Veronika Kalugina

ARC 1015-01

Craft, Profession, Vocation

Project 1

September 12, 2021

My Architectural History

Architects create a world that we live in as well as inspire and motivate others by
creating beautiful, well-thought buildings. I was drawn into a profession of an architect because
of a combination of artistic and analytical skills. I was always fascinated with the delightful
structures, always wanted to know the history behind them and the construction process.
Several events in my life set the preference of architecture for me.

During my childhood, my parents used to take me to many different places. We traveled

pretty much all over Russia and had a chance to visit many countries such as Egypt, Israel,
Greece, United Arabic Emirates, Ukraine, Thailand. I’m very grateful for all these experiences
that my parents were able to bring to life. I think the first milestone of my interest in
architecture came with my travel experience, it shaped my character and made me curious
about other cultures. As a kid, I was eager to learn about new places and see in person some of
the most incredible places and buildings in the world.

One of the first trips was to Moscow,

where my family used to take me over to the
Red Square. I was so fascinated with the
history and beauty of the St. Basil’s
Cathedral that was completed in the middle
of the 16th century. It looked so magnificent
and magical to me, like a building from a
fairytale. I was wondering how someone in
the 16th century can build something so
complex and beautiful. Then, I learned that
countless places in the world have an
incredible history, culture, and architecture.

The most memorable trip for me was to

Egypt. I think I was in the second grade at
that time, and it was my first trip outside of
my home country. It made a big impact on me, and I think changed me in a way. The Great
Pyramid of Giza, Statue of Sphinx, temples in the middle of a desert were unforgettable. It was
hard to believe that monuments of such enormous size were built by people with no advanced
technology back in 2500 BC. I had
a lot of questions on how it was
possible and how antient
Egyptians moved so many heavy
stones in the middle of a desert.
My mom saw the fact that I was
interested in learning more about
it and she got me a book about the
history of Egypt, where the building process was explained. I read this book multiple times, and
every time it would bring back my memories of unforgettable experience I had back in Egypt.

Apart from travel experiences, I think the time I realized I would enjoy the profession of
an architect was when my parents started the process of building our house back in Russia.
When my family decided on construction of our new house, I was very happy and one of the
reasons was the fact that I get to experience the building process from the beginning to an end.
The most interesting part for me was the actual creation of the space: proper floor planning,
design, and layout for each one of the rooms, exterior design, and type of roof. I loved the fact
that we can create our own space to our liking and preferences.

All these experiences and many others set my preferences and sparked my interest in
architecture. I think the fact that fascinates me the most in the profession of architecture is that
with a combination of both analytical and artistic skills, an architect can create incredible
buildings that will inspire others and change their lives.

As a future professional, I would strive to provide people with good experiences by

listening to understand and not listening to answer. I think it is extremely important for an
architect to understand what the client’s vision and goal is, because, at the end of the day,
architects create spaces for clients and not for themselves. Understanding, responsiveness, and
transparency are very important in a professional world of architecture. People have different
perspectives and expectations, and no one sees the world the same way. Because of that, it is
extremely important to be as transparent as possible and properly set expectations with
people. It will help with having fewer misunderstandings and bad experiences.