.

architorture republik's photostream

2012-01-08T18:42:00.001+08:00

architorture republik's photostream on Flickr.

The Biggest Painted Logo On Recycled Egg Trays

2011-12-24T01:32:00.008+08:00

The Biggest Painted Logo on Recycled Egg Trays in Malaysia @ UTM. We made the Malaysian Book of Record with the size of 59.34m in length x 6m in width. Congratulation UTM!!!
22 - 24 December 2011

Framing a View

2011-12-18T01:46:00.012+08:00

After Lebbeus Woods: Radical d'Constructivism

2011-12-18T01:02:00.017+08:00

architorture republik's photostream

2011-11-19T02:04:00.001+08:00

architorture republik's photostream on Flickr.

Framing a View by Architectorture Republik Workbase

architorture republik's photostream

2011-11-10T10:15:00.001+08:00

architorture republik's photostream on Flickr.

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream

2011-09-15T01:37:00.001+08:00

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream on Flickr.

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream

2011-07-21T01:11:00.001+08:00

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream on Flickr.

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream

2011-06-27T04:32:00.001+08:00

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream on Flickr.

awesome istanblue

Justin Guariglia, Photographer for National Geographic Traveler Magazine, Part 2

2011-05-19T00:54:00.001+08:00

Justin Guariglia, Photographer for National Geographic Traveler Magazine, Part 2
please click here

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream

2011-05-14T13:12:00.001+08:00

architorture cyfu saifu's photostream on Flickr.

Rod stewart - i am sailing to be near you...

2011-05-09T21:56:00.000+08:00

Wall Hanger by Architorture WB

2011-03-05T15:31:00.024+08:00

Travel by Train

2011-02-21T23:13:00.015+08:00

Delightful Beach Shelter

2011-02-03T23:51:00.012+08:00

london

2010-12-31T23:14:00.006+08:00

Paper Relief Sculpture

2010-11-15T10:57:00.011+08:00

For more image click here.

Room with a View

2010-10-21T00:08:00.011+08:00

For more image click here.

A Visit to Lunuganga, Bentota, Geoffrey Bawa Resident

2010-09-26T00:44:00.014+08:00

My brief visit to Lunuganga has been a dream come true. The architectural wonders of Geoffrey Bawa had given me a priceless experience and a new perception to my architectural journey. Lunuganga is a masterpiece which, Bawa’s once said, "a place of many moods, the result of many imaginings”, and this offer me a retreat to my mind, body & soul. The vistas that Bawa’s created at Lunuganga give infinite pleasure. Everything is in place; everything is on perfect order and harmony. I suppose it is possible to consider every building that Bawa designed and built to be a permanent monument to him and his art. His concerns for environment is manifested in sequencing of space, the creation of vistas, courtyards, and walkways, the use of materials and treatment of details. He doesn`t draw, but he speaks to the site, dreams on the site… he unifies with the sites... he make a whole new world of his own, spaces filled with joy and celebration… one does not feel like coming out of those poetry spaces that he has crafted.
I code Ala Amirfazli, my Iranian friend said to me as ‘he is not a greedy architect’. He does not use fancy materials, just the simple grano, cement rendered floors, white wash walls, rough timber finished, pure metal furniture, blue waters, green meadows, frangipani, sounds of the birds and the distant sea… He was a great man, a genius who lived and created a new way to live in this mundane, materialistic world. I specially dedicated this series to my best buddy Azmi Sahal as to recall his one month experience staying with Geoffrey Bawa at Lunuganga & to all of you. My sincere thank to Dr Dilshan Remaz for making my dream come true. For me, travel is the literacy of the world. For more photos click HERE. Enjoy&Godbless

Adams Peak, Sri Lanka.

2010-09-25T01:23:00.015+08:00

The ordinary man looking at the mountain is like an illiterate person confronted with a Greek manuscript.... SubhanAllah... To me, by just looking up at this majestic mountain while still at the foot of it, I admit I did feel quite helpless. It's amazing how small man can feel next to such magnificent creations of God the Al Mighty. For more image please visit my Facebook . or my Flickr. Godbless

Sigiria Rock, Sri Lanka

2010-08-13T02:51:00.018+08:00

Our next climb is Sigiriya Rock. So, I'll be going to be honest with you. Sigiriya Rock was amazing. It was really nice and an interesting place to visit. The views from the top are breath taking. It is also called Hanging Monasteries of the World. A must when you go to Sri Lanka. The soaring, flat-topped mesa upon which Prince Kasyapa built this acclaimed fifth-century compound, has been called the Eighth Wonder of the World for its engineering and utter audacity. Evidence suggests he used it more as a pleasure palace than military post, though the royal swimming pool, wide thrones, and saucy cave frescoes are cited as proof. A thick heat accompanied our climb. I pushed into it, traversing the sheer side of Kasyapa’s palace on narrow iron rails, dodging hornet swarms. Looking at the mountain’s shadow on the jungle canopy below, catching my breath before mounting the remains of a huge, carved lion for the final ascent. I summited in endorphine-soaked rapture, 360 degrees, windswept, and drenched with effort. Only the square foundation remained of the fortress, allowing us to look through grand, imaginary walls at the terraced grounds. For more image please visit my Facebook. or my Flickr. Enjoy&Godbless.

The Paradox Of Our Time

2010-07-05T02:38:00.002+08:00

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints.. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. An embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

by: unknown

Enderong House: Retreat of Mind, Body & Soul.

2010-06-17T03:20:00.007+08:00

I was in Enderong House in Tanarimba, Janda Baik in Pahang, recently . Nestled within the secluded sanctuary of Janda Baik, Pahang's rainforest hillslope, with an impressive built-up area spanning 9,273sq ft spread over an acre of land, makes an arresting statement in simplicity amidst lush greenery. This house did, after all, win a mention in the single residential buildings category at the PAM Awards 2004 organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) or the Malaysian Institute of Architects. It was built from scratch in 1995, with the access road leading to the house and the building platform having to be cleared beforehand. Choo Gim Wah of CWN Architects, who undertook the project, revealed that a pivotal consideration in designing the Enderong house was its harmonious blending with the terrace and surrounding natural rainforest to minimize the impact on the ground. Enderong House is a shining example of a sustainable development project. Sitting amidst lush forest, the eco- sensitive house is built from pine trees that had to be cut down for a road and rocks found in-situ. The challenge was to create a living environment and to enjoy the unique features of the site while preserving the natural ambience with as little disturbance to the existing forest, flora and fauna as possible.
I woke up early in the foggy morning and found myself in the middle of the rainforest, and thought I was in heaven. I looked out the window from my bed and saw tall, lush trees rising with the mountains in front of my eyes. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows framed with hard timber opened out to a wonderful view of pristine rainforest surroundings. A bird was chirping sweetly nearby and when I looked down I could see the contoured pool and lake fed by cold mountain streams. It was a retreat of mind, body and soul.
Enjoy&Godbless.

