My SFC Journey

An Viet
Faculty of Environment and Information Studies
Graduate School of Media and Governance
From: Vietnam
Seminar (kenkyukai): Hiroto Kobayashi's Seminar

Working as a freshman with others across different academic levels allowed me to learn from my peers. I loved the Student Built Campus―a project proposed, designed, constructed, and de-constructed by students.

1st Year

Japanese classes prepared me for the multilingual environment. I took foundational classes in design and computer science, and interdisciplinary courses such as Algorithmic Design and Sensing Technologies.

2nd Year

I took advanced courses to delve into the fundamentals of both fields and find my specific area of interest. In Prof. Kobayashi's Seminar, I worked closely on real-world urban design projects, including a collaboration with an overseas local government on post-disaster restoration in a small town.

3rd Year

As the Seminar's student assistant, I worked on various design scales including shelter design, urban research, and rural revitalization. I took specialized graduate courses such as Structural Design and History of City and Living Environment taught by professors and industry experts.

4th Year

I continued with a curriculum similar to my third year's but spent more time on my Graduation Project, developing an evaluation framework for a sustainable community-driven urban environment. After engaging with a local community in Tokyo through a Seminar project for three years, I decided to pursue a master's degree focusing on community involvement issues.

Master's

I connected with and learned from professors in the urban design field overseas, experts from Japanese construction companies, and urban developers, on issues such as post pandemic urban redevelopment and utilization of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in urban planning. I continued my research in Tokyo. My experience working with developers and communities helped me collect data and conduct fieldwork effectively.

Message to Prospective Students

At SFC, you will have the freedom to shape your own curriculum and the opportunity to join a Seminar from your very first year. You are not restricted to a single Seminar. You are encouraged to explore and join multiple Seminars before you start your 4th year. This will allow you to explore various fields, make friends, and find the right environment and supervisors for achieving your goals.

(This story was captured in 2024.)