The Turning Point
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Finally I am going to be an architect and design unique and super advanced buildings, my dream is about to turn into reality! Well, that is what I thought was when I first started at university; young, hopeful and basically naïve and before I got to know the realistic ‘reality’ rather than my imaginary ‘reality’.After few weeks of university lectures the realisation that I am limited beyond words began to grow within me; there was nothing new that we were being taught, lectures were dull and traditional in their method and so my dreams began to dissolve gradually.
I wanted to know when and how will I design buildings that are like the ones I read about by world renowned architects and more importantly is it achievable? Or will I end up being yet another anonymous architect behind a soul-less villa in Egypt’s up and coming communal compounds.
I was full of questions that no one had an answer for and I reached a point of wanting to shout out loud to all my lecturers at university “have you ever heard of Google? Do you expect your students to accomplish anything. ” I felt like a footballer that has been assigned a role in a vital match yet he was on the pitch without a kit or trainers.
I set myself a task; escaping this imprisonment of thoughts and creativity and learn independently how other architects proved themselves on the international stage via their renowned and mind boggling designs.Five years ago I began working hoping to implement some change in the world of architecture but sadly I met similar disappointments again.
At the time Autocad dominated the engineering industry and everyone was obsessed with it to the extent that even if you did not study engineering but knew how to use Autocad then you are regarded as a first class engineer.
Thankfully within 3 months a new architect joined our firm and I noticed how he quietly laid out his ‘tools’ and worked in silence. Obviously I was curious to know more about him and his method of work and eventually my persistence paid off as we attended a meeting for a project that we were both working on.
It was then that I began to learn for the first time in both my academic and professional career, the new Architect began explaining his vision for the project, showed us his working plan and images. He then turned to me and asked ”are you familiar with Revit?” I looked at him with confusion and drew a blank as I had no idea what he meant! He understood automatically that I needed help and he set out to give an hour of his time daily to teach me everything there is to know about Revit.
“That was the turning point in my life”
I knew then that this is the real start for me to become an established architect, the hope that was once a disil- lusion began to remerge as a possible reality and I was motivated again to share all my ideas and advance my- self as well as work. But like most good things in life, my joy didn’t last long as the new engineer decided to seek pastures new and move abroad to Dubai where there are more opportunities in the field of architecture.
I was disappointed and saddenedthat the one person who rejuvenated my passion for architecture has moved on and I was left in a place thatseems to be stuck in ancienttime where there is no spacefor creativity.
Staying stuck in that environment was no longer an option I owed it to myself to move on and improve and so I decided with the first chance I get to travel, I will grab the opportunity and fly out to a new world where people will share my passion and vision. I was lucky on a double front; a job opportunity in Dubai came along and I was reunited with the engineer who left my firm, it was almost like a double blessing and I am determined to make the most of it and compensate all the lost years that I spent being basically a robot with no technological or creative advancement.
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