As I sat on my plane, I couldn’t stop thinking about the four months ahead that I was about to experience. The excitement of being able to live in one of the biggest cities in the country and to be able to see Europe in person, beyond representations in books and media, was very exciting. I was about to set off for the adventure that I always wanted.
From -20 degree temperature’s freezing air to 6 degree temperature’s clear sky and pleasant wind, the weather was definitely in favor. As I got out of the aircraft, London welcomed me with fresh Costa mocha and a lotus caramelized biscoff Krispy Kreme donut, reminding me of Starbucks and Dunkin from back home in New York. It was a great start. Ever since my first day in London, I kept comparing the two cities. The food, the people, the culture, everything is so different! The tubes and the buses are much more efficient and easily accessible here. When walking the streets and watching everyone around me (dressed in either grey or black), in constant motion, I realize that this city never stops.
Being an architecture student, London to me seems simple yet grand. Be it the City hall or the striking Millennium Dome next to the Thames, its magnificent! Throughout the years, London has provided great opportunities for aspiring architects. The ideas and the plans that guide the development of the cities all around the world, these have their roots in the architecture studios and classrooms of London. Being able to be trained in the same city as architects like Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas is so exciting.
Another strand in London’s creative infrastructure is its network of museums and galleries that have elements from all over the world. By the end of the semester I aim to see as many of them as possible.
London has given me the opportunity to see a big city from an architect’s eyes, and as a result I am continuously amazed by my environment.
Written by student Shaguni Gupta.
Photo Credit: Hans-jürgen