Scraphouse: Image by Public ArchitectureAhhh... Public Architecture
I remember seeing the name and thinking to myself. You know what, that is exactly how I would say it. I came across this amazing group of people while I was in UVa. It was my forth year and I had finally decided to do the externship program because I had gotten some money together and I wanted to find a firm or organization that really wanted to take on the challenge of building for the 90% of people who can not afford to even think of a well design shelter, or park or anything that can improve their quality of life. And there it was Public Architecture in San Francisco. Relatively new in Jan. 2007 but they had been integral in one of my favorite project ever: the ScrapHouse.
The most fantastic project I have ever seen. Every time, I feel uninspired all I do is get on their website and just look at that house. Granted I did not see it and touch it with my own hands, but mannn... would I have loved to. It is made out of recycled everything. It is fantastic.
I mean awesomeness does not begin to describe all that I feel about this project but needless to say I was honored when they invited me to come to San Francisco. I met with John Cary and John Peterson (recipients of 2009 designers of the year by contract magazine), Liz Ogbu I mean really impressive fantastic people who have chosen what they want to do and do it so well. I had so much fun and I learnt so much from them, that week was one of the best in my professional life. I knew that was what I wanted to do. So if you don't know, ladies and gentlemen of the design world. Now you do!
http://www.publicarchitecture.org/
But now, I am having a small crisis of interest. Not that I can not do both. After all I am super human. But I have yet again met a fantastic group of people that work for the Institute for International Education: the organizers of the Fulbright Scholarship amongst other things. And I would love love love to work for them because what they do in terms of bringing exceptional people together with large companies together in order to give them an opportunity to further their education in the states, is fantastic. They have a couple of openings and I have applied and taken the steps that I need to take. And, wow, it would be so great if I get to work there and work my way up. I would eventually travel all over the world, meeting different people, students. It would be an absolute dream come true.
I mean: it may not be architecture, but the I would be having an impact day in and day out. And country hoping: anyday, anyday at all. So leave me a comment, what would you do if there were two things that you wanted to pursue and have you ever gone through it before.
