an architecture model is not just a physical object. just as cracked concrete along the sidewalk is not just a broken surface.it is a sliver of opportunity for progression and growth. and by the growth of one thing is the result of another.where there is the creation of architectural form, there comes the idea(s) to justify its creation.i justify my ability to resonate with my experiences as a designer, conceptualist, and artist through thoughtful moments of interrogation of my surrounding environment.
at my early ages, as fascinated as i was with piecing things together, i was equally invested in drawing inspiration from the nature in my life. i studied form at the age 6 with lego blocks. at age 9 i had moved to markham, a suburb of toronto, there in my urban community i quickly recognized the homogeneity of tract housing. i lived there for over 10 years cultivating what became an on-going struggle to exalt the proliferation of post-modernist ideals. i adventured off to europe; spain, france and switzerland. i studied their peoples' cultures and cities.my uncle encouraged my advances in urban planning and interior design. it was in switzerland when i asserted my first non-professional commission; an open kitchen concept for a dining hall. i returned to canada and almost immediately i was diagnosed with mild disambiguation.
for the most part i kept my mouth shut and went to study architecture at the university of toronto. the al&d (faculty of architecture,landscape and design) was considered to me as my most important ingredient towards pursuing my goal of becoming an architect. the first 2 semesters proved to be difficult, while i entered the programme with the lowest gpa score, i intrinsically announced that it took more time to get me seasoned for my challenges ahead. i had a few crowning moments at the school, one of them was my 3rd studio course in berlin, germany.
i made a visit to see the bauhaus, it was in dessau when i realized becoming an architect is not going to be an easy task - the good thing was i had never gotten myself shaken up by scepticism or fear of failing.
my return to toronto gave opportunity to working at a commercial development firm. i practiced designing retail spaces for 2 years in their architecture department until i graduated from university.with an empowering sense of design achievement i decided to move to edmonton, there was no particular reason for me to go there, though i was attracted to the overall consensus of jobs booming in the western province. i didn't quite find what i was looking for, but i managed to contract with kohon designs, a boutique interior design practice. as i emerged from every opportunity that i was presented with i felt a strong desire to travel, and work extensively in canada - hopes of the mention of my name in notable canadian architecture and design journals. when it became too cold for me to bear in edmonton, i sprung over to vancouver.
now living in vancouver trying to survive in its pseudo-depressed economy and recovering architecture industry, i have wandered away from the sliver that used to serve like a rotary of opportunity. this is mainly because of financial reasons, and scarcity of commissions. alike my early days in school, my initial years in british columbia proved even more difficult - my mailbox stored a bunch of rejection letters and the occasional bill.
the most substantial turning point, not in relation to attaining my goal but in a real job opportunity, was when my best friend placed a referral for me at the video game company, Electronic Arts.
this gig was supposed to only be temporary, but after months spent working long hours on intensive projects, i became addicted to the paycheque. i was living on one paycheque to another and grew dependant over the year.
working on a triple 'a' video game title is not just fun and games. if i were approached by kids who wanted to work at a game studio because they believed it would be great fun, then i would suggest working at a community centre instead.the game industry responds to the consumers by granting them immediate gratification, similar to making a purchase for any object of desire. where things become problematic is when the desire for such an object dissolves - then what?
thus i am where i am now, moving from one studio to another, working on numerous game titles, dealing with the constant evolving state of electronic technology. the rewarding aspect of the game relies on quality and thoughtfulness of the design.as i stare out of my office window i am constantly procuring another opportunity. not one that abandons the learnings that i have gathered from working at where i am now (and previously), but one that integrates all that i have practiced outside of the architecture world.