The future is urban but what urban form will it take?

It's pretty definite. I want to be an urban professional. At this point I couldn't care less about UCL's decision mostly because I have no idea what's going on at the moment. But it's starting to dawn clearer and clearer on me that i'm not suited. It's not like I'm not meant to study Urban Design (and I don't really believe in destiny in the first place). It's more like I'm not prepared to study it. A lot of people involved in design of the built environment (a fancy term that refers to the study and practice of built space and place-making e.g. architecture, landscape, planning, etc) were surprised that I wanted to apply at all, considering that Urban Design is at the apex of the design study paramid whose base is the knowledge of architecture, landscape architecture, and planning combined - none of which I possess. That's why every graduate programme in Urban Design stipulates a first degree in such disciplines. And the fact that UCL in fact takes in a few students from other disciplines, they most likely come from engineering, environmental design, or geography. so why was i a fool to believe that i would be one of those, i still do not know. To be fair, I was vehemently forewarned by my cousin. But my dogged nature was to proud to bow.

For the past few days I've been doing research on what kind of professional studies that will allow me to become some sort of design professional (in the built environment, of course, not in textile, theatre, or jewellry.) I've learned a little more about myself. The background in the social sciences has made up a lot of me and i'm much more well-versed in this area than any other. Therefore, instead of jumping right into urban design that presupposes tremendous versatility in design and visual representation, i should look more into urban planning that calls for a balance of social policy, urban sociology, and design, the combination of which is used to turn space into place.

My family is a bit annoying. I know it was a huge mistake (though a deliberate one) to apply to one sole programme for which i am clearly underqualified. But what my family wants me to do is take the offer of any programme, do it, get a degree and come back home and be whatever fucking designer i want to be. why can't they understand how much i want and need to be trained at UCL which is the best school of architecture and planning in the UK? Ok, in architecture they might be tied with the AA, but in planning design, UCL is clear winner. But this time around, older and wiser, i'll apply to a few programmes at UCL as well as other schools. It's one thing to not compromise your standard, but if it comes down to it i need to be prepared to take the next best choice.

So yea, it's official. i'll submit a handfule of applications in october-november (sending it out in late-march or early-april is a hard learnt lesson.) But between now and then is the real world. Hello world :)