Although our semester went by so quickly, each and every day in this city has been immensely fulfilling. I think we all knew that the time would fly by, but there was simply no way for us to predict the unbelievable amount of academic, professional, and personal growth that would happen in just one semester.
Whether it was meeting new people in the industry, studying an urban environment with a studio project that was extremely relevant to the city of New York, or simply having fun nights out during the weekends, the semester provided a plethora of valuable experiences that have an have greatly shaped our education and personas. (Some people think that the NYC Semester is very intense as you’ll balance internships, studio, & classes- and it is! However, you become so great with time management that you will absolutely manage to schedule fun in! It’s fantastic, and essential.)
Both AAP NYC architecture studios just completed their final reviews last week! Critics on both reviews included talented and diverse professionals in the city. My studio, “The Public’s Private Apartment,” led by Michael Bell and Eunjeong Song of Visible Weather, received valuable critiques from directors from within the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) as well as professors from Columbia University with many years of experience with public housing.
Slowly but surely, the studio is getting cleaner as students clear their desks and get ready to head home. The remarkable views from the AAP NYC Studio will definitely be missed as we head back Ithaca next semester.
Thank you Cornell, for such a wonderful program and amazing opportunity.
For many of us, the AAP NYC Program was our first experience living & working in NYC, and it provided a platform for us to start a career in the city while simultaneously studying and being immersed in an urban environment. So even though it is the end of the semester, perhaps it’s a bit comforting to realize that it’s really just the end of “Chapter 1.”