Portraits of the Old Skool Cyclist

2010-06-09T12:58:00.024+08:00

I try to photograph people's spirits and thoughts. As to the soul-taking by the photographer, I don't feel I take it away, but rather that the sitter and I give to each other. It becomes an act of mutual participation. The revelation will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world. Enjoy&Godbless.

Cycle Therapy

2010-06-09T01:35:00.021+08:00

Busy time around here, but I invested in some "bike therapy" last weekend to give my cameras something to do when my brain is done working for the week. Been planning for the project around a bike for sometime ago with friends: something I can take no longer for a light weekend tours, but can also be comfortable for riding around Melaka town and can use for errands. This is the starting point for Kelab Sepeda Tua Johor Bahru, inconjunction with KOSTI from Indonesia, Kelab Basikal Tua Batu Berendam and Basikal Malaya to organize “Acara Kayuhan Dua Negara: Malaysia Indonesia” and room for improvements will slowly come.
I have no professional interest in antique bicycle’s history or archives, but I do love them. For all of the hubbub that folks in the bicycling community make around Melaka, it's interesting to note the paucity of antique bicycles in the online portion of the archive, which, of course, is miniscule compared to their physical records, but still. These are some of the images which I wanna share with you for your therapy.

All photos snapped at the “Acara Kayuhan Dua Negara: Malaysia Indonesia at Melaka World Heritage City. Not my bikes, church, or Flor de la Mar.

Just go to this site and look around: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyfu/
Enjoy&Godbless

Idyllic Weekend Photography Session: eyes for detail.

2010-06-08T23:16:00.017+08:00

Measured Drawings Programme at PM's Birth Home, Kuala Lipis, Pahang.

2010-05-05T13:12:00.013+08:00

At Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Measured Drawing exercises have developed over the last four decades. In the early 1960s, the curriculum required students to do “building surveys” and produce sketches and text pin pointing significant buildings and giving some idea of their historical context. As for this year, one of the historical building that we measured is our own PM's birth home situated in Bukit Bius, Kuala Lipis, Pahang, Malaysia.

This form of documentation, where groups of students were sent out to survey and eventually stay on site to measure and document the history of a building, has carried on until the present at UTM. What’s different now is that, after two decades, photographic evidence and oral history is recorded in a more formal manner.

There were a few reasons why Measured Drawing as a subject came about. The first was that students were required to “learn from the masterpieces of history”, as this kind of study would sharpen their constructional, structural, and historical knowledge. In other words, the pedagogy was “object oriented”. The building was everything.

There was also some idea of learning about the culture of the people that used to inhabit the structures, but this was only a by-product, deemed necessary only to understand spaces, ornaments, and structural forms. Enjoy&Godbless.

The Prophetic Lecturer by Hayuri

2010-04-24T01:27:00.003+08:00

UAC Architectural Student Design Competition 2010

2010-04-18T23:42:00.011+08:00

Was elected as one of the Jury for UAC Architectural Student Design Competition 2010. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyfu/ Enjoy&Godbless.

Portfolio Review 2010

2010-04-10T01:48:00.009+08:00

Backyard BBQ

2010-04-03T00:29:00.008+08:00

Time: 5.00pm Friday April 2nd Venue: Architorture backyard.

EARTH HOUR

2010-03-27T19:17:00.003+08:00

WE DID THIS….. EVERY SINGLE HOUSE UP AND DOWN OUR STREET AND THE NEXT ONE OVER HAD THEIR LIGHTS OUT. I WAS IMPRESSED!!!

Portrait of Nature.

2010-03-25T23:58:00.015+08:00

Portrait of Nature is a series of paintings done by my students from Workbase3 which most of the time they call it Architorture Workbase. Workbase refers to our architectural studio, i.e our work station. It is a one day painting project as part of their final project on An Artist Beach Retreat House and to get the soul of an artist. Zakii Anwar, a Malaysian professional artist, again being selected as our client for our hypothetical project for this semester. Our site is at Pandak Beach on a hillside in Terengganu facing the South China Sea. Allow me to quote what Edward Hopper said about abstract painting.
One of the weaknesses of much abstract painting is the attempt to substitute the inventions of the intellect for a pristine imaginative conception. The inner life of a human being is a vast and varied realm and does not concern itself alone with stimulating arrangements of color, form and design. The term 'life’ as used in art is something not to be held in contempt, for it applies all of its existence, and the province of art is to react to it and not to shun it. Painting will have to deal more fully and less obliquely with life and nature's phenomena before it can again be great.

Edward Hopper- Artists

Enjoy&Godbless

A Visit to Denai House

2010-03-22T01:04:00.003+08:00

Razin Architect designs sophisticated sustainable bungalow.

This private house was designed in 2007 for an 8000 sq.ft site in Johor Bahru. The house, completed in 2009, is organised in an elongated manner perpendicular to the main road. The basic planning house is one room thick, to promote cross ventilation for all spaces, as well as ensuring every room has a view to the 3X15m long lap pool.
There is no formal enclosed living room. House layout was done strictly on practical everyday functions. Kitchen is located right near the entrance as the main activity centre with family tv area next to it. Sliding folding timber doors open up the family to the lounge, turning it into a spacious combined area where kitchen, family, dining and lounge spread across the 6X18m area without any dividing partitions.
Floor to ceiling aluminium framed glass sliding doors replace typical windows for bedrooms. The roof cantilevers out 2m above the room openings for protection from the elements. Bedrooms are like balconies where one side of the room wall disappears when the doors are fully opened. Sliding and pivoted timber slats provide privacy while allowing fresh air to come in.
External colour palette was purposely limited to using black for metal works, natural stain for timber and unpainted gray cement plaster for wall surfaces.
The house is designed to allow for conversion into a true sustainable design house in the future. Enjoy & Godbless.

Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.

2010-03-18T13:48:00.004+08:00

"Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent." - Joe Sparano"

An interesting property of great design is that it is taken for granted. It works so well that we forget that creative effort was involved to bring it about. Sometimes, like with the lowly spoon, the object is so simplistic that it seems obvious, and we disregard that at one point in history it wasn’t. Other times, like with the automobile, the object is so sophisticated yet easy-to-use that we’re blinded to the fact that millions and millions of human-hours went into getting it to this point. That’s a shame…every great design has a rich history. And every design has behind it a designer or designers who tried to make the world a better place by solving some problem or another.Bad design is obvious because it hurts to use. It is awkward, difficult, and complex. In a great irony of the world, bad design is much easier to see than good design. It raps us on the head like a bully. Because of its success, great design is often invisible."

