2024-05-15T15:03:36-04:00 https://archinect.com/blog/article/150262141/writing-as-visual-learning David Kuo 2021-05-03T20:50:07-04:00 >2024-02-13T14:16:08-05:00 <p>Full disclosure, I have always disliked writing, the rigidness of the formats from researching a topic to constructing an argument. I would get so frustrated because it feels like writing requires me to follow certain rules, someone else&rsquo;s rules. Following has never been my strong suit, I tend to go the opposite direction. However, I started to get a different feel for writing from this class I&rsquo;m taking this semester. The class focuses on &ldquo;freewriting&rdquo; where I can simply reflect my thoughts, and not have to worry about having perfect introductions or strong conclusions. It is no longer about writing to meet the requirement of word counts or the number of sources. I now think of writing as a tool that helps me think better and see clearer in a way. From time to time, I would wake up in the morning and just write down some of my thoughts from the architectural problems I am facing or just the mood I am in. The more I write the more I realize how powerful written words can be. I no lon...</p> https://archinect.com/blog/article/150261809/quarantine-as-an-architecture-student David Kuo 2021-04-30T19:22:45-04:00 >2023-10-10T21:01:08-04:00 <p>The year 2020 is often dubbed as the year to forget, ever since the pandemic started, all our lives have been affected in more ways than one. The quarantine took place right before Spring break of last year. I remember just finishing up the midterm review and getting ready for a relaxing break to recharge and decompress. Little did we all know it was the last time we would have to physically go to school in the foreseeable future. At the beginning, like everyone else, I immediately rejected the notion of staying home and leaving the social life that we have grown accustomed to. I thought about all the things I had to sacrifice and wondered if things would ever be the same.&nbsp;</p> <p>For the first week or so, I had a hard time adjusting to this new lifestyle. I would often complain and think about what could&rsquo;ve been. But then I realized that no matter how much we complain, the situation is out of our control. So instead I focused on the things that I could control.&nbsp;</p> <p>Starting with meditation, ...</p> https://archinect.com/blog/article/150254997/virtual-reality-for-architectural-history David Kuo 2021-03-15T14:21:43-04:00 >2024-03-15T01:45:58-04:00 <p>Every building has a story to tell, an experience to share. But it is hard to do so just by looking at pictures and drawings, without being immersed by surroundings, and engaged with one&rsquo;s senses. That is why millions of people travel around the world every year visiting ancient wonders and ruins, to experience up close and feel the scale of the structures. However, not everyone has the opportunity to explore the world. As technology advances, we could use virtual reality to rebuild the ancient worlds, allowing all of us to explore and learn from history remotely.</p> <p>In the field of architecture, virtual reality is mostly for commercial purposes. The technology offers better experience when presenting to clients, and one day will be used as a design tool. There is huge potential for virtual reality in architecture, but to me, nothing is as exciting as creating a virtual world of architecture.</p> <p>As an architecture student, I dream about one day standing between the columns of Parthenon or...</p> https://archinect.com/blog/article/150252422/shifts-in-perspective David Kuo 2021-02-28T23:57:42-05:00 >2021-04-21T17:11:47-04:00 <p>The world is changing at a very fast pace, not just the landscape, but also our perspective, and architecture is no different.</p> <p> Most animals rely on shelter for survival, humans especially. We started from hiding in caves and stacking rocks to building castles and churches. Architecture emerges as we mix shelter with other intentions such as religion, culture, and expression. Carvings, painting, sculpting, poetry, and much more became part of the story, the experience.&nbsp;</p> <p>Architecture like everything else was also a way of discovery. Leonardo da Vinci studied nature, mechanics, anatomy, physics, and architecture just to name a few. His curiosity about the world is what drove him to countless discoveries and inventions. Having knowledge in various subjects allowed him to have multiple perspectives on the same problems.</p> <p>Nowadays, there are so many labels for who we are, our job, our age, our gender, our interest, and so on. It feels like everyone is just looking for a category where the...</p>