Where I've Been And Where I'm Going

I am now a freshman in college, and just as I had planned for a long time now, I'm studying Architecture. I have so much to discuss! But first, allow me to tell you the story of how I got here.

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I was sitting there. Just thinking. What elective should I choose? As I went through the different options in my head, I tried to visualize what each one would be like, and which one I would like the most. At the time, I loved computers. From a young age, I had used my dad's video camera to record home videos or skits and then edited them using Corel Video Studio, an amateur editing software. I was good at it too--mainly because of how much time I put into it. I also enjoyed playing video games. Lots of them. 

Racing games and first person shooters became fairly monotonous once they reached their replay value limit. But there were other games, more creative games, that allowed you--the player--to choose his or her own "destiny." In other words, they were sandbox games where you chose how you wanted to play. Because of that, they almost never became boring. Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 (RCT3) was one of those games, and it was one of my earliest experiences in sandbox titles. But it got me thinking: It would be so cool to become a roller coaster designer.

Wooden roller coaster from my final RCT3 post.

Those were my thoughts. Because of this reasoning, I chose to take the Advanced Media elective. This was in 7th grade. I would soon find out that we would be required to create our own blog.

The New York City skyline as seen from the Chrysler Building. (Also a long time background used on my blog.)

So, I picked my topic. RCT3 had sparked an interest in me regarding buildings and how they worked, so I chose Architecture as my blog topic. In January 2011, I began The Art of Architecture. My very first post covered the newly built Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world. As time went on, my writing became much better. Thanks to this blog and my English courses at my high school, writing became an art I thoroughly enjoyed and still enjoy to this day.

Burj Khalifa

I had only been posting RCT3 content for a few months when I found Minecraft. Just a few days prior to that discovery, I wrote in one of my RCT3 posts that I wished I could find a game that allowed me to express architecture and design more freely and without limits. 

It was almost prophetic. (More like wish fulfillment.) 

Stoa of Doric

In any event, Minecraft became a primary creative outlet for design, and it fit perfectly with my blog. I wasn't just analyzing someone else's work. I was analyzing my own work. And that was very satisfying. From March 2011 to the summer of 2015, I played Minecraft off and on, showing my designs on this blog. Even though the first designs were not that great, all of those designs were like individual stairs on a never-ending staircase, with each step being a small hurdle I had to pass before moving on to something better. Once I built the Stoa of Doric and Barbarossa Cathedral, I felt like I reached a plateau. It truly felt like I had accomplished all I ever wanted to in Minecraft. 

Barbarossa Cathedral

Building a cathedral was a goal I had set for myself ever since I began playing. I just never knew when it would be fully realized.

Throughout my time playing Minecraft, I learned one thing: I had a mind of an architect. Balancing function and aesthetics quickly became a battle I had to wage every time I constructed a new building. I had to collect the materials, understand how they worked together, and not just think about the design in my head, but make it come to life in a physical three-dimensional reality. The work was worth it, and a lot of fun! At the end of these projects, I was always left with intense feelings of satisfaction, accomplishment, and wonder. But I didn't want to stay inside a game. I wanted my career to make me feel the same way, which brings me back to the present day.

Frost Bank Tower from Today's ArchiPic #96

I'm now in college, sitting here in my dorm writing my newest post. I've only been in school for a month, but I've learned so much about Architecture, especially drawings! In the coming weeks, expect posts about the work I have had to do in architecture class. I can't wait to show you what I have done! 

As I go along, I'll try to share my experiences on this blog. It could be a great learning opportunity for you, the reader, but also for myself--to reinforce the concepts I have learned. Just like how my Minecraft projects were stepping stones for future endeavors, each weekly Architecture exercise builds on the previous one.

Here's to the many years of The Art of Architecture. Let's press on!