(from the 5 principles of design by Bokardo)

Wise Words From Guru

2010-03-12T23:47:00.004+08:00

Every time a student walks past a really urgent, expressive piece of architecture that belongs to his college, it can help reassure him that he does have that mind, does have that soul.
Louis Kahn

QS WorldArts Tour

2010-03-06T23:55:00.005+08:00

Asia’s First-Of-Its-Kind Festivals for Enrolling Students to Design Education and to the Creative and Performing Arts. The event was held in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai. Find out more about studying one of the University’s many creative disciplines, please come along to the World Arts Tour and will be available to talk with you about undergraduate and postgraduate study in Architecture, Planning, Urban Design, Dance, Fine and Visual Arts and Music. You will study alongside other creative people, sharing ideas and collaborating on projects within a stimulating interdisciplinary framework.

the World Arts Tour:

Kuala Lumpur - 21 February 2010 - Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre

Singapore – 23 February 2010 - Raffles City Convention Centre Singapore

Hong Kong – 25 February 2010 - Hong Kong International Trade & Exhibition Centre

Seoul – 27 February 2010 - COEX World Trade Centre, Seoul

Shanghai - 1 March 2010 - Grand Hyatt, Shanghai

Exhibitors At A Glance:

IE University

International Islamic University Malaysia

Instituto Marangoni

Kaywon School of Art & Design

Lasalle College of the Arts

Mahidol University

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

New York University

Tisch School of the Art

Savannah College of Art and Design

Swinburne University of Technology

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

University of Auckland

University of Huddersfield

University of Kent

University of Melbourne

University of Technology, Sydney & UTS: Insearch

QS World ARTS Tour 2010 @ http://www.qsworldarts.com/

POETIC FOOTBRIDGE

2010-02-04T09:37:00.013+08:00

Architectural discoveries always arrives in most unexpected ways, thanks to barely perceptible shifts in ways of observing cities, place & space, structure and social life. By working as they do, through projects one after another, architectural students are increasingly thinking and taking differently from those before them. They are stumbling across unexpected qualities or possibilities found in the new media used to captured, record or communicate ideas. They are picking up and starting to try out new kinds of design tools; they are experimenting with new materials, assembly structural systems, building technologies and the physical 'stuff' of building in such haphazard ways that they are opening up further avenues for new kinds of projects. The consequences of this kind of youthful approach to architecture are readilly evident in this project.

Project: Poetic Footbridge

Duration: 4 weeks

Requirements: Finished model with scale 1:200, exploded isometric & superimposed photograph on site.

Site: Tropical Garden University Lake

Supervisor & Photography: cyfu.

Enjoy & Godbless.

STONE SCULPTURE

2010-01-20T00:05:00.013+08:00

One of the interesting projects that we had during our trip to Teluk Resang, Mersing, Johor is the Stone Sculpture. The stone sculpture was inspired during my stay in Sydney. I made a visit to Bondi Beach to experience Sculpture by the Sea which is staged along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk. The coastal walk begins at the bottom of Notts Avenue, which runs off Campbell Parade, Bondi. The coastal walk can also be accessed by stairs at various points along the exhibition route at Hunter Park, Gaerloch Avenue and Pacific Avenue. The exhibition finishes at Tamarama Park, Marine Drive, Tamarama, Sydney.

Our stone sculpture is an ad hoc project with my students as I saw the potentials of the place. One of the interesting challenges is the wind. The wild monsoon wind constantly blew our face as we explore the relationship between man and nature which express deep connection through the making of art. Art is refuge, when creating art, I feel at peace, happy and content. It delves into many issues of intelligence and sense of self which is embedded into nature and expresses the deep connection through making art. I quote Andy Goldsworthy, who is a brilliant British artist which collaborates with nature to make his art creations. He is also a naturalist whom inspired me a lot in creating my art pieces: “My art is an attempt to reach beyond the surface appearance. I want to see growth in wood, time in stone, nature in a city, and I do not mean its parks but a deeper understanding that a city is nature too-the ground upon which it is built, the stone with which it is made”.

Enjoy my stone sculpture photography series & Godbless.

SELF MADE ARCHITECTURE

2010-01-13T00:21:00.030+08:00

THE BEACH SHELTER

The second semester of the academic year, Fundamental Unit continues to explore and debate notions of architecture through a series of design projects. The first project namely “The Beach Shelter” quickly immersed the students in diverse architectural ideas and challenge. These are their first self made architecture. They have to produce a full scale prototype model trying to solve their first architectural responses which was then be tested on actual site at Teluk Resang, Mersing, Johor, through the end of the monsoon season. This would really test the structural strength of the shelter with the actual site forces. Though they are from different workbases and using different materials, they all shared a common goal.
The monsoon rain burst and very strong (I mean very very strong) gust of wind constantly blow our face and broke some of the structure on our first day at Teluk Resang. Regardless to the rain and the wind, the students manage to pitch up their shelter safely. We had a marathon photography session for more than 24 hours (sleepless night) and we also manage to sculpt a set of stone sculpture during the blue hour. Here are some of our masterpiece. Enjoy!

BEACH SHELTER IN THE MAKING

2010-01-06T01:41:00.014+08:00

Self made architecture, solving first architectural responses which able to address to self with simple structure and tropical environment. Safety First. Godbless.

Bending the aluminium tube.

Drilling recycle plastic bottle.

The Scale Model

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON VERNACULAR SETTLEMENTS

2010-01-05T15:38:00.004+08:00

"Neither vernacular nor tradition is dead; nor they in deathbeds and facing extinction. Instead, vernacular is emerging in new forms, driven by new ideas, practices and values...."

For further details:

http://www.mrt.ac.lk/archi/isvs/index.html

International Student Design Competition

2010-01-01T00:48:00.010+08:00

This is the second year of the UPA International Student Design Competition. Similar competitions have motivated and energized students to work on meaningful projects and led to initiatives that positively impacted lives of real people. Students who have participated in similar events went on to become active members of their professional communities.

