The reason why I wanted to study at Manchester School of Architecture is because of the incredible facilities and prestigious education provided by the collaboration of two famous universities. As a student who has taken Visual Arts and Design and Technology, I understand the importance of imagination and creativity which is why I am drawn to apply to the Manchester School of Architecture as they also spotlight these qualities. Although I have never been to Manchester, this opportunity to study at the MSA will teach me how to step out of my comfort zone by developing this flexible creativity in different environments. The MSA will also guide me into thinking more critically and realistically about my future designs. In my opinion, collaboration is also an important quality to architecture and the MSA has demonstrated this perfectly by providing a program where two prestigious universities collaborate to create the ultimate education experience for students.
On a trip to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, I was able to experience an exhibition of figurative paintings and sketches made by the Malaysian artist, Kok Yew Puah. He portrayed the different emotions and connections around him which highlights his identity as a father, husband,teacher and friend. Some portraits included heritage architecture in the background, which made me curious to explore the cultural sites in Kuala Lumpur myself. He has managed to capture his identity, not only through his humorous close-up portraits of himself, but the emphasis of the background in his paintings and how he perceived Malaysian culture and the progressing modernisation at the time.