My Fulbright Experience

My Experience at The Rice School of Architecture was extremely fruitful despite of its shortness. I became more capable of presenting my ideas in a strong, consistent way. Furthermore, there was an incredible balance between the focus on technical aspects along with theoretical reinforcement and creative thinking. During the first two semesters I designed two projects, one was a high-detailed mixed-use tower as part of the "Totalization" studio, which is a unique part of my program that allows students to engage in the complexities underlying every architectural project from building systems to architectural financing. I coordinated this project with renowned consultants in the architectural and engineering field, while the other project I completed was more experimental and imaginary.

I was privileged to have my summer internship at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) in San Francisco. SOM is one of the largest and most influential architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world. Founded in 1936, they have completed more than 10,000 projects across 50-plus countries. SOM is renowned for its iconic buildings and its steadfast commitment to design excellence, innovation, and sustainability. During this internship, I had the valuable experience of going to on-site visits to projects designed by SOM that were under construction. The firm also gave a series of lectures regarding their working strategy, technical skills, software, and sustainability issues.

Upon my return to my home country Jordan, I am planning to use all of the skills and experience that I gained at Rice specifically, and exposure in the United States in general, to develop the local architectural discipline.

Rasem Kamal is a Jordanian Fulbrighter pursuing a Master of Architecture at Rice University.