Important Dates

· 29 March, 2010 Paper Submissions Deadline 17:00 EST, Round 1 Closed
· 14 April, 2010 Notification of Round 1 winners
· 14 May, 2010 Submission by Round 1 winners of Posters for Judges to review before Poster session at the conference
· 25 May, 2010 Round 2, Poster session & judging at UPA in Munich, Germany
· 26 May, 2010 Round 3, Oral Presentations of winning projects from the Poster session in Round 2 & announcement of competition winners

The Design Challenge: Designing for a Sustainable World
We have become a wasteful society - not necessarily purposely but more out of ignorance and carelessness - the World Usability Day 2009 focused on this. It is important that the thought of sustainability find its way into many different areas in life and business, especially in the area of design.
Sustainable design is about “designing physical objects, the built environment and services to comply with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability” [Wikipedia] in order to enhance the users’ awareness and to reduce the use of non-rewardable recourses.
Sustainable design is an attempt to remedy the current problems of excessive energy consumption and pollution in two basic ways:
· Designing the product allowing for a eco-friendly process, materials etc: Have the materials and processes that have been used been recycled and are they re-usable? Are they user and environmentally friendly? How can existing products be optimized to contribute to a sustainable world?
· Designing concepts and products that influence the behaviour of users, for example the labeling of products to raise awareness of consumers on the real energy use in order to influence their decisions of buying or using a product (such as labeling schemes for domestic appliances or indicators / systems that visulize users’ consumption)
This competition invites student teams to invent a system or create a concept that addresses this design problem. This could be any kind of product, system or service that has impact on our environment, energy, water, soil, and more. Most important is that the solutions follow a user centered design process supported by background research and, if possible, ethnographic research of the solution space. We encourage students to reach into their nearby communities and include target user groups beyond students themselves – for example, families with children, urban professionals, the elderly, etc.. Solutions should be focused on real locations and be sensitive to real users’ needs and cultures. A cross-cultural approach and solution, reflecting the focus of the UPA2010 conference theme, would be desirable but not obligatory.
To enter the competition, student teams may present either a concept (a clear, detailed design specification that can be taken to prototype), or a fully realized prototype. Either way, teams must clearly illustrate their design decisions and demonstrate the user centered design processes that have been followed. We strongly encourage consideration of:
· Previous work in this area and in adjacent design areas
· Ethnography and contextual research to ground the design decisions
· Evaluation of the designs with target users within iterative design framework

The Competition Structure
The competition follows a three round process. Each round focuses on communicating the team's ideas through a different mode, as follows:

Round 1. Short Paper
Teams will submit a short paper (6 pages maximum) describing their design solution. Expert reviewers will evaluate submissions and a maximum of 10 teams will be selected to attend the UPA conference in Munich.

Round 2. Poster
Advancing teams will attend the conference to give a poster presentation outlining their design, and discuss their proposed solution with a panel of Student Design Competition Judges. The Judges will select 4 teams to participate in the competition’s final round.

Round 3. Oral Presentation:
The four (4) finalist groups will give an oral presentation on their design to the panel of Student Design Competition Judges and UPA conference attendees. Based on the criteria below, the competition judges will rank and select an overall winner of the competition.

Awards
Cash prizes: Total 2500 US$ divided among the 3 top teams:
· $1250 for the top team
· $750 for the runners up
· $500 for the third place
(cash prizes will be paid in prepaid Visa Cards).
Free Membership with the UPA for 1 year.
Letters of Commendation & Announcement at Closing Plenary and Conference Web site.

For further details:
http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/conference/2010/students/

BIOCLIMATIC ARCHITECT

2009-12-16T21:19:00.005+08:00

Internationally acclaimed 'green' architect, Ken Yeang, had launched Frederick Giesecke Lecture Series.

A presentation by the internationally acclaimed Malaysian architect and writer Ken Yeang had launched the Texas A&M College of Architecture’s new Frederick E. Giesecke Lecture Series on Nov. 6 2007 at the Langford Architecture Center’s Preston Geren Auditorium.
Yeang is renowned worldwide for his groundbreaking work throughout South Asia, developing environmentally friendly design strategies for high quality ecologically sustainable, or ”green,” high-rise buildings. His seminal book, “Bioclimatic Skyscrapers,” the first of many, was published in 1994. In 1999, he was awarded the prestigious Auguste Perret Prize by the International Union of Architects.For the full story:

http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/summer2007/kenYeang.html

LIVING SUSTAINABLY AS A DESIGN STUDENT

2009-12-10T00:48:00.019+08:00

Browsing through the web, I found an interesting article about design student life written by Jill Fehrenbacher which was published in http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/09/08/living-sustainably-as-a-design-student/. What really strike me are the photos which have the same name with my blog. I decided to republish it and dedicate this to my students. I wrote an e-mail to Jill asking for her kind permission. Two days later I got her permission. Below is Jill’s article. Thanks Jill, really appreciate it. Note: I'm truly sorry Jill, I added some photos from ohers.We talk a lot about sustainability and design here at Inhabitat, but something we’ve never talked about before is the sustainability of life as a design student. Design school is intense and competitive, not to mention full of noxious chemicals – and it can often be trying to lead a sustainable, balanced and healthy life while in design school.
Core77 recently put together a great “Hack2School Special” — full of tips and tricks (highly recomended by architorture cyfu) for getting through design school. Because my focus is sustainable design, I decided to contribute my thoughts on how to make the design school lifestyle more sustainable. Here’s what I wrote…

I’m currently an architecture grad student, and despite my sincere passion for being in school, I can tell you that I’ve never seen a more unhealthy, more unsustainable environment than that of architecture school. Do any of you out there recognize this picture: students routinely spending 10-15 hours per day sitting in one place, glued to flickering computer screens, while toxic chemicals are mixed and handled all around them. I’ve often found myself in this exact position: eyes straining, back sore, trying to finish a project at 4am, under flickering fluorescent lights, while someone next to me melts acrylic with a cancer-causing chemical, the person on the other side of me hacking up toxic blue foam with a small saw, and the person behind me snoring in a sleeping bag underneath their desk. I know its completely unhealthy, yet there’s this pressure and this feeling that if one doesn’t keep up with the grueling life of the students around you, you’ll never make it through school. Its hard to walk out of studio at 10pm to go home when every other student is still dilligently working, coffee in hand, clearly planning to be at their desks until the morning…
Why do we pay tens of thousands of dollars to subject ourselves to this kind of life, when most other professional schools (including law and medicine) seem to have evolved out to a more reasonable understanding of live/work balance? Even medical schools, which used to be famous for torturing their students with grueling hours and unreasonable deadlines, have wised-up to the fact that red-eyed, sleep-deprived, pill-popping students can’t learn effectively or make smart decisions. I posted a similar article to this on Archinect.com – and the answers from other students are pretty interesting…
We do it because it’s the culture of design school – this is what is expected of us, and what everyone around us seems to accept as ‘the way things are”. This type of uber-competitive, insanely unhealthy atmosphere will only change when we decide to stop putting up with it, so the change has to start with you.

