When I look around my diverse community of NYC I ponder whether I can be as good, as powerful or as inspirational as those architects who created such a clever utopia from Manhattan. When I was little I used to play with legos, I used to paint and loved to travel. These are all things normal kids do, but I took them very seriously. My passion for architecture rose when I first took a tour of the empire state building. I got to see all of New York at its best. Entering opened a world not only of aesthetics but also of model making, sketching and a pride in one's work that I never had before.

For my first project I was asked to create a local teenage hangout for Paley Park. I learned a valuable lesson; that with such great monuments and buildings comes hard work and labor. Surprisingly, I did very well. It's a feeling that a proud parent has for his child. My next project introduced to me model-making. It looked so simple but the truth was hidden beneath the nicely shaped cardboard and sharp blades. My favorite tool was the ruler. It was the only piece that gave you a sense of direction and perfection. At the end I felt astonished at my creation.

Whenever I finish a work of art I want people to question it and challenge it. It shows me that it is different and that people actually care. My most memorable experience so far has been meeting Vito, a renowned professional architect. I learned a lot about the architectural field. I also learned that architecture is about space, not what goes over it. As an aspiring architect I hope to get better at my craft as the years pass. But last and certainly not least, I hope to utilize all of my creativity and create something more than a building, park or house; I hope to create art.