To me, architecture is far more important than just designing buildings that look beautiful. Architecture is a way of communicating ideas, bringing people and communities together. It is about giving importance to design and its real world functionality from the smallest to the largest scale. The success of architecture always relies on the synergy between design and habitation.

Currently, I am a fourth year student, pursuing my Bachelor of Architecture degree at Iowa State University. The academic experience that I have acquired over the past four years has also helped me develop the knowledge that I have, regarding Architecture and Urban Design. Additionally, I have expanded my willingness to learn new things and my constant aim to improve my skills, and respectively, learn new ones.

Working as an Architectural intern in my home country, Cyprus, last summer was an extremely educational and eye-opening experience, and likewise, studying abroad in Rome this spring semester has taught me a lot. These two experiences have helped me gain a better understanding of how Architecture and Urban Design work at an international level, and how learning from the past, in an ancient city such as Rome, can help us create a better future.