Design-students, here are 5 steps I composed for taking back your life, and demanding a sustainable, healthy and productive experience as a design student: (I’m trying very hard to take my own advice these days…)

1. LEARN HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR TIME

A healthy lifestyle starts with you. The biggest cause of all-nighters is procrastination; so getting a jump on your work ahead of time will enable you to balance your life more effectively. I’ve found that setting internal goals and deadlines in a calendar can really help fight the creep of procrastination. My favorite procrastination fighting tool – Google Calendar.
2. SEEK OUT HEALTHIER MATERIALS

It seems to be expected that design students will happily live in a pile of blue foam and off-gassing plastics – but why subject yourself to that, when there are plenty of natural model making materials that are healthier and cheaper too. The next time you start to reach for blue foam, try balsa wood or corn-based foams instead. Cardboard and chipboard are plentiful cheap and healthy alternatives to plastic and foam-core. Stay away from the “Zap-a-gap” and nasty super-glues and try hot glue guns instead. (But be careful not to burn your fingers!) Finally, on those days when you just can’t find an alternative to clear acrylic, open the window or go outside.

3. TAKE BREAKS & GET OUTSIDE

You may think that all you need to know can be found within the confines of your studio (or even your computer monitor) – but this is simply not true. Most often the best ideas, intuitions and breakthroughs will come to you you’re your mind is relaxed and open – when are walking down the street, jogging or even sleeping. Good designers have lives. They go see movies, have lunch with friends and find inspiration in the world around them. You will never find inspiration in a computer screen. It is imperative to both creativity and your sanity to take breaks.

4. CREATE A PRODUCTIVE WORK SPACE

Its difficult to concentrate and work effectively when you are uncomfortable or distracted. Keep your desk clean and uncluttered, invest in a good LED desk lamp (they are energy efficient and don’t heat up), and adjust your chair and desk to ergonomically appropriate heights so you can sit (or stand!) in an upright and alert position. (I prefer to working standing up). Its also crucial to keep a refillable bottle of water on hand at all times as well as an mp3 player and a pair of headphones, so you can tune out the world around you. 5. KNOW WHEN TO EAT, EXERCISE AND SLEEP
Its hard to be mentally alert and productive when you are hungry, sleep-deprived or tired. Your body needs sleep, food and exercise to stay on its game. Get into a regular exercise routine (like jogging or karate classes), stock up healthy snacks to keep at your desk (fruit and nuts are a good bet), and know when to call it a night. Believe me, that idea you came up with at 5am after 5 cups of coffee won’t hold up in the light of day, and your project really will be that much better after you’ve had a full night’s sleep.

6. LEARN HOW TO SAY ‘NO’

A healthy lifestyle starts and ends with you. Learn how to stand up for yourself and don’t succumb to the pressure of unhealthy attitudes around you. You are smart – you made it to design school, and you are smart enough to know deep down what is and what isn’t good for you. Your teachers may pressure you and your fellow students may compete to see who can go the most hours without sleep, so ignore them. Being a sheep won’t get you anywhere in real life. Look for support in your friends and in more enlightened faculty-members. It is only when enough people in design school realize that there is a better alternative that things will actually begin to change. Until then, hang in there and take responsibility for making the most out of your time in design school.

Below are the respond by one of my student at my blog (architorture-cyfu) which I would like to share it with you.
Something to brighten up your day :)

If you are architecture students you've probably experienced:

the taste of wood/uhu glue.

you get annoyed when people tell you to "go to sleep" or "do you still have a lot of work?" (!!!).

your friends and you don't have the same concept of work, ie "oh, you have homework? Well you can do it right before class..." (No way will this ever happen!).

you've slept more than 20 straight hours on weekends.

you can easily discuss with authority the effects of caffeine on different drinks.

no matter the effort you put in a project, somebody will always say “why don’t you add this? or “why don’t you change this here? or “i think that…but…yeah, its ok?" (and that 'somebody' is my design tutor...grrr).

whenever you get invited somewhere, it is followed by “or do you have a lot of homework?".

your worst nightmare consists of not finishing a project-someone once called you “lazy" and you wanted them murdered (lol. oh my goodness SO TRUE!!!).

you can live without human contact, sunlight, food, but if your plotter’s ink runs out… chaos!!! (*nods*).

when somebody lends you a Bic pen you look down at it (designers are using felt-tip pen).

you’ve gained the ability to sleep in whatever surface: pencils, keyboards, backpacks, your studio mates, food, etc (lol. sigh...).

when you finally have free time to go out you keep thinking “who was the fool who designed the restaurant’s bathroom? “who designed this menu?" or “who designed this [chair, table, lighting, fork, etc. etc.]?".

you've been at many sunrises, yet you've never really experienced one.

“You’re now in architecture world? Welcome aboard!!… it was nice to meet you, but I’ll probably never see you again.”

A TALE OF A DEXIGNER

2009-12-05T01:56:00.003+08:00

This is a tale of a designer and it requires a designer to read and listen and to be able to hear, to feel and understand “the tale of a designer”.
It is now the third weeks since all my students went off for their semester break except some of my international students and (one final year student who are very ‘special’ to me) are still around at the campus. The first two weeks to the mid of third weeks, I’m loaded with meetings and other academic activities. On the second last day of the third week of the semester break, I felt the day stretched very long as I don’t feel like attentive to my routine work. I fell into a void of silence…. Long day of quiet except for the noise of some worldly affairs. I’m in my journey again, sat alone and looked into myself. This is the time for quiet prayer and meditation and reflection to the Most High. At that time I’m in stunned and semi-dazed, yet this feeling was not new. I had felt this way so often over the years that I took it as an aspect of my normal state of mind. The life of a designer is always full of changes and challenges to how one has learned to think that things are. Having arrived at this state, I reviewed the recent events of my life (the conference of the birds) as connected with my brotherhood and tried to understand what I should do next and why he came into my life. After turning these questions around in my mind for nearly two weeks, a door was suddenly flung open and the answers began to come. An unexpected meeting with my ‘special student’ came to a conclusion. Soon I came to see that what had seemed to be the end was just another beginning.

PIANO STAIRS - THE FUN THEORY.com

2009-11-08T01:48:00.000+08:00

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA, Portfolio Review 2009

2009-11-06T01:11:00.013+08:00

BARTLETT SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, YEAR 1

2009-11-05T14:39:00.000+08:00

TRANSLUCENT CONCRETE

2009-10-29T16:02:00.013+08:00

by Jill Fehrenbacher.

