Interview #03 Dashnyam.G

How was it when you first started working after graduation?
“I started working from my 3rd year at university. It felt very difficult at first. During interviews, I would be given a topic and asked to do hand sketches, then they would say to immediately make a model. That’s when I learned a lot from using programs to many other things. Since I already had a drawing background, creating concepts came a bit easier.”

How do you develop your concepts?
“When I was in college in the drawing class, we had a subject called ‘composition.’ No matter what topic was given, we had to express it through drawing. At first, it was very difficult and confusing. My teacher said, ‘Something comes from nothing; observe your surroundings composition topics are everywhere.’ That sentence stuck with me, and since then I started observing my surroundings to find composition ideas. Eventually, I got used to seeing the center and surroundings of things, figuring out how they interact to form a composition. In university, my composition topic became buildings. That’s how I come up with my initial ideas. Of course, everyone develops their ideas differently.”

Why did you decide to become an architect instead of an artist?
“After defending my diploma in the drawing program, our teacher asked each of us what we wanted to do after graduation, which school we would attend, etc. I had no plan. I thought, based on someone else’s answer, maybe I’ll join the architecture program at the University of Science and Technology. The teacher asked me, ‘Can you do it?’ After that, I attended classes and managed to get into university. I’m very grateful to that teacher I even thanked them later. At the time, they probably thought I couldn’t do it.”

Why do you enjoy your profession?
“One reason I enjoy this profession is that when I was in the drawing class, the more I drew, the better it looked, and finishing a drawing gave me a really satisfying feeling. In architecture, when I develop the main idea and see it come together beautifully, it’s the same feeling. I’d tell other architects to enjoy the process of creating what you’re working on.”

Are there any challenges?
“Not really. As I develop concepts, I get the hang of it. When I get bored, I start drawing working drawings, and learning new things keeps it interesting. I enjoy seeing the small details in the drawings coming together neatly. For me, whether a drawing will actually be built or not doesn’t matter I’m creating the design as an artwork. Later, other concerns come in, but I focus on the creative process. If I get a new idea while working on a concept, I sketch it alongside the current one. There are plenty of versions that the client may not like, but previous ideas often help in future projects. Unapproved versions can be revisited and improved they all become experience. Clients, of course, consider cost and functionality.”

What do you do in your free time?
“In my free time, I want to draw. I have ideas for sizes, types, and topics of drawings, but I haven’t started yet. Once I begin, I know I’ll continue gradually, so I plan to include it as a goal for next year and finish it.”