Hello! My name is Kunal Mehta; I am a first-year master's student in Architecture at the University of Oregon. I am neurodivergent and enjoy seeing the patterns in life, through my work I am able to help many people with affordable housing, regenerative architecture, and urban design; Which is the reason I chose to come to study in the Urban Design program in Barcelona, I wanted to learn more about how the framework of the city effects the daily lives of its population and how we as designers can influence the design to help improvethe daily lives of the communities it serves.
Coming to Barcelona was an experience outside my zone of reference, but knowing about its beautiful Architecture and culture, I was excited to try something new. I had a few friends from my cohort who were also in the program, which made it a lot easier to adjust, and I made some new friends in a prerequisite class that helped make the transition easier.
When I first arrived, I was surprised by the beauty of the city, but I had to overcome the first challenge of travel: transit. I have lived in San Francisco, so I am no stranger to transit. It was comforting to come off the plane and try to navigate the challenge with fellow travelers. With my knowledge of Spanish and skills of context clues, I made it out of the airport and stayed at an incredible hostel in the historic district of Poblenou, within walking distance of the Beach!
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I have been adjusting to the cuisine over here. Rosa, our kitchen manager, noticed I wasn’t eating much. She said it’s because I miss my mom’s home so much. I had to laugh; it has been the healthiest I have eaten in a while, since starting school. We have been having fresh fruits and vegetables; it's all very nice, but I will manage. I think it comes from just a change in pace and eating habits. I enjoy the food we’ve been having;it is fresh and vibrant with flavors, and incredibly filling.
We have begun our program at the RCR Vila, where we are exploring the land and listening to dynamic forces to design an installation that speaks with the land, finding a place. We are taking impression drawings, studying found objects, water coloring, diagramming, designing, building, and reflecting. It is also a rewarding experience to learn from great mentors of the RCR Architecture firm. They are giving our team the honor of integrating the design into their lands.
Kunal Mehta, Diverse Ducks Ambassador