Visiting London was a dream come true to me. It’s definitely one of my favorite places that I have ever been to. Seeing all the architecture that we learned about and experiencing all the landscapes we learned over the past 3 years was definitely amazing. It definitely felt so different and even more prettier in real life. I felt like pictures cannot show the beauty of the architecture. I loved everything about London (Except the part when my phone got stolen). My favorite part is that I got a chance to travel with my best friend and also studio partner and go to our favorite buildings together. I got so many ideas from all the towers and building we saw, I wished that studio stayed the same way to actually reflect all the ideas I saw. Even with all the things that was going on, we kept on going and experiencing all the places we planned on going to. I really appreciate all the offered Aimee and Troy put to make it possible to all of us to keep the trip as planned. I also hoped that I still have my phone to post some of the pictures I took. I cannot wait to go back to London and experience it in a different way.

On our visit outside the city yesterday, i was so exited to see Stourhead. It’s been the place that I want to visit ever since my freshman year. I was waiting for that day. I was hoping to spend more time on it and do a sketch there, but the weather didn’t go right. When we first entered, I saw the painting becoming real. That was very interesting, and so mush better than I imagined. My favorite part was the grotto, it was so much bigger than I thought. And the view from the opening was amazing. I loved every detail about it, and how beautiful this landscape is.

Going to the next stop, Salisbury Cathedral was the most beautiful place in the day trip yesterday. I loved the Cathedral and the town. It was also bigger than I thought, and it has so many details that made me just look at it nonstop. I loved the town as well, it felt like a place I want to live in, so relaxing and small and active. The smell of the bakeries and how old the buildings was, I think it was prefect for a day out of the big city. I wished we spent more time on it and walk more and experience everything about that place.

View from the nave of Salisbury Cathedral

Reflecting of the wall to the fountain in the middle

Details of Salisbury Cathedral.

View from grotto to the landscape

View of Stourhead

St. Paul’s was my favorite place to visit so far. I was so exited to visit it ever since I started architecture. It was very nice to visit St. Paul’s on the first day. I knew it was going to be a beautiful building, but when we walked out of the underground station and I saw it, it took my breath away. I was very impressed with the exterior, and the details. I stayed there looking at it for the longest time, just because I couldn’t get enough of how perfect it was. It looked way bigger than what I imagined it, I took me time to go around it.

When I went to the inside, it looked so much better. It was hard to go up the stairs, took me a while to get there. But after seeing the view it was definitely worth it. I loved how we could see all London with different types of architecture, which it also helped me get inspired with the next studio project we are working at. Even though we viewed London in so many different, St. Paul’s was my favorite view out of all of them. I think the way going up to it would be part of the reason why it looked that way. Going up in these small steps to a very pretty view at the end, it’s like reward at the end of the experience.

St. Paul’s dome from the inside.

View from top of St. Paul’s to Tate Modern

St. Paul’s from the top of the New Change Mall.

I am super exited to be in London in few hours! I cannot wait to arrive there. I have been waiting for this day for so long, and it’s finally here. I have so many place in mind to visit, there are places that I am most exited to visit then others.

The first place would be St. Paul’s Cathedral. I am super exited to walk in between the domes, hopefully it is not scary, but even if it is, I really want to experience the feeling. I also wants to see the inside of the cathedral and the beautiful details of the architecture.

The other place would be Kew Gardens, especially the palm house. I hope the weather would be good to walk around, but I am so excited to take pictures of everyone there, also walking on the glass bridge. It’s going to be a different experience.

Another would be Olympic village, the most exited thing about that is the slide. I have being watching YouTube videos about what is it like to go down that slide, and I cannot wait to try it myself.

I am so exited to visit food markets, I think it would be something very interesting, and exited to try different food.

This picture of me taking by my fave person Nasra!!

Hi my name is Latifa, I am a Junior, majoring in Architecture and Arabic, with a minor in City & Regional Planning. I like traveling and learning about different countries and cultures. I’m originally from Iraq, I have been living in Columbus for 11 years. I have traveled to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and recently to Amsterdam. Architecture has always been a dream to me, and I finally made it this far. I’m going for an internship to Dubai this summer, I am super exited to finally practice architecture in real life.

I am super exited to go to London and see everything we have been learning about. This trip would help me with viewing the world differently, and with learning more about architecture.