Beginnings

Although this is the end of my undergrad academic career it is far from a summation of my education I see it more as a synthesis of my understanding of architecture- thus far my suggestions of what architecture can do for the world we live in, why it is important to me in discovering my place, my purpose, and my work. I guess i am a product of my christian background this quest is as important to me now as is was when posed to me in Sunday school however many years ago.

I find my generation powerlessly complacent in the face of circumstance i don't know how it happened but we seem to feel content in observing life nothing stirs us into action, I hate that feeling. I remember the first time i ever understood what it was to be helpless, 1994 evening news on KBC a warning notice flashed on the screen, children were advised not to watch, adults were warned that the images would be shockingly disturbing, of course we watched. I'd never seen so many dead bodies in my life, men, women, children slashed up and flung in the streets no one was left to bury them, to honor their decency, cover their naked bodies from the rest of the world. I don't suppose it mattered nothing decent could be derived from that moment but to my young mind it seemed even more of a violation for me to see them like that.

That was the first time I remember feeling helpless, useless, powerless neither I nor my parents could do anything. From the safety of our home within the safety of our Kenyan borders we watched.

Now, so many years later having seen more chaos, war and many more dead bodies than i had ever imagined always from the safe distance allowed by my TV or computer screen I naively think i have the power to do something, to effect change, peace, happiness. Deep inside where economies of scale, political influence, and everyday realities seem somewhat blurred i believe we all do, we just have to find our way of doing it each according to his/ her own capacity.