Matthew Nock

Did you have any design experience before?
I had no previous experience with architecture or anything design related, so this program was an amazing introduction to design for me. It was a new experience for me, and overall positive. I had no clue what I was doing, and [the mentors] were all very helpful and supportive.

Can you describe something that you learned through the program that you might not have otherwise?
On a broader spectrum, I learned how design is everywhere. When I normally think of design, I would think of architecture as buildings. But design encompasses way more, and learning more about that is probably the biggest takeaway for me, because the program goes in depth about the definitions of various things about design. I’m mostly interested in web design.

Are you going to make your own website in the future?
I would like to, yes. I’ve tried making one, but it didn’t work out. I had a couple friends who were also making websites for fun, so I decided to try it out. After learning more through this program, I’m going to try again and see how much better I’ve gotten. They don’t delve too deep into the specifics on certain topics, except architecture, which is what they’re mainly known for. For web design, I have to teach myself most of the coding, but they will assist me when it’s relevant.

What was it like to work with the Harvard students?
It was very interesting to get their thoughts on things. One time I was working on a homework assignment that I thought was perfect, but they gave a lot of constructive criticism. It really opened my eyes to a lot of things I would have missed. It is always great having someone more experienced to guide you a little bit, just to give you that extra push. Everybody was very supportive of everybody’s work. Even if your work isn’t that good, they still critique it a little bit, but then lift you up a lot through your work.