A reflection on my blogging experience this semester

The blogging experience has, thus far proved to be one of the most unique and intuitive aspects of my four, nearly five years of architectural education. Throughout most of my journey, the tasks I was given were of mundane nature, in that its intended learning outcomes conceived nothing beyond the prescribed material of the brief. Initiative to conduct further research and enhance my knowledge was null, however, such could be down to disinterest or the very fact that all requirements of the module had already been fulfilled. The urban design blog, however, offered something different.

Just as how the practice of urban design aims to connect people to essential facilities (due to a lack of initiative and possibly laziness), the structure in which the module is run, emulated this very concept, through a series of interesting lectures that enabled me to research on a wide variety of topics that spanned across different areas of the practice. It is through the (somewhat) regular pattern of posting that I found a flow that sparked greater interest, to know more about what urban design can offer and how I can integrate their solutions in my projects.

Though I wish I could have posted my findings more, time had unfortunately been a constraint as I found difficulty juggling between urban design and MArch, most certainly a learning experience. Had this not been the case, I would have been keen to document my newfound knowledge and leave a legacy for future students but more importantly myself, to witness my development and interests in my architecture career.

On a more positive note, I very much enjoyed partaking in the blog as I got the chance to read posts from my peers and former pupils, all of which displayed a great degree of diversity. Learning about precedents from different countries where climatic and urban conditions vary, expanded my horizon, something I am most grateful for.

Overall, I am satisfied with what I have contributed for the blog and for myself, discovering an alternative method of communication, gaining knowledge from peers and effectively a way of documenting my personal development in the field, inciting a nostalgic feeling when I revisit. This is a rather engaging and intuititive pedagogical method that I wish I could have experienced far earlier in my first years of education, something I believe would have led to a more prepared individual.