By Students for Students
“Architecture needs to be experienced. Architecture is passion. Students need to be able to feel that passion. Physical tours would let visitors interact with our students and see their works, as well as immerse in the space.”
Prof Ho Puay Peng, Head
Department of Architecture, NUS
If you are like 18-year-old Amy Ni, a fresh Junior College graduate, wondering if your choice of study is the right one, speaking to insiders had helped her. By insiders, we mean the likes of Year 1 Architecture student turned student ambassador for a day, Daryl Lim, to show visitors the Architecture “Open Studios”.
Daryl was among the 11 students the NUS Department of Architecture (DOA) had engaged to host visitors at a walkthrough that was part of the DOA campus tour. The campus tour is an in-person activity of our Open House 2021.
More than happy to be a student ambassador, Daryl actually wanted to give back, citing his own experience. He recalled: “Before I came to NUS, Open House was very important in helping me make a decision back then. I got to speak to students reading the Bachelor of Arts (Architecture). Speaking to these seniors and the professors had given me a better idea of what Architecture is about. Had I not talked to someone about it, I wouldn’t have been able to have sound understanding.”
As to how Amy found the “Open Studios” tour, she says, “It was really great that we got to look at students’ works. It was also an informative session. Architecture would be one of my choices of study at NUS.” She attended the tour with her mother and a friend.
Utterly delighted, Amy’s mother, Jane Jin, shares, “Thanks to such a physical tour, I was able to speak to the Head of Department (HOD), who helped me better understand the programme. I found out more from interacting and engaging with the people on site.”
HOD Prof Ho Puay Peng also alluded to the importance of physical tours. He explains: “Architecture needs to be experienced. Architecture is passion. Prospective students need to be able to feel that passion. Physical tours such as what we put up will let people interact with students and see their works, as well as immerse in the space.”
Prospective students get to hear first-hand what reading the Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) is about while on a tour of the Open Architecture Studios.
The Architecture “Open Studios” walkthrough comprised seven mini tours, lasting 5 hours, and attended by 52 visitors. The mini tours held on Saturday 6 March 2021, were also live-streamed on Zoom to offer a hybrid experience.