Alright. Here goes. Would really appreciate some input. They're requiring 500 word statement.

Currently I'm at 545, plus an extra section where I'm not sure how to integrate in there or if I even
should. Is it a big no no to go over the word limit??
There are three forms of Visual Art. Painting is art to look at, Sculpture is art you can walk
around, and Architecture is art you can walk through Dan Rice.
Since childhood, I have always delved in one form of art or another. Not just visual art, but music
and writing as well. I have always shown interest in drawing, painting, writing short stories, and
singing. Born into a mostly pragmatic family, my artistic side has not gone unnoticed. Fortunately,
my parents had taken interest and further encouraged me to unleash my creativity.
I cant say that Architecture was a certainty right from the beginning. However, upon completing
high school and when the time came to make a decision, I did not hesitate. I found myself applying
to every Architecture school in Egypt. Once I got accepted in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Department
of Architecture at the University of Alexandria, I made the 150 mile move and did not look back.
Through my bachelor degree studies, I have gained the foundation necessary to place me in the
Architecture field. My courses have provided me with a wide variety of design methods, an
introduction to history of classical architecture and the different Architecture styles; from
Romanesque to Revivalism to Modernism. I have adapted the tools and techniques essential to
express ones ideas and concepts into more visual, expressive productions.
Upon graduation I moved to the United States, particularly the DMV area to launch my career in
Architecture. My experience working in the Unites States has expanded my knowledge to include
building methods uniquely used in USA, which proved challenging but rewarding. Through my
professional years, and taking part in multiple Architecture Workshops in Egypt, USA, and Italy, I
have gained experience and skills in Architectural and Structural Design, producing state of the art
Construction Documents and Presentations using multiple softwares ranging from AutoCAD, Adobe
Photoshop, 3D Max Studio and REVIT Architecture.
Living my entire life in major Metropolitan cities (Cairo, Washington, DC) I have slowly developed a
fascination with Urbanism and its cultural and sociological impact on human agency and behavior.
For I believe that Architecture and Urbanism are not just a matter of aesthetic structures, but
rather means of communication between its users and inhabitants. Living in the DMV area for the
past five years, I have witnessed firsthand the gentrification of several neighborhoods in
Washington, DC, its transformation to a bike friendly city and how this addition has impacted the
nature of consumer habits, as well as the social and cultural activities taking place throughout the
city.
I believe that through my studies at the University of the District of Columbia under the College of
Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, Architecture and Urban Design
Division, I will have the opportunity to receive the education and fundamentals necessary to
become an integrated part of this Urban Development phenomenon. Upon examining the
curriculum, I realize that the program will offer me with essential knowledge in Sustainable and
Urban Community Design that matches my interests and that will allow me to contribute to my
skills to this amazing community. Washington, DC has quickly become part of my identity, and
continuing my studies within its very own higher education institution would indeed be a great
privilege.

(Extra piece)
Through the years, and ever since deciding to pursue Architecture as my vocation, I have
continuously found myself travelling, first to jump start, and subsequently further advance in my

profession. But, my travels to seek more out of Architecture did not stop at moving to the United
States.
In summer of 2010 I had joined an Architecture Workshop lAquila, Italy, a city that had suffered a
major earthquake the year before. Through the workshop I along with my team got the chance to
produce a prototype design of a Mobile Micro Library for the children in the settlement and
proceeded to build it from salvaged materials.
Upon returning to the states, I gave a short presentation of the design prototype at the
Architecture for Humanity New York Chapter Design Conference Design like you give a Damn: LIVE
2010 Design Open Mic. My design and presentation received multiple interests from audiences and
was featured on the website of one the Architects in attendance.