A group of my classmates are interested in redeveloping a publication by our old critics that attempts to create a dialogue for architecture. The conversations we were having were thoughtful perceptions on our take towards architecture. While we were talking, I sat back and realized that it was a friday night and there were seven of us arguing our thoughts about design when it clicked with me that I am so privileged to be in an environment that challenges us so much that we want to discuss academia in our social lives. Personally I have been dorky enough my whole life that I have been searching for an environment like this since I'm kid, so its a perfect fit for me. I sought people out growing up who would just want to sit down and discuss some theory that overanalyzes a part of society for hours and love it. I think back to when I was in high school to what I wanted college to be, and with a few slight differences, what I experienced tonight, sitting around with friends with beer and pizza, discussing the theories that we hope can actually have purpose to society, is what I desired. Previous to studio, I have felt the lack of that intellectual stimulus that is necessary. I know that this is just the beginning too.

I like conversations with purpose. Conversation is not superfluous.

The judgmental part of myself gripes about the cheesiness I am exposing to the "world" right now, but I am learning to accept that I am an architecture dork. There is no way around. I love it.

I hope to post some images of the publication we create. I know that we are far away from actually having something in print, but hopefully we'll work hard to get something in before the semester ends.

In other studio news, we are almost about to start our actual design to our urban design project. The critics gave us Chestertown, MD as our site. Its a quaint, country farm town on the Eastern Shore that the Ny Times quoted as the number one rural destination in America. It seems like a stretch to name it as number one, but the town is quite nice. At first, I was concerned at the relevance of designing in such an established historic town that didn't appear to have a dire need for an urban intervention. Yet, after listening to the presentations on the different parts of the town, I humbly detracted my disapproving comments. There are quite a few design opportunities in the area to work with. My current challenge that I plan to investigate is as a design student, when do you balance the practicality of what can actually work or when do you just introduce impossible ideas that still provide insightful, challenging ideas? I am aware that this is a large question to architecture yet despite my awareness, I have grown little in coming to an understanding. Our professor yelled at us today for being to conservative. Apparently, we were the kindergartens that never colored outside the lines. My goal is to learn how to color outside the lines, purposefully.