Resumé



MIT SA+P
MArch Candidate 2025
BA (Hons) Cantab
soala@mit.edu

Experience

Graduate Research Assistant
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
︎Cambridge MA, USA [Jan ‘22 - present]
Summer Internship
Kennedy Violich Architects Ltd
︎Boston MA, USA [Jun ‘22 - Aug ‘22]
Part I Architecture Graduate
Wright and Wright Architects
︎London, United Kingdom [Sept ‘19 - Aug ‘21] 
Projects:
Redevelopment of the Museum of the Home, Hoxton, London
Lambeth Palace ,London

  • Joining the Museum of the Home project at construction stage meant that I had the opportunity to take charge of consolidating the Mechanical and Electrical consultant information and preparing construction drawings for issue to the contractor.

  • Coordinated the Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FF&E) package for the project, through organising client workshops, preparing furniture layout images and liaising with suppliers.

  • Proffered solutions for access, accessibility and space use maximisation, feeding into visuals for client presentations and reports for the Masterplan project. 

  • Developed and Implemented a series of social media campaigns that illuminated the rich portfolio and approach to architecture of the practice through well curated visuals and write ups. These campaigns have led to a 50% increase in online impact of the company. 
Work Experience
James Cubitt Architects
︎Lagos, Nigeria [Aug ‘18 - Sept ‘18]
Projects:
JTL Properties, Lagos 

  • Developed submissions for competitions and bids, using hand sketches, computer programmes such as Revit and Adobe creative suite, to prepare visuals for client presentations.

  • Designed the form and character of courtyard areas for a housing development project with limited available green space.

  • Attended weekly site visits to a project for a new headquarters for a major financial institution in Ikoyi, Lagos. This was to gain a better understanding of building practices and the relationship between the architect and contractors on site in the Nigerian construction industry.
Set Designer
TEDxNewnham
︎Cambridge, United Kingdom [Oct ‘17 - Feb ‘18]
  • Appointed as head set designer for the first TEDx event in collaboration with a Cambridge College (Newnham College) after a thorough application process.

  • In charge of organizing workshops with the TEDxNewnham coordination team to develop stage design ideas for the event, including audience activities.

  • Procured and produced the materials that constituted the stage set.
Work Experience
CAP Architecture Consultants
︎Port Harcourt, Nigeria [July ‘17 - Aug ‘17]
  • Responsible for preparing visuals for client presentations.

  • In charge of writing up minutes of site visits for small scale, new build and refurbishment residential projects.

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
︎Cambridge MA, USA [Sept’21 - Present]  
   Awards:
   Graduate Architecture Fellowship 

  • Masters of Architecture - 5.0 GPA
  • Contributor to Out of Frame [oof], a student run online publication
  • Building Energy Modelling 
  • Urban Building Energy Modelling
  • Student Admin at MIT Department of Architecture HQ
Newnham College, University of Cambridge 
︎Cambridge, United Kingdom [Oct’16 - June ‘19]  
   Awards:
   Anne Clough Award for Academic Excellence  
   Rosalind Yuping Foo Award for Architecture 
  • BA (Honours) in Architecture -First Class 
  • Dissertation - WHere fires never go out: Challenging the Enclave  v  Narrative of the Global Crude Oil Industry in the Nigerian Niger Delta
  • RIBA Student Mentoring Programme [2018-2019] at AC Architects, Cambridge. This involved working closely with architects to gain an understanding of architectural practice in England, accompanying the lead architect on site visits, reviewing drawn construction information and sitting in for design briefing meetings.
  • Design Workshops in Naples and Venice, Italy (2017)
  • Design Charrette with Spencer de Grey of Foster & Partners to address: Homelessness in the city of Cambridge and Debate in times of conflict in the wake of Brexit
  • Architecture Society (Arcsoc): Mentor for B.A. Architecture applicants
  • Newnham College Badminton Society (First Team)
  • Sponsorship and Liaisons Officer of the Cambridge University African-Caribbean Society, CUACS (2017-2018): In charge of contacting potential sponsors, drawing up sponsorship contracts and ensuring that a cordial relationship was maintained between the society and sponsors.
Ashbourne Independent College
︎London, United Kingdom [July ‘14 - May ‘16]
   Awards:
   Academic scholarship (2014-2016)
   Ashbourne Gold Award for Fine Art (2016)
   Council for Independent Education (CIFE) Creative Arts Award (2016)

  • A levels: A*A*A*A in Mathematics, Physics, Fine Art and History of Art
  • Extended Project Qualification - Design research thesis project titled ‘Architecture and Environmental Sustainability: A Historical Analysis and a  Contemporary Overview’
  • Art Workshops in Paris and Vienna (2014, 2015)
Charles Dale Memorial International School
︎Port Harcourt, Nigeria [Sept ‘08 - June ‘14]
   Awards:
   Full academic scholarship (2008-2014)
   6-year consecutive award for the most outstanding student
   Informatics Olympiad - Gold Medallist (2012-2013)

  • IGCSE: A*A*A*A*A*A
  • WAEC Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination: A1 A1 A1 A1 TOEFL iBT - 111/120
  • Nigerian International Secondary Schools Model United Nations (MUN) (2013) - Representing the Bahamas at the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)

Languages

English
French
Native/ Bilingual Proficiency
Limited Working Proficiency
Running on Cargo