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Blog Assignment Reflection

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  For my very last blog post for English 320, I decided to write a reflection on this blog as a whole. I have enjoyed making this blog far more than I thought I would! It's both fun and educational to look into things like my progress and developments in my chosen field. Researching current events has been particularly beneficial. It helps me gain appreciation for architecture and ideas for my own projects. Without this blog assignment, I honestly don't see myself doing that on my own. Posts where I reflected on my progress in this English class were also beneficial. Without pausing and thinking about my progress, I would miss it completely and finish the class thinking I didn't learn anything.  This kind of blog is something that could be translated to a professional environment. Architecture firms almost always have websites, and a blog is something that could enhance their company's site. They could talk about what they're working on and how it impacts the world,...
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Wrapping Up!

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My second year in college is coming to an end, so I thought I would reflect on the year as a whole.  The main thing that comes to mind when reflecting on this year is how much I and my peers have improved. Sometimes it feels like our projects are so long-term and incremental that I'm not actually learning anything. We don't spend a lot of time on concrete facts and formulas, and there aren't exactly boxes to check off to show our progress. But when I think about the beginning of this year, it's clear how far I've come. Our first-year projects were very abstract. This was the first year we actually got to design buildings, which is a big step in and of itself. Learning new software programs has been crucial in making my projects look more polished and professional and has improved my workflow. I've also improved my hand drawing ability and gained a new appreciation for sketches in an increasingly digital field. It's also remarkable just how different this yea...
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Architecture School Update #3

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Though we're nearing the end of the semester, school just keeps getting busier. In the next week and a half(ish), I have a project due in all 4 of my classes.  Due first is my design technology Rhino project, where I recreate the Farnsworth House in the design program Rhino. I've struggled through this one, but I feel good about it now that I'm almost done. I definitely learned a lot through the assignment and I'm excited for how Rhino can improve my projects in the future.  Due next is my structures project, which has been quite easy, and I'm almost done with. Essentially, we just had to model a structurally correct wood system in SketchUp. No complaints on this one! After that, I will be focusing all my attention on my studio project. The Longterm museum project will finally be presented next Friday. I feel good about what I have so far, but I have a ton to do in this next week. I am mentally preparing to have zero free time (or sleep) next week. That said, this p...
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Course objective #2

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With only a few weeks left in the semester, I decided to reflect on another course objective for my English 320 course. The objective I chose is as follows: I've improved the skills mentioned in this objective immensely since the beginning of the semester. I had written formal papers before but writing in a specifically professional manner was something I had no experience with. Now, I've learned how to use professional language and formatting in emails, memos, resumes, cover letters, progress reports, and more.  An integral part of this class has been collaboration and cooperation, as listed in the aforementioned objective. Though it's an online class and I've never seen my classmates face-to-face, we are given ample opportunities to work together. We comment on each other's work in discussion boards and perusal articles and do thorough peer editing for projects.  Receiving peer feedback has become very important to me because of this class. I am often made aware ...
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My Goals For the Remainder of the Semester

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Spring Break concluded 3 days ago, and it's been hard to get myself back in the school mindset. I'm hoping setting some goals for the rest of the semester will help me refocus.  Most of my classes are going well at the moment. My biggest projects are in my studio class, where we are designing an NDSU archives museum, and in my design technology class, where we are recreating the Farnsworth house in a new software program called Rhino.  My goals for my studio class are as follows: 1. Finalize my floorplan by this Friday, March 15th.  2. Have all details and building modeled by Monday, March 25th.  3. Finish my project by 5pm on Thursday, April 4th, so that I can have a good night's sleep before presenting.  4. Write out general points to present so that my ideas are fully conveyed and all the hard work I put in gets to be shown.  My goals for my design tech class are as follows: 1. Keep up with the pace that we're at in class. If I fall behind, I will watch ...
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Architecture Current Event: New Luxury Hotel Becomes Quatar's Tallest Building

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  The Lusail Towers, designed by Norman Foster, are nearing completion in Quatar after breaking ground in 2020. Foster, one of the most successful architects of today, has dedicated most of his career to making tall buildings.  The new buildings will reach heights of 988 feet, surpassing the current record holder, The Torch Doha. The design is part of a 1.1 million-square-meter project conceived by Foster + Partners, and the towers’ construction is a pivotal component of the larger masterplan for the city of Lusail.  Foster comments that he finds himself "engaging with cities in their infancy." The Lusail Towers have "made a mark for what is essentially a new district, laying down infrastructure for future generations.” Because of Quatar's hot climate, the building had to incorporate advanced shading and ventilation, and “marine-grade” aluminum coats the outside of it. This protects the glass from the sun, while maintaining natural views and light. One of the ma...
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Design Technology

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The past few weeks of school for me have had a heavy emphasis on design technology. I, along with the other second-year students, am taking a design technology class. Everything we are learning in the class is completely new, which makes it challenging yet exciting. It's difficult to create a building in a program when you don't even know how to scroll yet. About 2 weeks ago, we were assigned a project in the software SketchUp. This software, as I said, was brand new to us, and I had a hard time. A very hard time. I got very lost in our first lesson and just kind of never caught up. As a result, I put off the project until about 4 days before the due date. This may seem like a good chunk of time, but trust me, it's not enough. Nonetheless, by sacrificing some sleep and most of my sanity, I finished the assignment on time. It wasn't my best work, and I know I could've done better if I'd had more time, but it was done. I definitely learned a lot and improved immen...
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