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.

Bonne Année 2010!

Just got back to Princeton, one last time.

Bibliothèque Nationale Francois Mitterrand

Monet at the Musée de l'Orangerie

Bubble Dreams

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.

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.

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.

Visiting the Site for Ron's Studio Project

Phone Pictures of Princeton in Its Fall Glory

Dawn, from my window

McCosh Hall, right across from the Architecture Building

Venturi's Wu Hall against stadium lights in the distance

View from Architecture Building

Nassau Hall

Gehry's Lewis Library

I.M.Pei's Spellman Hall

Architecture Studio Space