though I knew to a certain degree my architecture education will involve addressing issues like structural stability and addressing various issues in the environment, until I started taking design studios I didn't know how much critical thinking, design intellect, how much communication skills, how much patience and maturity will be required of me to become an architect. I now know the profession requires me to be a scientist, a philosopher, a designer, a critic, a team worker, show leadership, be innovative. I am glad I picked this profession. But there is a long way to go for me to become an Architect. The next step is for me to find that right school.

Student Tips: Working with chemicals (Glues & Paints) for model making

There are various types of glues and paints out there in the market. You will have to use these and other materials that have chemicals in them at one point or another during your architecture student career.

During my first studio class, I noticed I started developing bad reactions to glues such as Loctite, Zap-a-gap, EZ bond, Super Glue, Crazy Glue, Weldon, etc. I tried the liquid glues, the gel types and I tried wearing a mask & goggles but I was showing signs of allergies to these chemicals. I think the chemical that I react badly towards mostly is Cyanoacrylate. Over the past 3 semesters it has gotten worse and now I can't even go near an open container of glue for a few seconds. I also realized, the hard way, that my body reacts the same way for certain types of spray paint and last time I ended up at the doctor's office having to take an adrenaline shot and Asthma medication.

If you are like me and can't use these materials anymore, don't give up Architecture just yet. I would like to share some work-around methods I've figured out that might help you as well.

• Use natural rubber based glues with wood and paper: there are so many brands out there in the market such as Tacky Glue, Sobo, Elmer's, etc. They work well with wooden elements and paper material such as museum board, chip board, etc. They do take slightly longer to dry than gel based chemical glues (maybe 1 - 2 minutes max). But it does the trick.

• Cut grooves & make joints: When using even small wooden elements, you can cut small grooves or make small joints so it gives extra strength to the bonds you make with the rubber glue. Some of the types of joints I do are: Butt Joints, Lap Joints
  

• Plexi glass: Plexi glass is hard to use. Cutting it is difficult, scoring it is difficult, handling it is difficult. The last thing you want is restriction with the types of glues you can work with. This is the biggest challenge I am facing right now with not being able to use chemical bonding glues. I have come up with 2 solutions for this. I use linear elements to secure the plexi glass. One of the methods is to drill small holes at the corners or identified places and use wooden linear element running through the plexi that will be glued to the main structure. The other method is to frame the plexi with linear elements. I am also going to try a new glue I found that doesn't have that chemical, I will use it later tonight or tomorrow for the first time and I will keep you posted about that.
  

• Use a painter's mask, goggles and gloves: Don't use a surgical mask, take my word for it, it doesn't stop giving you the allergies. You can buy a painter's mask at any Home Depot or similar store.

Good luck and I will share with you if I have any new info about these....

Student Tips - Understanding Architectural Principles

Understanding fundamental principles in architecture helped me when I started my design classes. It helped me work on a concept and design based on the concept that I selected.

Some of the important elements I got started with and still working on today are:

• Symmetry
• Axis
• Proportion
• Modular
• Scale
• Golden Section
• Hierarchy
  
• Limits, Boundaries & Edges
• Path
  
• Transition
• Transformation
• Order & Organization
• Epicenter

One of the best books that I referenced to understand these concepts were Francis DK Ching's Architecture: Form, Space & Order. If you are an architecture student, I would highly recommend for your personal library.

On the internet you can find many valuable resources too. I found this article on Vitruvius's Fundamentals of Architecture.

My design professor keeps urging how important it is to work on a concept and design based on that. Also that we should able to present and justify why we decided to design a certain element in a specific way and why it is in alignment with our concept.

Student Tips - Architectural Drawing

Most schools, if not all, will start their students with manual architectural drawings before moving on to computer based applications.

According to many experienced architects, free hand sketching is vital at any stage of an architects career. Since I have been drawing since I was in my teens, I found it quite enjoyable to start sketching again and I know most students in my classes carry multiple sketchbooks with them and sketch whenever they can. This is a good habit to get into early on....

Another thing that our professors have us practice is to make various drawings of constructs (Models) we make and make analytical drawings. These exercises were not quite enjoyable in the beginning but I have come to appreciate the analytical drawings a lot.

There are various types of architectural drawings. I found this article in Wikipedia that describe each type in detail. The main type of drawings one will do at the very beginning stage of their architectural career as a student are these:

Image from Wikipedia Gallery

One of the other most important type of drawing a student must try to understand and excel at are perspective drawings. Perspective drawings interpret apparent dimensions into a flat surface using a mathematical system.

There are a few types of perspective drawings:

• Single-Point Perspective - Lines extending from all objects in the drawing converge back to one single vanishing point in the horizon.

