Drake Herrera

Architecture is regarded as the most public of all art forms. I think this view barely scratches the surface. Architecture can't be simply defined, and any attempt to do so raises more questions than it answers. It challenges our preconceptions over issues like tradition, sustainability and the economy, while functioning on a scale which impacts upon all of society. The prospect of following a career path that tackles these questions, whilst still essentially creating art, is a dream for a creative person like myself.

At A Level, Maths Physics and History aren't always considered as conventionally creative as Art. However I found the main reason I enjoyed these subjects so much was that creativity is central to all of them. I believe evaluative writing, science and mathematical techniques can be alternative media to express ideas, explore problems and communicate our thinking process, in the same way as Art and Design.

Undertaking an Art and Design Foundation Course has been essential to my creative development, helping me to re-evaluate my ambitions, and giving me more focus to pursue architecture as a career. Whilst undertaking the diagnostic first term I have been excited to explore new approaches to creative work.

This has made me far more responsive to the importance of communication and diversity of techniques, when displaying individuality and conceptualization of my ideas. It has also made me more able to visualise and create work in three dimensions. The course has so far given me a wealth of experience in a short space of time and has been crucial to maturing my approach to creative work. I am looking forward to applying this to future study in architecture.

I am also nurturing my appreciation for architecture, art history and literature. Obviously there is much I am yet to discover but an architect who really inspires me with his experimentation is Massimiliano Fuksas. I like the stark industrial feel to his building-site themes, especially the Zenith music hall in Strasbourg. I also admire the dynamic utopian ambition of Antonio Sant'Elia's "Citta Nuova" and Peter Cook's (Archigram) "Walking City".

Outside education I feel I have accomplished a great deal, which has helped me gain maturity and direction. In the summer I spent a week in work experience with Stubbs Rich architects practice in Bath. It was an enlightening week involving everything from getting to grips with CAD programs to seeing the creative process combined with needs of the client. Other work experience with Neill Menneer, a Bath photographer, was informative in a different way, showing the working reality of creativity within business. Both further inspired me to pursue the career whilst opening my eyes to what it constitutes.