Brutalists look out. A new type of concrete has been developed, and it looks almost ethereal. Images of LiTraCon, the Light Transmitting concrete – make it look strangely like styrofoam. Hungarian architect Ron Losonczi invented this stuff three years ago, by embedding optical glass fibers into concrete. LitraCon has the strength of traditional concrete, but light can pass through it (through the glass fibers). Walls made LitraCon allow silhouettes of the outside world to be transmitted into the interior of a building. This stuff looks amazing. I can’t wait to see some buildings made out of this.

Benchshop's changing room in Berlin

SYDNEY CENTRAL STATION

2009-10-26T21:28:00.010+08:00

Central Station is a part of the day-to-day lives of thousands of Sydney commuters, with more than 900,000 rail journeys on an average weekday, representing about 270 million journeys each year. Heralding the beginning of Australia's rail network, Central Station was built on the site of the old Sydney Yard, and opened on August 4, 1906. The grand sandstone Station has significant heritage value, particularly the Clock tower, the terrazzo-tiled Concourse and the Eddy Avenue overpass. At Central Station, you will find transportation links to all the suburban and Australia-wide networks, and buses to just about everywhere. I was given an honoured by Schmap Sydney Guide to published the above photo in the newly released nineth edition August, 2009. I wish to thank Emma Williams, Managing Editor of Schmap Guides for giving me the precious opportunity to publish my work. Click HERE to view the link or HERE to view on my Flickr.

KSENIYA SIMONOVA'S AMAZING SAND DRAWING

2009-10-19T23:48:00.008+08:00

Kseniya Simonova is a Ukrainian artist who just won Ukraine's version of "America's Got Talent." She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII. Enjoy!

HOUSE OF CARDS

2009-10-16T21:40:00.002+08:00

House of Cards by Architecture w

SUSTAINABLE SHELTER DESIGN COMPETITION 2009

2009-10-14T01:00:00.012+08:00

Venue: FAB Square,

Faculty of Built Environment,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,

Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

Date: 7th October 2009

Organised by: Architecture Department

Material: Recycle Plastic Drinking Bottle (200 bottles for each group)

Time Given to Complete the Task: 3 hours.

7th INTERNATIONAL UTM BRIDGE MODEL COMPETITION 2009

2009-10-10T23:57:00.008+08:00

PEACE BRIDGE BY SANTIAGO CALATRAVA

2009-10-09T00:50:00.007+08:00

Peace Bridge,Calgary,Canada..by Santiago Calatrava .
here more information..and here ..

SMALL HOUSE SEEMS LARGE

2009-10-08T23:45:00.012+08:00

The manipulation of light and space makes the Penguin House in Tokyo seem much larger. Tokyo: Living Small in the Big City

COLOUR AND EMOTIONS

2009-10-04T23:05:00.008+08:00

We are all emotional creatures and the modern world constantly inspires emotional within us. Being at the seaside can make you feel peaceful, while sitting in a bright yellow cafe can make you feel stimulated or happy. However, often we are not aware of the effects the visual world has on our senses and our feelings.

source: the colur scheme

COLOURS TO SUIT YOU

2009-10-01T23:16:00.006+08:00

A little knowledge can go a long way, but rules are made to be broken. We can all be influenced by scientific theory and the current trends, but just remember the most important thing, it is you who have to live and enjoy these colours. Never forget your own personal preferences and inspirations. You can use your knowledge of the colour wheel to perfect the actual shades and intensity of the colours, but do not be afraid to go with exactly what you love. Use colours and pattern to really suit you, even if they are a little unusual or eccentric.

source: the colour scheme

TEN DAYS AFTER RAYA

2009-09-29T02:13:00.004+08:00

It is ten days after eid-ul-fitr and i am back to my routine......

BALIK KAMPUNG

2009-09-19T06:12:00.009+08:00

Salam semua. Saya dan keluarga mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri Maaf Zahir Batin kepada semua umat Islam di seluruh dunia. Saya juga mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih pada semua yang telah melayari dan memberi sokongan pada blog saya. InsyAllah panjang umur jumpa lagi. Teringat lagu arwah Sudirman... balik kampung... ooo ooo balik kampung... teringat jua pada arwah ayahanda dan bonda yang masih di kampung.

May Allah accept his soul amongst Muqqarabin, Syuhada, Siddiqin & Mursyidin. Aamin.

THE BOUNTIES OF LAILATUL QADR

2009-09-18T03:54:00.007+08:00

What is Laitul Qadr?

What if your boss to told you that if you worked on one specific day, the company would give you 81 years worth of pay? What if you could earn the same amount of money for 81 years of work with just one night of labour? Would you agree to this bargain?

Allah, praised and glorified, has promised His believers an even better deal. Muslims can attain the same amount of blessings and rewards in one night of worship, as they would if they worshipped 1000 regular months. That's over 81 years. That's the blessing of Lailatul Qadr.

Lailatul Qadr, translated as the Night of Power, is the greatest night of the year. During this period, Muslims should spend their nights in worship and seek forgiveness and blessings of Allah.

Some highly recommended actions that we should do during the Night of Lailatul Qadr.

* Qiyamul Layl: Translated roughly as "Standing for Pray at Night".

* Doa: Translated roughly as "Supplication". Ask for His Forgiveness.

* Leaving the mundane: We should decrease our involvement in worldly matters.

Taking this precious opportunity & moment, I make doa for all of you that Allah will grant us all the Night of Lailatul Qadr. Ameen.

COLOUR RESEARCH

2009-09-15T16:06:00.010+08:00

Many a times have I been asked as to why and how I got interested in colour. "Why so much fuss about colour?" And I ask myself the same question. And I begin to realise how over the years with the presence of light, colours has become so much a part of our lives, our culture, and even our language. We tend to take it for granted today as an intrisic part of every awake moment. We all enjoy colour, but how much do we really know about it? From the moment of birth we start learning and absorbing information from the world around us. Colour becomes imbedded in our minds as something we simply accept as being a continous part of our world. Where there is light it is always there. The only factor that seems to have an effect on it is the percentage of light reflected or absorbed by an object.

When I begin to focus on colour, my intention was caught after I read an advertisement on Colour Vibration Therapy (CVT) flyer which was stuck on the front screen of my car. At the same time I suffer with "Urticaria Vasculitis" also known as nettle rash or weals in a common terms. It is also refers to a group of disorders in which wealing occurs in the skin. I thought it could be a good alternative treatment for me. A meeting was arrange with Sir Professor Dr Norhisham Wahab the founder of Colour Vibration Therapy Malaysia. during our discussion, i discover that colour plays a major role in harmonising and balancing our spiritual, mental, emotional and physical level of a person. As for my research, I have no intention to search for any medical benefits.