Single point Perspective drawing - (c) utdallas.edu gallery

• Two-Point Perspective - There are 2 vanishing points at the horizon. Lines originating at these 2 points define the depth and spaces in the drawing.

Two-point Perspective drawing - from utdallas.edu gallery

• There are also multipoint perspectives such as 3 point perspectives. I have not done any drawings with 3 point perspectives yet.

There are a bunch of videos in YouTube on how to draw perspectives. I like this one a lot...

Study Abroad Trip: Part 3 - Greece: Athens & Rhodes

Day 7: Athens, Greece

We weren't certain if we would actually get to visit Athens. It was only the day before our scheduled arrival, Greece had massive strikes and violence in Athens due to the failing economy. The port workers were also on strike so even if the cruise line said everything would be resolved by the time we were scheduled to arrive there, I was still skeptical. But thankfully, I was wrong and the strike ended at 6am and we birth the port at 9am.

Athens is a very interesting city. One of the oldest cities in the world, due to population growth and urbanization, the city has been pushed to its limits. For a European city its quite dirty but, then again it is one of the oldest mega cities in the world.

But it is still worth visiting Athens because there are only handful of places that can beat that experience.

The Acropolis: Athens, Greece - Images (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

Athens is one of those places everyone should try to visit at least once in their lifetime.

Panoramic Athens - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

The other highlight of Athens was visiting the New Acropolis Museum. Photographs of inside of the museum were not allowed so I don't have any images to share with you. But this amazing structure by Bernard Tschumi is one of the most elegant, thought provoking architectural masterpieces I have visited this life.

It is pretty cool how the structure is build on an actual architectural dig, without destroying or blocking the site. You can still see the excavations happening below the museum. And through the glass floors of each floor, as you browse through the exhibits, you can observe the excavation from different angles.

The New Acropolis Museum - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

The Entrance to the New Acropolis Museum - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

The archeological dig underneath the New Acropolis Museum - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

The New Acropolis Museum - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

Day 8: Rhodes, Greece

This charming Greek Island played an important role in the ancient Greece. Rhodes, famous for Colossus of Rhodes has two main things one must explore. The old city, which is the city built in the ancient Greek days with the acropolis of Rhodes and the new city or the medieval city built by the Knights Templar.

The old city / The Acropolis of Rhodes - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

The Medieval City, Rhodes, Greece - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

Both days, I wish I had more time to see and to explore the cities and enjoy the beauty and the craftsmanship of these ancient creations.

Study Abroad trip : Part 2 - Naples: Pompeii & Mt. Vesuvius

Day 5:

After a day of relaxing on the ship, we arrived at Naples. Our first destination was Mt. Vesuvius. After quite a drive, we arrived at the vicinity of the mountain. Our tour guide provided by the Cruise liner, a native to the region informed us about the local culture, history of Mt. Vesuvius and about the current political, economical and environmental status of the region.

Mt. Vesuvius probably is one of the most famous volcanoes of our history, everyone knows about the massive eruption that buried Pompeii in 79 AD. It was not difficult to notice how the local flora & fauna changed as we approached the volcano.

Travel tip: An advantage of going on the cruise was that the entrance fee to the places we were going were already included (except for in Egypt) and we didn't have to wait in line to get the tickets

Climbing a volcano has been in my bucket list for the longest time and I was more than pleased I got to do it. It was one of the biggest highlights of my trip. It certainly did help that I was working out prior to the trip because climbing a volcano was no easy task. The first 5 minutes into the hike uphill, I nearly gave up. I was tired and my legs nearly gave up. Then I realized, the body takes a bit time to adjust to the high altitude, plus, here I am in front of a volcano and I have been wanting to do this for a long time, so buckle up Manori. I also realized, this is about as close I could get to intense and pure geo-energy so absorb all I can. All my buddies had already passed me but I stopped. I took a few deep breaths and started absorbing the energy through my feet. In less than 5 minutes I was feeling very energized, I felt like I was energizer bunny :). So I started climbing the mountain again, this time at a steady pace - not too fast and not too slow.

Climbing up Mt Vesuvius, Italy - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

When we started climbing, it was quite warm. But when we were close to the summit, it cooled down rapidly. You could see the surrounding towns in the horizon and fast approaching clouds seem lower than where we were. It was breath taking.

A view from Mt Vesuvius, Italy - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

We reached the summit and it was the coolest thing ever! The crater was deep but the very bottom of it could be seen from the fenced mouth of the crater. Around the rim, there was steamy smoke coming out in some places. There weren't any vegetation growth inside of the crater. You can walk almost all around the crater and enjoy the view from many angles.

