SOP Sample for MS in Architecture in USA with Experience

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

As I first saw The Fountainhead, a movie based on the famous novel by [AUTHOR_NAME] in Junior college, I was amazed by the world of Architecture and its display of work done by Architect [ARCHITECT_NAME]. My journey of Architecture began after I read the novel and realized how important it was to have passion and the will to constantly improve our skills and mindset.

From growing up in [CITY] - the Oxford of the East to graduating from one of the oldest architectural colleges in India - [INSTITUTION_NAME], under [UNIVERSITY_NAME], my experiences have shaped me to be a visionary architect. I hope my fondness for Architecture influences your decision for my admittance into [UNIVERSITY_NAME] for the Masters in Architecture course.

As an Indian woman, my decision to pursue a career in Architecture is non-traditional and one that I am proud of. Being a photographer with an eye for detail, the city of [CITY] always intrigued me with its display of various architectural styles. This influenced me to venture outside my comfort zone, exploring the diversity in people and lifestyle - a crucial step for gaining a wider perspective for Architecture.

My degree introduced me to various subjects, of which Architectural Design, Building Construction and History of Architecture interested me the most. Working in design studios felt like meditation, while presenting projects aided my maturity, piquing my passion for architecture.

Curious about the world, I travelled to Europe in my second year, visiting the famed [MUSEUM_NAME] in [CITY] where I realized how one could interpret architecture in infinite ways. Witnessing [BUILDING_NAME] - headquarters of [COMPANY_NAME] in [CITY], was the moment I recognized my responsibility as an architect was not limited to designing, but expanded to creating sustainable buildings that are flexible, smart, energy efficient and responsive. This sparked my interest in contemporary architecture and led me to choose 'Heritage Alchemy: Exploration of Contemporary Architecture in Heritage' as my dissertation topic, allowing me to explore the endless possibilities architecture offers with the right material and technology. The idea revolved around jack lifting a heritage structure to re-model it into a contemporary landmark, keeping its ethos alive. Proposing use of architectural technology that was uncommon in India made the project challenging. I successfully devised a practical and creative design proposal with extensive research and guidance, encouraging me to explore advanced architecture and design further.

The design process taught me how computational thinking could be correlated to organize and streamline variable aspects and generate a design with efficient parameters keeping the foundation of art intact. The lockdown gave me time to learn architecture focused Artificial Intelligence technology and programming by doing certificate courses in Python coding and AI-Urbanised from [INSTITUTION_NAME] and [INSTITUTION_NAME] which further made me curious to study alternate potentials of our future reality with regard to physical environment that are error-free and resilient. Having a natural flair for sculpting and handling a camera profoundly impacted my architectural and inventive skills, equipping me with creative expressions to understand current anomalies in the designs of many buildings. I believe that the contribution of male and female architects with their own perspectives could lead to better designing for society needs. [ARCHITECT_NAME] and [ARCHITECT_NAME]'s designs impacted my approach for their harmoniously high-tech, bold, functional and sustainable architecture.

To gain experience, I joined [ARCHITECT_NAME] in [CITY], an architecture firm focused on creating designs that are responsive to people and environment, allowing me to work on time-bound, large-scale housing and institutional projects where the smallest details have the greatest impact. This sharpened my skills, increased my desire to learn the practical application of advanced techniques, and equipped me with almost a year of professional experience.

Alongside academics, I engaged in extra-curricular activities such as coordinating inter-college events, playing hockey at state level for five years, teaching at an underprivileged school during summers and volunteering at an animal NGO in [CITY]. I am an active member of a renowned group focused on restoring and maintaining [STATE]'s forts, and have documented two recognized world heritage sites for their landscaping and restoration, which has given me a practical insight into Management of Architectural Heritage.

The Lab for Urban and Social Innovation (LUSI) at [UNIVERSITY_NAME] interested me the most due to its collective approach to real-world design, construction and environmental projects. In addition, The Synesthetic Research and Design Lab, where one can experiment with unconventional ideas and materials and develop interactive designs makes me curious to explore the course. Going beyond protocol to achieve ambitious goals, my ingenuity is demonstrated in my passion to work on evolved designs. Therefore, I believe your institute will provide me with the opportunities to launch my career.

The work and research done by [PROFESSOR_NAME] on "Dynamic Double-Skin Glass Facades for New and Retrofit Applications: Integrated Energy Recovery and Production for High Performance Buildings" and "Programmable Smart Materials – Performance Materials for Intelligent Building Skins" also attracted me to pursue masters at [UNIVERSITY_NAME]. It is exactly the kind of research I aim to develop as an architect and is reflected in my final year design dissertation as well, and thus the university is perfect for my long-term goals to create designs adaptable and resilient enough for the challenges arising in the present and future.

Finally, I would like to thank you for taking the time to assess my application. I earnestly look forward to joining your institution.