The virtual family:
SAS community

As the coronavirus surges in some parts of the world, the UK is managing to survive from the ashes of the lapsed ones. Despite the lockdowns and tier systems, we are optimistic about the victory of front liners for their exceptional efforts. However, this perspective was not the same while leaving my homeland to explore these ventures in the pandemic. With uncertainty in my heart, I took a step towards choosing to study sustainable architecture the new normal way, the virtual way.

Sustainable designing is not a new concept. We have witnessed every situation that answers the urgency of a sustainable environment, from bushfire and coral bleaching in Australia to severe droughts in East Africa, suggesting the beginnings of apocalyptic events. Construction and architecture practice are the major contributors to the climate catastrophe. This course was one of many such courses which pave the way to get a grasp of the world's doings and what we, as sustainable architecture students, can commit to.

It is easy to lose sight of the future amidst the grim news of sceptical present. However, the efforts of the University and its departments keep us on the track. Their constant endeavours reaffirm the faith they build in for the current students. No matter how distant we are from each other, the SAS community, faculties, students and alumni work together to bring a new vision and practices to academia.

From celebrating Halloween virtually with alumni to watching Christmas movies in the Diamond lecture theatre, they came up with innovative ideas to boost our morale. Yes, in the pandemic we found a way to be under one roof and have a cinematic experience whilst observing social distancing norms. The events were a ray of hope – hope that life will improve and tomorrow is going to shine brighter and healthier.