Dalia Kamal Ismail

Why did you want to be an Architect is an important question !! 

 

           I've always held a deep fascination with Islamic Architecture but I only started expressing my growing infatuation with Islamic art and Calligraphy after visiting Umayyad mosque in Syria. That was the start of my obsession with domes, arches, courtyards and…Architecture. This also led to another obsession with pens, papers and scribbling. Most of my school notebooks were filled with sketches and attempts of calligraphic fonts, so were my arms!!!! 

 

 My love for Architecture really began in middle school, when my Design and Technology teacher taught us about Nadir Khalili and challenged us to build an Eco dome from sand bags and barbed wire. Seeing the dome slowly come to life, I decide that I want to (and can) make habitats from our natural habitat, the earth. 

 

 As I grew older I found out that not only does architecture provide shelter and leisure, Architecture has the power to shape entire cities and change the course of human history, needless to mention the masterpieces that were designed throughout the years.

           I found out that being an architect is more than drawing lines on papers, designing crazy shaped buildings made out of different materials. It’s about listening and addressing the needs and concerns of a community and creating a beautiful yet tangible solution that is loved by the users of that respective place.

          One of the most honourable feelings is to be a part of a building that stirs desire and amazement in the hearts and minds of its dwellers. That is the essence of the architect.