mapping_ais.pdf By Meryerhi Efe-Duku

hannah_richardson.pdf By Hannah Richardson

Maddie Anderson This map shows where I’ve been and where I’m heading. From a ‘street’ of childhood homes and first sense of place, to Abu Dhabi, where travel widened my sense of design, a route stitched by choice. There are detours present: choosing art, listening to the ‘road of doubts’. At the centre is the now, October 2026, and the question: what kind of architect do I want to be? One who is curious, connects with people and place, respects what already exists, designs for those too often left out, and above all is kind. The needle and thread wait at the staircase to the future. The thread isn’t finished, and neither am I.

Leena Shandala My journey through architecture has been shaped by movement between places, cultures and ways of living. Mosul taught me the value of heritage, identity and community; Dubai and Abu Dhabi introduced me to ambition, innovation and new possibilities; and Manchester continues to shape how I learn, question and practise. Moving between these places has taught me to observe before designing, to question rather than assume, and to understand architecture through people as much as buildings. Moving forward, I want to practise with curiosity, care, resourcefulness, responsibility and openness, creating architecture that responds meaningfully to people, place and change.

Areej Khatri When a place influences you spiritually and emotionally, it becomes a part of who you are. An experience, a feeling, a shock, a fear, a tear of joy. A building, a home, a community - is it yours? Belonging: here, or there? Finding yourself in the spaces between two places, finding your home in neither one. Architecture is for people. It is an experience to be had, a feeling to be felt. It is a connection between here and there, exploring environments. Gain something from every experience, practice, and create something beautiful out of it.

Hirra Masood There is no linear way to express my journey through architecture. The architect I want to be is moulded and shaped through the lives I have lived. Yet the same question arises once again: do I want to be an Architect? Each component of my map expresses a section of my life that, one way or another, changed how I perceive space. Many people I have met through this journey have influenced me; Yasmeen Lari’s concept of “barefoot architecture” has stuck with me ever since. Whilst I am unsure of what my path exactly will entail, I am certain that I want to challenge traditional boundaries, dedicating my work to humanitarian research and disaster-relief architecture that puts people first.

Dominika Olszewska An international childhood has defined architecture as a facilitator for life. Memories of different countries, cultures, homes and lives overlap and intersect. A piece of every place travels and grows with me. I wanted to represent my architectural identity as surreal. Details which collectively make the world feel like home. Born in Poland, the outdoors is at the centre of my favourite memories. Moving to Dubai inspired my interest in the realisation of innovative ideas. Prague's cobblestone streets brought back my love for the traditional. The UK has been a combination of old and new, and the start of my architectural education. The future is an exciting unknown but I am certain of the architect I would like to become, emphasising reverence and curatorship across my previous and future work.

Jiayue Fan

I imagine myself as a river, shaped by the mountains I pass through. My undergraduate studies and work experience have shaped the way I see architecture today. Inspired by Carlo Scarpa, I am interested in how different layers of time and history can exist together in one space. I don't see time as a straight line, but as layers that overlap and continue to shape the present. I think the architecture I create should also become part of these layers. As I continue my MArch journey, I am still exploring where the river will take me and what kind of architect I want to become.

Zoya Ali

I have chosen to represent the map through the concept of ripples, as the different aspects of my identity are interconnected, constantly influencing one another and contributing to my growth. Each ripple represents a different part of who I am, reflecting my experiences, interests, values and aspirations. Rather than existing independently, these aspects overlap and evolve together. For instance, my creative side influences my architectural perspective, while my experiences in architecture continue to shape my creativity and imagination. The Forest of Influences represents the experiences, inspirations and interests that have shaped my journey and guided me towards a creative path. The Spatial Ripple reflects the values and principles I aspire to embody as a future architect. The Creative Ripple reflects my imagination, curiosity and desire to explore new ideas, while the Anxious Ripple acknowledges the uncertainties and challenges that are equally a part of my identity and personal growth. Ultimately, all these ripples, together with my ambitions and aspirations, converge to shape The Way Forward. Just as ripples expand outwards, I see myself constantly evolving, learning and growing,with each experience contributing to the person and architect I hope to become.

Josie Piddington

The size of each place that has been a part of my journey reflects the significance of my growth, experience and development at that stage, whether through people I encountered, lessons I learnt and experiences that shaped decisions. Thin thread depicts moments I was reminded of experiences, people and feelings from a previous place. Places become vessels for traces of relationships, growth and memories that continue to impact my journey. Shifting the focus from my route through places, to what each place holds.

Izzy Brennand file:///Users/izzybrennand/Downloads/IMG_0605.JPG

Yi Mei Koh

It turns out, I can run away from home all I want, but in one way or another, home doesn't really leave you. However chaotic, However rigid, However thick the boundaries the confine you, However many steps you take away from home, Home will always be a part of you, however apart you are.

Draw a map! The first map that I could think of was home. What started out as an idle doodle of a map, became a drawing that symbolically defined what it means to me to be an architect. The thick lines are the boundaries of the city, which exists within a state. In real life, Kuala Lumpur grew too fast prematurely, disregarding the need for order and thrived in chaos. In a way, that's how I feel sometimes. However, everything that exists outside the city's boundaries gentrified itself to have order and structure.

As we all know, gentrification is the enemy of personality. The kind of architect I want to become emulates this idea, where I would like to integrate this chaos of personality into the structured systems of the gentry.

Maya Daryono

Folded up Folded out

This map depicts where I am/have been/might be in the scope of architecure. From Grayson Perry I take the idea that I am my experiences, and that the barrier called my 'skin' or Grayson's 'wall' in his 'Map of Days' is permeable, able to absorb from the environment ideas and influences. I build on this idea by thinking of Enric Miralles, who was a Catalan architect practicing internationally from the late 70s. His practice saw the conception of architecture as an open system in constant transformation. This is how I see my 'architectural self'. Something flexible, malleable with time and constantly shifting form. I am also inspired by Miralles' collages. Whilst his would often respond to site or aid design development, and mine maps myself, both document present thoughts and observations. This map serves as a reference point and I am sure it will expand with each new idea, a new fold.