Statement

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.