Building the future.

Moving from Ethiopia to Kent and returning to study are big life changes, but Nahom has found the transition a smooth one. ‘Architecture is a complex field. To be successful you need to embrace new experiences, to travel and be exposed to different environmental conditions. Coming to Kent to study for a Master’s in Architecture and the Sustainable Environment is an adventure for me, a chance to expand my life experience while improving my understanding of architecture.

It’s been an amazing experience so far, meeting people from all over the world whose passion for architecture matches mine. The resources are fantastic and I’m learning so much from my lecturers and from my fellow students. I’m developing as a person and as an architect.

I’m a Chevening scholar, so regularly meet with the other scholars, we support each other and chat about how we can work together in the future. I feel very at home here. I feel like I belong.’

While focusing on his course, Nahom is taking advantage of other opportunities too: ‘There’s a lot going on at Kent! I’ve attended Global Skills Award workshops on a wide range of topics, collecting enough points to be considered for a summer internship.’

Keen to leave a positive footprint, Nahom has a unique way of describing his own practice: ‘I sum up what I do as “design for humanity”, which means considering the aesthetics of a building, but also creating a space where people feel comfortable, that contributes to the environment, that’s functional and, of course, that it is as sustainable as it can be. I want my buildings to be beautiful but not just on the outside.

In the future, I’m looking forward to using my expertise and knowledge back home in Ethiopia and internationally to bring about positive change in our built environment.’