Late at night that day, I finally finished all my grad school applications and stepped out of the Architecture building. The world had transformed. A thick blanket of snow covered everything. The steps of Frist were no longer visible at all.
21 January, 2010
The Last Day of 2009
It was the last day of 2009 that I would spend in Princeton. School had ended and most people had left. And then it snowed a lot.
Late at night that day, I finally finished all my grad school applications and stepped out of the Architecture building. The world had transformed. A thick blanket of snow covered everything. The steps of Frist were no longer visible at all.
Late at night that day, I finally finished all my grad school applications and stepped out of the Architecture building. The world had transformed. A thick blanket of snow covered everything. The steps of Frist were no longer visible at all.
20 January, 2010
The Process
Somewhere along the way, all other things—grades, deadlines, food, sleep—cease to matter. You live inside the project. Dimensions, circulation, lighting, composition, materiality—these things run through your head as you walk down McCosh walk. Even several days after my final review, I woke up in Paris from a dream in which I was putting the finishing touches to my senior studio project. Here, I am putting up only the process images of the model. It is completely out of context, but here's what happened:
The day before final review, after having worked on this for many hours, I had to leave for lunch. Previously I had been working on the computer model as well, saving it constantly. Before heading out, I actually tried to find the "Save" option on this thing. I was afraid it wouldn't be the same when I got back.
The day before final review, after having worked on this for many hours, I had to leave for lunch. Previously I had been working on the computer model as well, saving it constantly. Before heading out, I actually tried to find the "Save" option on this thing. I was afraid it wouldn't be the same when I got back.
17 January, 2010
A Country Without Architecture
On Tuesday, January 12th 2010, the architecture of Port-au-Prince crumbled to the ground, crushing many thousands under its weight. In New Orleans, buildings had stood defiantly even as people had been swept away. Here, there is an apocalyptic landscape. My heart sank when I saw the image of the Presidential Palace because it symbolized the complete and utter helplessness of a people. Architecture is no longer synonymous with shelter, security, order, beauty.
The caretaker of an orphanage explains in a CNN report why all the children are being kept outdoors permanently: "[The house is] buckling and we can hear it, it makes noises like it's falling, rocks just fall off of the side of it, kind of constantly, so we're certainly never gonna go back in it."
I can't even begin to describe how I feel about the whole situation. Sometimes I am numb with horror, even callous. But I had a nightmare in which I was carrying a small baby out of the wreckage. It was my little sister.
Photos from the United Nations Development Program,
used under the Creative Commons License.
The caretaker of an orphanage explains in a CNN report why all the children are being kept outdoors permanently: "[The house is] buckling and we can hear it, it makes noises like it's falling, rocks just fall off of the side of it, kind of constantly, so we're certainly never gonna go back in it."
I can't even begin to describe how I feel about the whole situation. Sometimes I am numb with horror, even callous. But I had a nightmare in which I was carrying a small baby out of the wreckage. It was my little sister.
Photos from the United Nations Development Program,used under the Creative Commons License.
06 January, 2010
01 January, 2010
31 December, 2009
20 December, 2009
19 December, 2009
Architecture Portfolio
I just officially put my architecture portfolio on my website: http://www.waqasjawaid.com/. It's the first time I have put any architecture online for public viewing. This is the portfolio I have submitted as part of my applications to graduate schools in the United States. It is a small 5.5"x6.88" book.
I have had many people tell me that the portfolio is too lengthy for grad school applications. I have taken that comment very seriously and what you see here is a much condensed version of what I started off with. If they don't like it, they won't offer me admission, and that is fine. I suppose in the end it is as much a test of the graduate school as it is mine. But I'm hopeful... and excited.
Fall classes just ended yesterday, and I am traveling to Paris on Monday.
I have had many people tell me that the portfolio is too lengthy for grad school applications. I have taken that comment very seriously and what you see here is a much condensed version of what I started off with. If they don't like it, they won't offer me admission, and that is fine. I suppose in the end it is as much a test of the graduate school as it is mine. But I'm hopeful... and excited.
Fall classes just ended yesterday, and I am traveling to Paris on Monday.
06 December, 2009
25 November, 2009
ISOMETRIC
I'm super-excited because we recently started Princeton's undergraduate Architecture magazine, called ISOMETRIC. More on this later (maybe).
Architects Use Books
As you can see, here I am using the books on my desk to hold a small foamcore model in place till the glue dries.
22 November, 2009
Bronson Visits Princeton
...and we hang out at the E-Quad sculpture after having lunch at Tomo Sushi.
MIT
I visited the Architecture schools at Columbia, MIT and Harvard during fall break. I thought MIT was interesting, but the irony is: (a) I won't get in and that'll be sad; and (b) if I get in, I'll begin to realize fully how imperfect these schools are. In a weird way, it makes me wonder what I am doing at Princeton, on the other side of that formidable undergraduate admissions process.
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