Zuri De Souza

Pune, India

What classes have you taken at COA?  
History of Filmmaking
Architecture
2D Drawing
Political Campaigning Communication
Art History

What has been your favorite class at COA? Why?
I really enjoyed the Introduction to Architecture class with Isabel Mancinelli. I really want to study architecture...someone once asked me what I wanted to do after COA and I joked that I wanted to build airports and now I’m pretty sure I actually do want to build something. Probably something cooler than an airport though.

What was your favorite project at COA? Why?
Designing the extension to Kaelber Hall for my architecture class. My group and I designed a functioning building...I think that’s pretty intense and the work we put in was ridiculous but it was a wonderful feeling being able to create something like that.

What is your dream occupation?
Well, I really like performing arts--mostly dance-- and I would love to be an architect specializing in building performance spaces.

Do you work on or off campus? If yes, where?
I work for Buildings and Grounds.

What do you see yourself doing after COA?
I want to go to grad school for architecture, either at Harvard, the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi or the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London...before that, though, I want to go back to India and travel for a year.

What country or state would you like to visit?
Well, I would love to visit the northeastern states in India, and I’d love to (and most definitely will) live in India for a while...there are so many countries I’d love to live in so I can’t really say one.

What is happiness to you?
Being on the beach with my dog in the sun.

Have you had an internship? 
I’m planning on doing an internship related to design ...I don’t know where yet...India? maybe?

What are your ideas for your senior project? 
An internship with a dancer or an architect!

What is one of your favorite childhood memories?
Looking at birds in the garden in my house in Goa.

What is your favorite food to eat? What is your favorite thing to cook?
Probably spinach. And I like a lot of other things too. Seafood, fruit...Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers and White Castle burgers too.

What do you like to do when you’re not doing school work?
I guess that depends on the weather.

What is your favorite color?
Black

What are your favorite flowers?
Peach-coloured roses

What are your favorite animals?
Dogs

What came first, the chicken or the egg?
The chicken

What is the motto you like to live by?
I think that those are really corny.

Why did you choose to come to COA?
The academic structure.

What do you like to study?
Anything but science, research papers and writing.

Who are your favorite writers and poets?
I’m not sure actually.

Who are your favorite artists and musicians?
Jose Maria Ramon, Teengirl Fantasy, Trentemøller, Torro Torro, Keep Shelly in Athens

Who is your favorite fictional hero?
Courage the Cowardly Dog

What historical figure do you most admire?
Coco Chanel

Who is your hero today?
My grandmother

What do you value most in your friends?
We’re all the same shoe size.

What do people say is your most marked characteristic?
My collection of black clothes.

What talent do you wish you had?
A voice.

What is your least favorite spice?
Caradamom and anything that is put in chai.