Through Architecture, I want to express myself in a more interesting way.

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Architecture has always been a self-motivated discipline that demands immense amounts of determination. Thus, it is undoubtedly a lifelong challenge to learn Architecture. While I found myself disappointed with the JUPAS result, HKU SPACE CC offered me an opportunity to rediscover my journey.

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The Higher Diploma in Architectural Studies programme at HKU SPACE CC is a well-organized programme that provides all-round training for its students. It encourages the balance between 3-D designs and design resolutions, the exploration in historic and cultural contexts, as well as applications in the local practical field. In addition to this witnessing is always one of the best ways to understand Architecture. Here, the programme arranges a field trip every year for students to interact with award-winning architects through their work. In this way, students will also develop and sharpen their critical judgment while being introduced to an array of precedents.

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As competitive as this career is, you will surely experience a taste of the attitude and responsibility needed to possess in the career path, let alone the numerous job placements posted by the department every summer.

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With a high level of autonomy, I have been able to express my ideas through different media and in-depth research. Also, my work stayed consistent through cross-related modules in the programme. Taking full control over my projects, these two years of self-learning experience have taught me a valuable lesson in discipline.

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More importantly, the 2-year programme enriched my portfolio with a collection of projects, on a scale from delicate installations, public pavilions, to large museums. Providing me with a solid base in designing, the programme has enabled me to further pursue my study for BA (Hons) in Architecture at the Oxford Brookes University.

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Whether you would like to start practicing in the field or continue on furthering studies, this programme will certainly be an efficient way to help you equip yourself with everything you need to achieve your goals.

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Trust your instincts and never let go of what you want to do. The Higher Diploma in Architectural Studies programme at HKU SPACE CC might as well be another option to understand your powers and limits. Step out of your comfort zone and explore yourself.

To fellow students who are in pursuit of Architecture, I wish you all success in your future!

My school life in HKU SPACE is fruitful yet challenging, here are five key elements that summarized the 2 years of Archi-life.

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First, team work is quintessential to every aspect of my learning experience, from learning to cooperate and communicate to achieve a goal that could not otherwise be achieved, to sharing ideas and learning from each other. This makes you and the team/ classmate grow together.

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Second, active learning is part of architecture. While an engineer knows everything about something, an architect ought to know something about everything. This is very different from secondary school life, where instead of being told, you have to decide on your scope of study, decide on your design direction where there is no right and wrong. For example, in one the projects we participated - Together We Build, we were given an objective to design a furniture for an elderly center. To build something, you have to understand a lot of different aspects, including the end user, the site, the surrounding environment, which you also have to decide how to conduct your own survey. You need to constantly put yourself into the end users’ shoes to build a good design that suit their lifestyle.

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Third, a Can-do mentality is crucial to an architectural student. You should never give up before you try, because then you would never know what you are capable of. One of the projects we built is a 1 to 1 scale model, and we chose an aquaponics system, which turned out to be incredibly complex, extremely difficult. But more importantly, doable.

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Which brings me to the fourth point. Passion is what helps you through the day, gives you the Can-do mentality, and helps you knock down obstacles one by one. Architectural students are those who keep improving the design within the time given, where there will no doubt be obstacles. Having my passion is what drives me to overcome them, make us stronger and more persistent, and helps us from our failures.

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Fifth, I’m also glad to have such a great team of tutors and mentors here. They are very experienced in their fields, some are even still in the field with up-to-date practical suggestions, know-how and advices. They are all willing to and patient to share their thoughts and experiences, which have for sure sped up my learning curve.

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If you ask me, I will say architectural study is really fun, because it is not just about schooling, it is a mindset, a way of thinking, a key for us to open up our curiosity to the everyday life. 

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Miranda’s portfolio