Statement
Until visiting your open day, I
had not been into the city of Manchester at all. I love discovering a new city
and experiencing its architecture for the first time, and I think that
this vibrant, cosmopolitan city would really inspire me. I was very impressed
with the variety of work in the exhibition that I saw, and I think that having
the resources of both universities is a fantastic opportunity.
A piece of architecture that
recently had an impression on me was Ely Cathedral. I love Romanesque and
Gothic cathedrals, and I have visited many, but Ely Cathedral particularly
fascinated me. I loved how it felt like it was almost in the countryside, due
to the relatively low topography of the surrounding architecture, and therefore
after so many centuries still remains the glorious centre-point of this place. The
other aspect that made it stand out for me was the beautiful octagonal lantern.
The space just seems to open upwards, and the eye is instinctively drawn
towards this fascinatingly original feature.
Whilst I love historical periods
of architecture, I also love more modern architecture. Through the Taschen
Basic Architecture books and The Guardian Great Modern Buildings series, I’ve
become fascinated by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, my current favourite
architect, although I am yet to experience his work first hand. His use of
shape and form always seems original and perfect for the individual building,
and the buildings appear completely natural and integrated into the
surroundings, due to his organic style, which I believe prevents his work from
feeling at all out-dated. He seems to master the use of light within his architectural
compositions, which results in a fitting atmosphere for all of his works.
Through two of his most famous works, The Guggenheim Museum, New York, and
Fallingwater, he displays his versatility and complete mastery of all aspects
of architecture, which fills me with admiration for this great man.
Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum
in Bilbao is a work of architecture that I feel compelled to visit. I
personally find this building astonishing in its absolute originality of form
and use of materials. The idea that one piece of architecture can transform a
place and attract so many visitors sums up for me the power and importance of
creative architecture all over the world now and into the future. Whilst I feel
familiar with this building from a detailed book that I have, I know that this
cannot compare with experiencing it first hand. I always appreciate both the
finest details and overall atmosphere of a building when I visit it, and I
think that this would truly be a completely new feast for all of my senses.
