Unexpected Interest in Architecture!

When I started my lifetime journey in deciding what I wanna be in the future I picked to be a scientist, I started going through encyclopaedias and getting frustrated on why our brain can't contain all the theories, pictures and information

I was a person who loved science in any form it came.

that trait's vibe stroked powerfully when I grew older, I didn't become a scientist as I dreamed to be, but I realised there is an alternative way to celebrate science as if it was my own!

respecting the work of others and building bridges of all those touching achievements and educating yourself more about them would make you a scientist, an intellectual human being!

working on this belief footsteps, I wanted to choose a cultural elective subject that would introduce me to a new field and there it was 

"Contemporary World Architecture Course"

a subject that mixes art in beautiful decorative pieces and science in balancing all these blocks on top of each other to fulfil its function with a lot of room for analytical thinking

and As expected I fell in love with many great buildings just like I would do to any valuable painting

Architecture gave me another angle to stare from when I wonder around the streets in future :)

My professor was such an inspiration, he visited various countries and paid all the magnificent buildings a visit so all his presentations were filled with personally taken pictures

How exciting can it be to go on reunion trips at one of the greatest building of the history

I think beside a religious building a breath taking building is as holy!

What was the architect thinking when he placed that column here and how he figured that such structure would stand against harsh circumstances?

and most surprisingly how one human being could manage to build a massive building so percisely!

Thats the beauty of Architecture !

Below are some of the inspirations I got out of this course:

Buildings: Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona by Gaudi

if you ever went to Spain, you should pass by this church because its not just a church it one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites! 

The work started back when Gaudi was assigned the project in 1883 and is still incomplete till nowadays!! can you believe that? a building that is being built over history and is expected to be done in 2026 !

Its really huge and complicatedly decorated reminding us of the gothic era, Gaudi made a wonderful job on every piece he laid his hands on over Barcelona ! 

much respect to this man, it will always be a dream to visit this place..

People: Frank Lloyed Wright

I fell for this man's arrogance because it was right in its place.

he didn't receive a formal education in decent architecture universities but he polished his skills on his own with a long experience and natural talent

When he spoke he knew what he was capable of and he saw himself ahead of time and space and dared to call himself immortal!

One inspiring story when he designed the Wax company offices and built a lily pad shape as a roof supported by thick columns that would go thinner at the ground level just as a stem to those pads. It made other architects worried on their stability, a very thin base column to support a huge round piece would go against the known architecture physics at that time! 

so they called for a live demonstration and a daring demonstration they got! that roof was able to hold 10 times it weight until it collapsed!

The view of the offices

I was trying to imagine his feelings watching the site workers add those weights to his structure, that could've been his career collapsing  over there not just a column but he was watching silently how his work came to prove his greatness!

"Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility. I chose the former and have seen no reason to change."
- Frank Lloyd Wright 

oh there are many other stuff I want to share but had to stop on these two! 

Currently I'm working on a final project of looking up one of the world's expos to write about. I never appreciated such events until I worked on them and found that it is somehow a festival of architecture !

Architects from different countries come together in one place to be given a chance to build a pavilion representing their country.

and now I wanna go back in time to Yeosu expo and analyze every single pavilion I went through! xD

 

so that was a dedication to an interesting subject I took this semester, what about you readers any influential subject you took this year? 

- Amna Al Dhaheri

A Graduate of UAEU !

ahhh~ May was such a busy month..

I barely had time to focus on writing and instead worked on more important matters like our game launching and preparing for our graduation party

However, I started finding that quality is more awarding than quantity and its what my blog stats shows ( thanks to everyone who took the time to read my posts I'm really touched)

and working on that belief I'm now writing a long post about Graduation 

I must say it was a long journey in college that lasted 5 years for me and even more for others 

last year I attended my friends graduation and now I'm exactly at their place!

we were blessed with amazing 43 graduates, unlike some graduations we were all one team and on the same page. no one complained nor troubled us

Although we were a bit disappointed that we had to plan everything on our own instead of having a decent already planned ceremony but we made it and it was worth shedding the sweat!

it was almost like planning a wedding from reserving the hall, tailoring the gowns, filming the videos, designing the invitations, ordering the buffet, contacting sponsors, printing certificates ... etc.

xD

Funny situations on Graduation Day:

 Amna leaves almost everything to the last minute, I got my gown first day of the week on Sunday and I was lucky to have the gown fitting perfectly on me so I didn't ask for modifications

but what was troubling me is the graduation dress! I decided there is no need for a new dress when I have a closet full of new dresses that were worn few times only but that stupid idea made me recklessly confident to the extent that I didn't check my dresses until a night before !

there was not a single dress that matched my blue greenish sash without making me look like a fashion disaster! I started freaking out especially that I had no time the following day, meeting early in the morning then a rehearsal at 11am I was screwed but I took the challenge to go head to head with time!