The crate & smoky rim - Mt Vesuvius, Italy - Images (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

At the very top, you can find a small souvenir shop. I bought a small sculpture of a ladybird or a lady bug as Americans call it, carved out of volcanic rock to remember being there - not that I would forget the experience anytime soon.

Me at the Souvenir shop, altitude 1167 mtrs - Mt Vesuvius, Italy - Image (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

While we were enjoying the summit, the clouds rolled in covering the entire area in a foggy blanket. We could hardly see 50 ft ahead of us. It got chilly and We had to soon start our descend.

Travel tip: Don't spend a lot at the souvenir shop on top of Mt. Vesuvius. You can buy the same stuff for much cheaper in Pompeii.
We made our way back to the guided tour bus and started heading towards Pompeii. Our tour guide, the sweetest lady ever, first took us to a small tourist shopping area. In these shops, we found many wonderful things. I have a habit of buying souvenir magnets from places I go to and put them on our fridge. I learnt it from my sister-in-law. Among the many wonderful stuff we came across were the many curious sculptures of erected male genitalia. Inquiring after this (because it was extremely funny) we found there was a famous temple of fertility in ancient Pompeii.

Travel tip: Bargain with the shop owners. They usually tell a very high price if they know you are American. Have lots of change so you can give exact change amount for the price you bargained.
At the entrance to the ancient city of Pompeii, we were all given our entrance tickets and a map by our tour guide. One thing you will notice as you enter this place is the number of stray dogs roaming about. According to our guide, the legend says that these dogs were souls of those who were victims of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Highlights of Pompeii:
There is the school of gladiators, Gladiators houses, the paved roads, The amphitheater, Ancient "restaurants", Water fountains, the brothel, the houses the temples & the museum with the petrified people. Remarkable amount of structures are in extremely good condition, preserved as they were buried under layers of volcanic ash, pumice and lava. (Difference between lava & magma read this article) The city was completely destroyed in 79 AD, forgotten for around 1600 years and rediscovered during late 16th century.

Ancient Pompeii, Italy - Images (c) Manori Sumanasinghe 2010

The architecture is amazing, the site is beautiful. Some of the paintings and tile work are still well preserved. Pompeii is a place that is worth visiting at least once in a life time....

Study Abroad trip : Part 1 - Rome

Day 1:

We arrived in Rome on the 15th of May. It was around 10 am and it was rainy and cold, the latter was quite unusual for May in Rome I hear. Tired from a long journey across the Atlantic, 18 of us huddled into the bus that was provided by Royal Caribbean. A friendly guide greeted us and informed us about the agenda and we made our way to the hotel where we stayed for the next 3 nights.

Then we made our first mistake. Instead of resting and grabbing bite, anxious to see the city, we set off to the train station soon after we checked into the hotel. Later we realized we should have just rested that day so that all of us could have enjoyed Rome in a more calm and relaxed manner.

Travel tip # 1: No matter how anxious you are to see the city, have a proper meal, take a shower and at least a short nap before you venture out into the city so that you won't be tired for days to follow. Jet lag won't go away just because you want it to...!!

Travel tip # 2: Buy a Roma pass. This is good for 3 days unlimited travel in the Rome Metro AND you get entrance to 2 or 3 monuments for free. We went to the Colosseum and the Forum with the free pass.

In the rain, we took the train and then walked to the Vatican - St. Peters' square. It was packed, there were long lines and it was cold. Realizing we should visit the Vatican on a sunny day, and arrive there early in the morning, we took off by foot to see the Pantheon.

Rainy day at the St. Peter's square, Vatican - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Travel Tip # 3: It maybe the summer but make sure to take at least one thick sweeter and buy yourself a nice umbrella if it looks like it is going to rain. And take a pair of comfortable, water-proof shoes. You are going to walking a lot and you don't want to be cold.

On our way to the Pantheon, we stopped at Piazza Navona briefly. Made a mental note that we should visit here again, should time permit, to see the full glory on a sunnier day.

Fountain at Piazza Navona - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Then we headed on to the mighty Pantheon. Just as magnificent as we all have heard, it is an amazing, huge structure. Large columns, and thick walls towering above all the other structures near by, it was truly an amazing site. I had first heard about the Pantheon in history lessons years ago, it instantly went in to my bucket list and I was so glad I was standing right there, on this rainy-gloomy-cold-day, looking at this amazing building constructed over 2000 years ago. We couldn't go in just yet because of the mass that was taking place inside.

The Pantheon was initially built as a temple for all gods by Marcus Agrippa and then was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian during 126 AD. In the early 7th century, it was gifted to the pope who converted it to a Catholic Church as you will witness it today.

The Pantheon - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Our instructor, Prof. Mario Ortega from Miami-Dade college who organized this study abroad trip, noted how on a sunny day one could see the 20ft Oculus at the center of the dome-shaped roof lights up the entire interior of the Pantheon and how we should probably come by here again when the weather conditions have improved.

