1987 Bachelor of Architecture
Aric Andrew

The proposal entails a journey from east to west, following the path of the sun along the sea, beginning in Istanbul and ending in Barcelona. Along this journey one will encounter many different people and cultures. Places of great diversity, yet every point along the way is similar in climate, topography, the sun, the sea, and is even under the same rule at times.

The architecture I desire to study is likewise similar even though its making is of different times and places. An architecture that is derived from necessity, somewhat of a vernacular, for lack of a better word. Necessity not for shelter alone, but also necessity of life. Structures that are informed by one's technology and available materials. Forms that are inspired by their function and the climate. Architecture that expresses the ideas of a culture, or simply of one man and his interpretation of the world, all of which are celebrated in light.

Factors in such a common land would seem to produce an identical architecture or style. This architecture is absent of any style; rather, it is pure in its manifestation of an idea for living, intricate in its interpretation of the cosmology of its inhabitants. For me, this architecture takes on a timeless quality, not only addressing the time of its making, but embodying an abstract purity that strikes emotion in people of all times. The place where this architecture may be found is the very essence of architecture, that is, the dwelling and that with which one dwells. This may also be found in the most basic of social interactions; where people educate, govern, trade, and worship among themselves. These places, in turn, should be models for more complex social and urban conditions.

Thus, a journey of learning that looks beyond the monuments and façades, and penetrates deep for the meaning of a lasting architecture. A journey through a place where many different worlds come together. Breaking barriers of religion, philosophy, and culture to find the common factors that produce a timeless architecture.

Impact of the Award

June 24, 1996

Winning the SOM Foundation award was a very meaningful and compelling experience. The journey to southern Europe provided an excellent addition and closure to my undergraduate studies at the College of Architecture at the University of Kentucky. I draw on the memories of my travels daily in my professional practice, particularly remembering the clarity and elegance of the traditional European building types and urban spaces. Very often, I browse through my travel sketchbook and always see or think of something I haven’t seen or thought of before. I also enjoy reading some of the letters I wrote to my oldest daughter, Sara, who was one year old at the time and accompanied us on the trip.