About the Author

" New York City has a distinct smell and it is not just the iconic smell of traffic, hot dogs and the pretzels that are sold at Times Square. It is the smell of coffee shops in the morning, your neighbors cooking dinner, the scent of Downy coming from the laundromat that is conveniently located down the street and the rotisserie chicken of your closest restaurant.  It is beautifully green by spring, really hot in the summers, boldly orange in the fall and sometimes blistering cold in the winters. Of course, it sounds like a lot of traffic, the stranger screaming down the street, the t.v. of your neighbor exceeding the volume and the noisy from people going about their business. If you live on a 5th floor like I do, you can still hear the echoes of the "street life" down below.  New York City is a unique sensation and is full of wonderful experiences that you can encounter by simply popping your head out a window. What is most captivating about-about New York City is the light. No matter how much the city changes or how vertical it grows; I still manage to feel the sunlight on my skin from the ground floors of this vertical city. The light that pierces through its long avenues and bounces off glass facades, revealing silhouettes of lives that take place miles from where I stand. "

New York City is maximized to accommodate for over twenty-two million people, and I am a part of that population. I am from humble roots, born in the cibao; Santiago, Dominican Republic. Both of parents immigrated to the United States when I was three years old in hopes of obtaining the American dream. I will never forget the day I arrived in New York City because where I was born, cities consisted of small one-story houses. Only the governmental buildings and shopping areas exceeded the height limit of only one of two stories. In some areas, the homes in the cibao are makeshift, clinging onto the terrain, and painted with bold pastel colors. The lifestyles and architecture were very different to that of New York City and it is because of those differences that my arrival experience was so radical and life altering. The stark contrast changed my perception of the world, everything became possible and I grew inspired. I will always remember the butterflies in my stomach, the awe and how small I felt as I made my way across Brooklyn to reach Manhattan.  I remember the silhouette of the city and the city lights awakening across the skyline as the sun began to set.


Since May 13th, 1994, I have lived in New York City and began to grow fascinated with its culture. After all, it is the mecca of a cultural melting-pot, which can be visualized through social interactions and also by exploring the city fabric. I find that the architecture of the city is one of the main components that influence the lives of New Yorkers. I understand that architecture is not only the fabric of the built environment we live in but also a component that molds our perception of life and our experiences. I believe that in order for humans to live happily, architecture must address a human’s need of shelter and continue to mold our environment in inspirational ways.

Through my schooling, I have learned about well known architectural precedents, and the technical aspects of architectural planning and design. However, my knowledge was strictly derived from books, the internet, and the knowledge of others. Although I love city planning and I am fascinated by complicated urban structures, the only city I have ever experienced is New York City. I have always sought to experience other cities different from New York and other major cities in the United States and I have always dreamed of visiting architectural precedents of the Eastern World.

In the spring of 2013, I was chosen to study abroad in Madrid, Spain and I saw this as my opportunity to begin questioning what I know, exploring, and building my own opinions. I decided to take this time to travel through Spain and cities in Europe. During this time I sketched and kept a diary of my travels. What I felt upon arrival, what I saw, what I ate and the life I experienced. This blog is the edited compilation of my photographs, sketches, and writings of my travel log. I hope the writing and photographs express the awe I felt as I explored the different cities. Just like the awe, I felt upon my first day in New York City.

None of the documents presented in this Blog would have been made possible without the contribution from the Benjamin A. Gilman Foundation. I would like to humbly thank the Gilman Foundation for their contributions and support.