mapping_ais.pdf By Meryerhi Efe-Duku

Maddie Anderson This map shows where I’ve been and where I’m heading. From a ‘street’ of childhood homes and first sense of place, to Abu Dhabi, where travel widened my sense of design, a route stitched by choice. There are detours present: choosing art, listening to the ‘road of doubts’. At the centre is the now, October 2026, and the question: what kind of architect do I want to be? One who is curious, connects with people and place, respects what already exists, designs for those too often left out, and above all is kind. The needle and thread wait at the staircase to the future. The thread isn’t finished, and neither am I.

Leena Shandala My journey through architecture has been shaped by movement between places, cultures and ways of living. Mosul taught me the value of heritage, identity and community; Dubai and Abu Dhabi introduced me to ambition, innovation and new possibilities; and Manchester continues to shape how I learn, question and practise. Moving between these places has taught me to observe before designing, to question rather than assume, and to understand architecture through people as much as buildings. Moving forward, I want to practise with curiosity, care, resourcefulness, responsibility and openness, creating architecture that responds meaningfully to people, place and change.

Areej Khatri When a place influences you spiritually and emotionally, it becomes a part of who you are. An experience, a feeling, a shock, a fear, a tear of joy. A building, a home, a community - is it yours? Belonging: here, or there? Finding yourself in the spaces between two places, finding your home in neither one. Architecture is for people. It is an experience to be had, a feeling to be felt. It is a connection between here and there, exploring environments. Gain something from every experience, practice, and create something beautiful out of it.

Hirra Masood There is no linear way to express my journey through architecture. The architect I want to be is moulded and shaped through the lives I have lived. Yet the same question arises once again: do I want to be an Architect? Each component of my map expresses a section of my life that, one way or another, changed how I perceive space. Many people I have met through this journey have influenced me; Yasmeen Lari’s concept of “barefoot architecture” has stuck with me ever since. Whilst I am unsure of what my path exactly will entail, I am certain that I want to challenge traditional boundaries, dedicating my work to humanitarian research and disaster-relief architecture that puts people first.

Dominika Olszewska An international childhood has defined architecture as a facilitator for life. Memories of different countries, cultures, homes and lives overlap and intersect. A piece of every place travels and grows with me. I wanted to represent my architectural identity as surreal. Details which collectively make the world feel like home. Born in Poland, the outdoors is at the centre of my favourite memories. Moving to Dubai inspired my interest in the realisation of innovative ideas. Prague's cobblestone streets brought back my love for the traditional. The UK has been a combination of old and new, and the start of my architectural education. The future is an exciting unknown but I am certain of the architect I would like to become, emphasising reverence and curatorship across my previous and future work.