For more than a century, the psychology of colour in relation to emotion and behaviour has been studied and throughout history colour has always fascinated humankind, for both aesthetic and social reasons. Colour plays a vitally important role in the world. What we see and interact with colour, includes both natural and artificial colours. About 80% of the information which we assimilate through our five senses, is visual. However, colour does more than just give us objective information about our world, it also affects how we feel. The presence of colour become more important in our environment, since most people spend more time awake and looking at all things in colour. Colour can have a strong influence on our moods and emotions. Colour can sway our thinking, change actions and cause reactions. It can irritate or soothe your eyes, raise our blood presure or suppress our appetite. When used in the right ways, colour can save energy consumption. Colour is also a powerful form of communication, colour is irreplaceable. Red means "stop" and green means "go", as this is understood as universal message. Likewise, the colour used for product, web site, etc. etc. can cause powerful reactions. I will continue uploading my colour research to my blog from time to time. Any suggestions or opinions for further discussion are most welcome.

EID MUBARAK

2009-09-13T03:46:00.008+08:00

My warmest greetings to the entire Muslim Ummah. Happy Eid-ul-Fitr.

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa ilaha ilallah Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Wa lillahil hamd. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, There is no deity but Allah, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah goes all Praise.

Iyi Bayramlar.

NAQAAB (VEIL)

2009-09-11T01:46:00.018+08:00

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Salam to all my Muslim brothers & sisters. Today is September 11 & I hope I did not make any provocative statements. Few months ago, the Western countries made fun of the naqaab (Islamic Burqa/Veil). France President Sarcozy had issued a ban on the Veil.

And what is happening today??

NOW

This is from GOD the AL-MIGHTY

HE is saying something to all of us but most of us do not understand!

ALLAH HU AKBAR

Is such a sudden attact of swine flu a coincidence??

NO WAY

CHINA TOWN

2009-09-09T23:37:00.011+08:00

Kuala Terengganu, which is strategically located on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, was a natural stopping point for those who piled the trade from China to South East Asia in the early days. Kampung Cina became the most densely populated area for the Chinese Community. Located in the historic heart of Kuala Terengganu, it has been acclaimed as part of the country's living history of shophouse architecture. Sprouting from joint restoration and preservation efforts between the State Government, the Kuala Terengganu Municipal Council and Chinese Association in Terengganu, Chinatown has been given a boost for tourism.
We can all learn a lot from the past. History has and always will continue to fascinate those whose travel the world with open eyes. I used to say to my student, go and travel with your architectural eyes but this time my friend, Loharisan and I travel with our photographic eyes to fascinating heritage district along Jalan Bandar and "morning" stroll along Kampung Cina with full photographic gear. I said "morning' because it was very early in the morning.. I mean 3.00 a.m in the morning, hoping to get some interesting shots. But suprisingly, we were welcome by lots of guard dogs barking at us like no other business. We knew it loud and clear that we are not welcome, especially at that hour. Here are some shots that we would like to share it with you. Please click the first photo above to view the rest on my flickr set.

COLOUR IN OUR HOME

2009-09-08T02:41:00.008+08:00

A house is much more than just a roof over our heads. Our places of dwelling have developed dramatically over the course of history. Homes today have to be incredibily versatile buildings. The place in which we live in should be enjoyed, provide protection, respite, peace, inspiration and warmth to all who enter.
Colour can dramatically alter any space within our home. The posibilities made available to us by modern paints almost limitless, and traditional and modern homes alike can be transformed through the clever used of colour. Pale colours and whites can instantly refresh a tired room, giving a clean look and creating a bright, spacious atmosphere. Rich colours, such as deep ruby or emerald green, will have an intense effect, creating a more intimate and cosy feeling. A little knowledge can go a long way, but rules are made to be broken. We can all be influenced by scientific theory and the current trends, but just remember the most important thing: it is you and your family who have to live with and enjoy these colours.

Colour in the home cannot be changed as often as we change our clothing, so the colour decision is extremely important. The right choice of a certain colour scheme for our home is to suits our lifestyle and meets our personal and emotional needs.

source: the colour scheme

FOLDING ARCHITECTURE

2009-09-01T01:56:00.012+08:00

Folding is relatively an ancient tendency in contemporary architecture. Traditional cultures of Japanese art which used paper folding to create a given result by using folds, crease, pleat, cut, pull up, turn, etc. etc. preferably without the use of gluing. Paper folding and paper cutting are very playful way of designing which offers surprises during the design process. Along with anthropometric installation, workbase 3 has added on another task which is to explore tranformations of the ivory board surface into a 3D form (volume). The student has to understand the method as the ivory board is introduced as quintessential foldable material. The board has its own character, weight and structural strength/capacity. And here are the results. Please feel free to view other images by clicking the first photo.

MERDEKA

2009-08-31T22:33:00.008+08:00

MERDEKA! MERDEKA! MERDEKA!

What does it really mean to us?

ANTHROPOMETRIC INSTALLATION

2009-08-30T01:18:00.011+08:00

Anthropometric installation is a project to establish element of point, plane and form as in 2D and 3D form-site composition. The site is at Linangan Jernih, Faculty of Built Environment. It is also to understand visual interpretation and define design elements, principles and environmental awareness as they are used in architecture and design. The student has to built a full scale 2D & 3D model of their own anthropometric. Corrugated board are used to complete the task. The project was done by the first year architecture students, Faculty of Built Environment, UTM, Skudai. Please click first photo to enjoy the rest.

ARCHIWEEK 09

2009-08-27T02:35:00.008+08:00

Pada 8-15 Ogos 2009, Persatuan Senibina, Jabatan Senibina, Fakulti Alam Bina, UTM, Skudai telah menganjurkan program minggu senibina atau lebih dikenali sebagai Archiweek yang bertema 2109 A.D. Program tersebut merupakan program tahunan bagi pelajar-pelajar senibina UTM. Program yang telah diadakan termasuklah Archileague pada 8 Ogos 09, yang telah diadakan di Kolej Datin Sri Endun, Bookfair pada 10-11 Ogos 09 di Linangan Jernih FAB, Kite Fest pada 12 Ogos 09 di Hutan Bandar Mutiara Rini, Johor Bahru, Malam Deklamatron di FAB Square pada 14 Ogos 09, Archimovie pada 15 Ogos 09 yang telah ditayangkan di Dewan Kuliah L50, dan juga pameran di Fakulti Alam Bina. Architorture mengucapkan syabas pada semua yang telah bekerja keras menjayakan program tersebut. Sila klik foto untuk menikmati yang lain

CHAOS NITE

2009-08-27T01:23:00.008+08:00

Bersempena dengan kemasukan pelajar baru, Jabatan Senibina telah mengadakan malam silaturahim yang bertemakan Chaos. Program ini telah diuruskan oleh pelajar tahun 2. Kesemua pelajar tahun satu terlibat dengan program ini dan persembahan iringan juga telah lakukan oleh pelajar senior. Klic foto pertama untuk koleksi yang lain.

