Building the Nation

Architects do not just design buildings; they shape the face of countries. Mohd Zulhemlee An, of Persatuan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), discusses what it means to be part of this honoured profession.

‘Architecture’ comes from the Greek word ‘arkhitekton’, which can be translated as ‘chief builder’. The definition of architecture is the art and science of designing and erecting buildings and infrastructure.

But architecture, in reality, encompasses more than just buildings. It also involves the planning of areas at a macro-level, such as townships. At the micro-level, it encompasses the design and construction of building interiors and furnishings, as well as the landscaping of open areas. Thus, architecture is really the design and construction of form, space and environment for human activities.

The process of design involves the synthesis of the functions, aesthetics, site, climatic conditions and cultural uniqueness of a particular location into a design solution, and complemented by the technical requirements to construct the structure and its surrounding environment.

Choosing Your Path

The most popular career paths of architecture graduates is to go into private practice or to work for architecture firms offering services to private developers or the government. This is where graduates have the opportunity to showcase their design talents by being involved in landmark projects, either in the country or overseas.

The last couple of years have seen more architecture graduates being employed by the government. The government is also embarking on various landmark projects that offer opportunities for fresh graduates to be involved in new technological advancements.

Apart from design and technical positions, there are also management positions in local authorities for graduates who are more inclined towards the formulation of policies and regulations for development. By no means are these management positions inferior or less important than those of designers and technical assistants.

Architects in management positions oversee another aspect of design – that is to ensure that the provisions of building by-laws and local authority regulations are abided with by design architects in the interests of the health and safety of the public.

Another avenue to practise architecture is to join academia to impart skills and knowledge to the future generation of architects. Malaysia currently has six universities which offer accredited architecture programmes, and more than 10 private institutions which offer architecture programmes.

The contributions by academicians to the architecture profession are enormous as they are the ones who prepare and shape future architects to leave their mark on the country’s architectural landscape.

Academicians also play a very important role in the area of research and development. The research undertaken by academicians has helped in the development of new building materials and new technologies now being used in the construction industry.

The many different areas where architecture can be applied make it an interesting and exciting field of study. Whichever career path is chosen, architecture graduates will derive a deep sense of satisfaction from their contributions to nation building, especially as our nation strives towards developed nation status.

In Demand

The future of architecture graduates remains bright. The vigorous development that the country is experiencing is expected to be maintained or even accelerated over the next few years.

Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak announced a few mega-projects to be implemented when he tabled the 2011 Budget. This includes the 100-storey Warisan Tower within the vicinity of Stadium Merdeka and the development of the Malaysian Rubber Board land in Sungai Buloh covering 2,680 acres.

Property development by the private sector is also expected to continue to be active, especially in the Klang Valley, due to the demand for affordable housing in urban areas.

The Government will also continue to build schools and healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas, to improve living conditions there by extending the facilities already enjoyed by people in the urban areas.

All these plans augur well for the construction industry and ensure that there will be an adequate number of projects for the architecture fraternity.

Challenges of the Profession

Architecture is a very demanding profession. Even in university, architecture is considered to be one of the toughest subjects.

Architects are required to put in a lot of extra hours to see their projects through. Most members of the public do not realise nor appreciate the amount and complexities of the work involved in the design and construction of buildings and their related infrastructures.

Many professionals of different disciplines are involved during the design and the construction stage of projects. Each of these professionals has his/her own expertise and contributes to the successful implementation of a project.

Yet despite the involvement of different professionals in any given project, the architect is often the first to bear the brunt of the blame should any mishap occur. The architect usually leads the team, but depends on the skills, knowledge and cooperation of the other team members.

The architect, as the leader, thus has to maintain the team’s focus in delivering a well-planned and wellexecuted project. As a professional, the architect’s main priority is the interest of the public and he/she should not be involved in any action that would betray the public’s trust in the profession.