Kermena Ishak

Craft, Profession, Vocation

9/22/2022

My History

I’ve lived in Egypt for the first eight years of my life. Besides the pyramids in Egypt, which I

had never seen, I valued the busy streets of Egypt. I’ve spent my childhood in entirely different

houses than what I’ve seen in America.

In Egypt, living in buildings 7-30 levels high is

quite common. Houses always include balconies;

the view is generally busy streets instead of empty

neighborhoods. The homes in Egypt are designed to

be part of the public instead of a secluded area.

With this structure, neighbors are much more connected and lively, there are barely any cars

parked in front of buildings, and you can find restaurants and stores right beneath you. Any place

you want to go to is walkable. Buildings in Egypt are made from mudbricks, which aren’t as

easily breakable as wood. There’s also no specific roof shape; it doesn’t rain much in Egypt. It is

important to note that the crowded population of Egypt influenced such a structure. This is not

the only structure in Egypt; Egyptian Architects are practicing more modern architecture. It is

because Egypt is advancing that I am interested in practicing architecture there.

When I moved to America, I noticed an entirely different structure. I couldn’t help but compare.

I was a bit surprised when I only found apartments in buildings that have 2-4 levels. In our

architecture class, I did not only learn that architecture is how a building looks but the location it

is in.

Most houses in the United States are

single-family homes. Cars are parked in front

(taking half of the streets), the houses are

secluded from the public, nothing is walkable,

and the community is divided. To me, it

seemed quite lonely.

Over the years, I’ve watched many tv shows from different countries; South Korean, Japanese,

Turkish, Chinese, etc. I’ve noticed how the streets and their unique houses are structured. It made

me feel as if the houses on screen were my home; the architecture of these houses felt much

more interconnected and culturally significant. The more I looked at architecture in other

countries and cities, the more I was disappointed in Nashville. I continued to believe that

Tennessee might never advance in architecture. The only things that were built were hotels in

downtown; nothing made stood out to me. It is quite a dull state. Like every teenager, I was also

interested in what type of houses celebrities have. I would also look on Zillow for different

homes in countries I wanted to visit; I always found some enjoyment in it.

Later on, I kept seeing modern architecture on social media. Zaha Hadid’s architecture especially

caught my attention; it was so magnificent. I haven’t seen anything quite like it. It made me think

about how much the human imagination is worth exploring. It made me want to explore my own

mind.

Galaxy Soho. Photo: Pinterest Pictures/Getty Image Heydar Aliyev Centre. Photo: Andrea istolesi/Getty Images

As I came across such incredible architecture, I began to wonder what it would be like to be an

architect. As someone who went to a school that never offered creative classes, I never got the

opportunity to see what I am good at or what might interest me. Construction, though, really

seemed intriguing. To know that I can build – that I can change some things. To be honest, I want

to live a purposeful life; architecture is a promising aspect of my definition of "purpose." The

ability to design and construct unique projects is captivating. Making something from scratch

means a great deal; I never had the opportunity to create or participate in something tremendous.

No matter how small or big a project is, I want to actively engage in several future innovations. I

want to leave Nashville after I get my license and go to Egypt or a European country.
Part of the reason I mentioned Egypt wasn’t just because it’s my hometown, but rather their

enchanting plan towards a new administrative capital. This project will transform Egypt’s

architecture, and it plans to tackle pollution. Again, the architecture will deliver the public to the

people where everything needed is below someone’s house. Accessibility is something I

immensely value in architecture and hope to offer in the future. This plan will likely be

completed in the next three years. Even if I don’t get to be an architect working on such a

significant change, I want to be a part of future projects in Egypt or other countries. Again, I

want to be part of a substantial change. I am not entirely sure that I will be good at architecture

or that it will interest me in the future. As of now, the reasons I listed above influenced my

decision toward architecture.

Prototype of Egypt's new administrative capital plan (2015-?)