Killian 1 Claire Killian Ms.

Gardner English 10H 1 13 February 2014 Fulfillment When I began this project, I had a clear-cut visionI would attend Stanford and receive an undergraduate degree in Architecture. While Stanford does not have a renowned program for architecture, the inclusive instruction it offers stuns me and it would be a dream to attend classes there. When I contemplated a school for my masters degree, I felt that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology would be an impeccable fit because of its science and engineering focus. I had originally thought about Columbia, but I cannot imagine myself living in a bustling city like Manhattan. While MIT is close to Boston, it is located in a true college town, Cambridge, which hosts distinguished universities like MIT and Harvard. When I reached the job portion of the resume, my decisions became more complex. I know that sustainable architecture is what I want to do with my life, so I had to choose architectural firms that focused on sustainable architecture. I also knew that most states require a three-year internship before the licensing exam is taken. With that in mind, I contacted Bill Wolpert from Green Building Architects in Petaluma and he promptly replied to my e-mail in insightful and clarifying ways that I had never thought of before. A surprising fact he divulged was that he spends an average of two hours a day in the morning answering e-mails from contractors, vendors, suppliers, and customersin other words, everyone he works with. The most intuitive reply I received from Mr. Wolpert came from his response when I asked what his favorite aspect of being an architect is. He replied by comparing the

Killian 2 dissimilarities between commercial architecture and residential architecture. To him, while commercial architecture is more focused on the finished textiles and what people will see when the project is finished, there is no emotional appeal. If the job is done well, then the architect did their job. They get paid, and that is that. However, in residential architecture, homeowners often have been saving for years for their dream house, so when the project is completed, they are blown away if the architect meets their expectations. They are exceptionally grateful when an architect creates what they have been envisioning in their minds for years and it pleases Mr. Wolpert when he is able to accomplish that task. At times throughout this process, I wondered if architecture was the best choice for me because all of the career quizzes I took never matched me with engineering. However, Mr. Wolperts response mimicked the thoughts swirling in my mind and cemented my decision to pursue a career in architecture, no matter how many obstacles cross my path. I saw a near-perfect vision of my future reflected in his career. The ability to create an object that someone will love, an object that they will be proud of, an object that will be the cornerstone to their family and lifestyle is a true treasure. I want to construct and create in a world that obliterates. I was raised to be aware of the environment and to help Mother Nature in any way I possibly could. Architecture allows me to pursue my passion, while also helping the environment by using sustainable materials; also, the job openings in green architecture are on the rise, which is a definitive benefit to me. I think about architecture as a cookie recipeflour and sugar are the base ingredients of a cookie, just as math and science are the core ingredients of architecture. Salt and vanilla enhance the flavor of a cookie, much like how art and creativity enhances the overall aesthetic and professional appeal to a building. This year, I am currently in the process of designing a house

Killian 3 that I imagined without any help. It is an exhilarating experience to see my hard work methodically come together, detail line by detail line, into an actual house. I cannot wait to see the finished product; even more exciting is the prospect of mastering the skills I learn in the class so that one day, I will be able to help peoples dreams come true.