Budoor Bukhari
I am a Sudanese proudly pursuing my architectural education at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) in the United Arab Emirates. Prior to joining AUS, I had the privilege of studying architecture for three years at the University of Juba in Sudan. Although I was obliged to discontinue my studies there, the exposure to the difficulties associated with being a student of architecture in my native Sudan was far from unrewarding. It provided me with the chance of experiencing first hand the challenges developing countries have to confront within their built environments, and was instrumental in shaping my academic interests and pursuits. It allowed me to consciously pose the often asked but seldom answered question: what should the role of the Architect be in the Developing World? I passionately carried this and other questions to AUS, where I was inspired to conduct extra-curricular research towards my final thesis project. As part of the endeavor, I managed to make a trip with an NGO group this January to visit the marginalized communities living in and around the Dinder National Park in South Eastern Sudan. Removed from the comforts of everyday life, I encountered the problems the communities are facing, and began to formulate ideas of potential design solutions. The project is envisioned as an initial effort towards developing architecture that is socially responsible.
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