Onto the next chapter

I can’t believe it’s been nine months since I first arrived in Newcastle. It just feels like yesterday when I visited Newcastle University for the first time. And yet here I am almost done with my second semester of the course. The pleasant and thrilling process of creating blogs was a constant thread that ran through both academic sessions.

Blog writing has been my escape from regular study. At times, when I was stuck with my thesis ideas and couldn’t move forward, blog writing helped me in getting clarity of mind. Hence, I would say, this experience was very much needed.

Initially, we were given a topic to write on as we were all new to the field and I did learn from it. Whereas the difference in this semester was, that we were free to choose topics to write on. It felt like our tutors trusted us, but at the same time, it was also a responsibility on our shoulders to deliver correctly.

The first site visit we did was for the APL8014 in Ouseburn valley. Ouseburn Valley has a distinct character to it.  Stepping into the valley, the first thing I saw was the background of bridges and it inspired me to write. Hence, my first blog came into existence.

Hurdles

As I mentioned earlier, I struggled to choose my thesis topic. I always knew I wanted to do something related to streets but understanding the urban context was difficult. Also, comprehending the scope of the project was a major aspect. During that time, my professor Ali helped me understand the aspects relating to my main topic. He also suggested I start putting my ideas on paper. But my only question was, how?

And then blog writing supported me, it helped me in exploring my topic further. I researched and started writing about urban squares. This blog writing exercise was like an outlet for me, like a sketchbook. Later, I found through my research there was an issue with the current state of high streets, and again, the website became my canvas for penning down my idea. It really helped me with my design proposal.

Also, one major module we had was for Housing Alternatives ARC8069. This was something very new as we never learned about housing typologies and their integration into urban contexts earlier. Coming up with an innovative idea which submerge in the urban context was difficult and hectic. But reading the blogs of my peers helped me in learning more about the topics. There used to be instances where we could discuss more ideas in studios through these blogs. Thus, I feel this whole initiative was like a support system to me during my course work.

At the end

I am not sure if we have any compulsory exercise for blogging next semester, but I would love to use this website as a journal in putting forth my voice, ideas, concerns, research, and proposals. This experience was one of a kind and helped me improve my writing skills, research techniques and understanding of the design process. And I am sure it would keep me motivated throughout and I would really love to see my progress at the end of the year.