Next day I woke up got my flat shoes on and ran as fast as I could to meet my professor then rushed to meet the rest of graduates in the graduation hall.. I was one of the first group to arrive =__= *phewww*

 as soon as I knew all the details of the walk, the awarding, the speech I got excused and drove back home
My mom wanted to go last minute shopping with me but she couldn't got excused earlier than 2pm so I took our crazy maid along to Bawadi Mall

The poor woman I gave her a good run from one shop to another that it became a must to treat her to lunch afterwards lol

I went to Mango and the saleswoman came around to help, I took my sash out and with worried tone I said: "excuse me, I need help. I want a matching skirt or a dress for my graduation party!" My eyes fell on a very beautiful light blue sheer pleated skirt and it was the one I got later. she said my size was already sold out but then came running back as I browsed the store saying: "Maaaam ! you are lucky we have one piece left in store!"

"its the best choice" I thought after looking around all possible stores. In fitting room I got scolded for buying my dress at last minute, the lady was more worried than I am. haha I will never forget her help and worry over my graduation party :p

Later came the shoes picking, my friend would make me laugh most of the time as our taste rarely matches! noting that she came from Ethiopia she loved live bright colors and designs while I like calm and light ones

when it came to shoes we both were speechless! It was a white shoes against a golden glittery one.. and thats when the handsome salesman came offering his help. At that race I had no time and thus no shame too lol seriously its a relative relationship "less time less shame".
I threw the shy girl image in a valley behind and turned to him holding my blue skirt and said: "WHICH ONE?" *stretching my legs too* LOL
he said: "el abyad "The white one"" in lebanese accent *dies*
and the white one I got thanks to his direct stable opinion ~


I couldn't believe I finished shopping in around an hour I broke the record which gave me another hour to eat a large grilled sandwich like a cow at home (I didn't have a decent breakfast)

later I flew to the salon and unlike that hour everyday this time it was crowded by little girls getting ready for a wedding and staring at my hair and makeup


I got on my nerves when it came 5pm and I was still doing my hair.. I need to be in university around that time to take my photos
I got dressed and went to university and oh how lucky I was..
 the sun was almost gone
GREAT!
but the wind is giving us a refreshing blow dry!
OH CRAB!

I was struggling with new high heels and flying abaya with irritating contact lenses and dirt coming in my eyes!
HELP DESERTIFICATION !!

I was late but everyone else was too, shared guilt. nothing can be better.
and there stood all the beautiful graduates of 2013 having small talks and taking photos of themselves
I was rolling in joy but melting from heat formed by too many people in one place lol

we made it to hall and the night went peaceful onward


Speech moment:

I dreamt about this moment since I joined university and planned for it 6 months ago when I was in Korea I wrote my speech while imagining the moment and for that I worked so hard to bring this dream true

I'm really grateful to my friends who took the time to review my speech and encouraged me to go for it
it was as I wanted it to be

POWERFUL
INSPIRING
BEAUTIFUL 

Its weird cuz when I got on stage I didn't feel like I was there or was the one giving the speech I remember my legs shaking.
I didn't know why the audience were so quiet I had those fears of losing people's attention but it rapidly faded away when I asked for a stand in respect to all the mothers. They all responded fast which meant people were actually listening to what I was saying

those who stood so fast to even rise my head and look, that guy in front row who whipped his tears and my mom placing her hands over her chest in disbelief.. that image will forever be engraved in my memory.
 
it was a glorious moment. My legs were about to fail me from the mighty presence of the standing crowd I remember saying to myself: "Amna Al Dhaheri what did you just do?"


After Graduation Ceremony:

I drove back with my mom talking all the way about how happy and proud she is and me laughing cuz she is more touched than her graduated daughter

we stopped by a grocery store and asked for vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate and nuts on a stick and the shop keeper came back saying "only one is left!" We laughed so hard and mom said "its yours! its fate!" The guy laughed along terrified of what the hell are those two women laughing about hehe

I watched "Friends" till late hour and had a peaceful night throwing all the worries behind and blinding myself from the fact that I'm not officially a graduate yet until I submit those freaky projects and get those tough finals off my shoulders

Peace,
Amna