ID to Madrid Campaign

My journey finds its origin within a personal attachment to place. As an embedded landscape of my spatial memory and lived experience, the cape flats (and its people) is at the heart of my professional development. I am constantly confronted with concern and frustration for those who are continuously exposed to the disheartening realities of socio-economic inequality and spatial disjuncture that persists in my community. My name is Ismaeel Davids. My life changed when I was chosen as a recipient of the students for a better future Scholarship Programme. It allowed me to have access to opportunities that would otherwise not be possible. 

Throughout this journey I have been fortunate enough to be a part of some incredibly respected intuitions such as The University of Cape Town which I completed my master’s in architecture in 2022. 

Recently, I have been presented with an opportunity to continue my development under the guidance of world-renowned experts at the Norman Foster Institute.  

When I read up about this program, I got a child-like excitement as I realized that there is an opportunity to be a part of a collective that is centred around the sentiment. That sees the value of designing with people as expressions of relationships, ambitions and cultural identity. 

As an aspiring young architect, I am deeply driven to restore the long-lost dignity and sense of place, wrestled away by spatial segregation. My entry into this venture exists at the intersection between my love for creative expression of ideas and concepts and the hunger to change the disheartening reality of the lifestyle for many in my community, who have limited access to the city’s resources. Many feels disconnected from it and alienated from within. Their ingenuity, resilience, and creativeness to access the city is a source of inspiration. My position is not to romanticize displacement, but rather to express my pure fascination with the habitual complexity that emerged from a place of need.  

My entry into this discourse surrounds the cultivation of sustainable and prosperous urban environments from an architectural standpoint. I believe that my role transcends the mere dissemination of knowledge; it is a heartfelt endeavour that, given the primary tools, will manifests into tangible realities for the betterment of our society.  I design, write and speak with respect, curiosity and desire to make a positive difference. 

I am excited by the prospect of inviting citizens to participate in the shaping of our cities as it capitalises on the initiative and ingenuity of people and bestows the responsibility of making place in the hands of those who stand to gain the most from it.  

However, despite a burning desire to participate in this pedagogy, my access to this program presents a set of formidable financial obstacles. I am currently grappling with the burden associated with international study and living expenses. To fully seize this opportunity and maximize its impact, I need assistance. The remaining living expenses associated with this program exceeds my financial capacity as a lower middle-class citizen in South Africa. Therefore, I humbly request that you contribute to my course, to join the success that I believe will come from pursuing this opportunity.