Then we made our way to the Trevi fountain. Again, like many sculptures and art pieces you find in Rome, this took my breath away. Much larger than I had pictured and more beautiful and detail oriented than I could have ever imagined, the Trevi fountain is a true work of art that I didn't want to leave there.

The Trevi Fountain - Images by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Day 2

We started the day by visiting the famous Colosseum. If you use the Roma pass, you don't have to wait in a long line for hours to get in. No words can explain how amazing it is to be inside there. To realize you are standing on a structure that was built over 2,000 years ago and to imagine how it was built without the aid of modern technology we take for grated ,can make the hair stand at the back of your neck. I don't approve of how they used the place for brutal means of entertainment but it is an amazing theater.

Romans are known for their Arches. Here at the Colosseum, you can see arches are used to add aesthetic beauty and structural stability.

Massive Arches at the Colosseum - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

The baring walls are wide closer to the foundation of the Colosseum, you will feel how minuscule a person is, comparatively.

Wide Baring Walls of the Colosseum - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

There is a permanent exhibit at the Colosseum and that is not to be missed as well.

The Gladiator Exhibit, The Colosseum - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

40,000 - 50,000 spectators were said to have filled the Colosseum during operational times in the Roman Empire.

Panoramic interior of the Colosseum - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

The Colosseum - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Then we headed towards the Roman Forum.

The Roman forum, during the golden days of the Roman empire, housed the senate and the most important civic buildings. At this site, there are ruins of hundreds of ancient buildings. This is, by far, my favorite place in Rome. I was enchanted with the Forum. A strong sense of "this is where democracy, as we know it, shaped" took over me. There is a feeling of a deep connection that I still can't shake off - a month after I have been there. I am still, truly amazed.

The Roman Forum - Images by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

On our way back, we stopped by at the Vittorio Emanuel memorial and as I got the opportunity to visit there again later in the trip, i will write about that later.

Day 3

We took of early in the morning to the Vatican. It was a bright sunny day with mild temperatures and it was perfect. The line to enter the Vatican is long but it moves fast and entrance is free. However, you can only go inside the St. Peter's Basilica and you have to wait on another line to enter the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel. Entrance to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum is not free and the lines to enter is miles long.

Travel tip # 4: For about 5 - 10 Euros more (around 35 Euros total) , you can join a guided tour and you get priority entrance to all 3 places. You can stay with the tour guide if you prefer but from our experience, they talk a lot and don't spend enough time looking at the art and architecture. So we took off on our own sometime into the tour once inside the museum.

St. Peter's Square & a scaled model of the Vatican - Images by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Do stop and take time to see the art and architecture. Some of the world's best art pieces were acquired (not always very ethically) by the Vatican and are preserved there. The architecture of the building itself should not be ignored.

Some of the Art & Architecture at the Vatican Museum - Images by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

There is so much art & architecture at this museum than I could have possibly documented and than I could post here. But do not miss the opportunity if you ever go there, take time and walk through, just allow yourself to be surrounded by some of the best artworks on earth.

The museum lead us to the Sistine Chapel. Inside the Sistine Chapel, photography is not allowed. The ceilings pf the Sistine are covered with Michaelangelo's famous frescos. You can also find Rafael's, Bernini's & Botticelli's frescos as well.

From there we proceeded to the Papal Catacombs. If you were expecting to see something similar to the catacombs of Paris, behold ! You are in for a surprise. It is more like a fancy underground burial chamber than a normal catacomb. Again, pictures are not allowed so I don't have any pictures to share with you but if you are in the Vatican, please do take time to visit there.

From here we made our way to the St. Peter's Basilica. One thing NOT TO MISS here is the "Pieta". That was a major check in my bucket list, I have been dreaming of seeing Michaelangelo's Pieta & David ever since my first Art history lesson way back in early 90's. I have yet to see David but I sure plan to one day.

Michaelangelo's Pieta, St. Peter's Basilica - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

The Basilica is full of art & sculpture. I have to apologize to my readers but I will not post many images from there simply because there are so many and it is difficult to pick.

St. Peter's Basilica - Images by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

From the Vatican, we headed back to the Pantheon to see the bright sunlight coming through the Oculus and light up the interior. Any picture cannot justify how it looks and feels inside the Pantheon. Truly breathtaking.

Inside the Pantheon - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

From there we headed the Spanish Steps, one last stop before heading back to the hotel.

The Spanish Steps - Image by Manori Sumanasinghe (c) 2010

Day 4

The day that we embarked on the Cruise... !!

Await more posts with our journeys in the Mediterranean....