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT

2009-08-27T00:29:00.009+08:00

The first project for this semester is about perceiving the environment with eco-centric attitude. It is also to develop observation and analytic skills through experience the environment by using the five senses. The students were introduced to visual design component that exist in nature, man-made and artwork. The task is to produce an illustration of building facade. Workbase 3 has opted an old shop at Jalan Trus & Jalan Dhobi, Johor Bahru as the subject to be studied and to understand the intimate and harmonious relationship of men in their environment. These require good perception of the five senses, good understanding of aesthetic value, and looking thorough the artistic and poetic eye. The technique used is pencil colour on paper in portrait or landscape format. During the submission day/exhibition day all are require to be in green to associate with the environment and i call it as Green Day. It was officiated by our Head of Department. Click HERE to enjoy the rest.

WHEN GOD IS THE ARCHITECT

2009-08-26T03:07:00.006+08:00

When God is the architect, the dawn and sunset skies are painted with all the beautiful layers and shades of colours...... The creation of the montains strengthen the backbone of the earth, the vision of might in nature. The trees create shades, produce oxygen, bear fruits & flowers, and stabilise the earth and the atmosphere. The whole universe moves in its prescribed course with such beauty and rythm. The scattered stars across the sky, the moon with its pale light from the sun are so inspiring to the painters, writers, lovers, astronomers, scientist, owls and bats.......

ANTARA MENULIS & MELUKIS

2009-08-24T23:29:00.008+08:00

Aku sebenarnya agak resah untuk menulis kerana pada tabiinya aku lebih gemar melukis. Menulis pada aku lebih banyak mencanangkan keangkuhan diri. Sedangkan melukis lebih banyak mentafsir diri dari dalam diri. Menulis akan ada kecenderungan untuk banyak menjulang egoisme sendiri. Setiap kali tika aku ingin menulis, aku akan menghadapi hambatan tafsiran dari pembaca yang akan menilai tulisan aku. Setiap kali itu juga resap rasa yang terkadang melampau mempersukarkan lagi untuk aku meneruskan penulisan. Aku akan merasakan begitu tenang dan santai apabila berus berus cat aku menari-nari dikanvas putih bersih. Lontaran dan hayunan calitan warna itu juga membuatkan aku begitu asyik menjalin melodrama kehidupan dikanvas.
Pernah aku menghadiri seminar seni lukis di Kuala Lumpur tidak lama dulu. Maka hadirlah ramai karyawan karyawan negara yang gah-gah namanya. Ketika seminar berlangsung seorang hamba kerdil melontarkan soalan bertanyakan kepada seorang karyawan terkenal negara. "Tuan telah menghasilkan banyak karya karya yang mengkagumkan ramai insan dan tuan telah menjadi ikon pada ramai pendatang baru yang ingin bergiat aktif dalam seni, kenapakah tuan tidak menulis tentang hasil karya tuan..." Begitulah bunyi soalan yang agak panjang lebar. Maka jawablah sang pengkarya. "Kalau saya menulis, saya tidak melukis dan sekarang saya melukis maka itu saya tidak menulis". Sunyi sepi dewan seminar buat seketika bagai garuda datang melanda. Hamba yang kerdil tadi diam dan berfikir, ada kebenaran jawapan tersebut. Sekiranya seseorang itu diamanahkan untuk jadi doktor maka tidak bolehlah diwaktu yang sama dia jadi juruterbang.

Aku dalam dilema lagi. Bezanya aku dengan yang bertanya tadi, aku juga adalah seorang pendidik yang memaksa atau mendesak aku untuk jadi seorang penulis yang baik. Teringat aku pada seorang rakan seperjuangan yang menyatakan atau lebih tepat lagi memberi semangat untuk aku menulis. Katanya padaku dengan penuh yakin dan lantang. "Tulis je apa yang kau rasa nak tulis". Aku memandang padanya dengan rasa yang agak pelik bercampur keliru. Apakah seorang akademik boleh menulis apa saja yang dia rasa nak tulis. Apakah itu prinsip yang aku harus ikut? Kalau setakat menulis memang ramai yang tau menulis kecuali pelajar senibina tahun satu yang harus diajar menulis kembali hurufan senibina dengan betul. Tu pun tak betul betul sehingga kena 'redo' beberapa kali. Maksud aku apakah ilmunya, isinya, penyampaianya, khalayak sasarnya dsb tidak diambil kira?

Tujuan aku menulis blog atau lebih tepat lagi jadi bloggers ni pada mulanya adalah nak berkongsi sedikit ilmu yang ada pada aku. Permulaan blog, aku menulis dalam bahasa penjajah. Konon kononnya nak dapat khalayak international gitu. Dan juga cuba untuk mengawal isi kandunganya supaya agak akademik tetapi responnya agak mengecewakan. Telah aku cuba bertanya pada rakan blog, apakah yang 'audience' perlukan. Antara jawapan yang aku terima ialah aku perlukan publisiti. O my God... I really really HATE publisity!!! So what should i do? Ada yang jawab perlu lebih santai dan lebih 'friendly'. Hahah... ni yang tengah aku cuba buat. Kena sembang bahasa korang, cerita pasal korang dan bukan bercakap bahasa seperti di perenggan pertama diatas. Bahasa sastera yang sukar difahami dan diterima pakai. "Skrg org dh pkai bhsa sms". Lebih senang dan jimat masa dan kertas. Kadang kala aku pun tak paham bila korang sms kat aku... maklumlah aku ni dari generasi X, korang dari generasi Y. Ni aku nak bagitau korang skit pasal generasi korang tu. Korang dilahirkan dengan hand phone kat tangan kiri dan mouse kat tangan kanan korang. Itulah pasal korang dipanggil generasi Y. Hah ape? pasal generasi X tu ape.. Korang tak perlu tau la pasal generasi X tu ape... Generasi X ni ada banyak spesis. Contohnya aku ni dari 'rare weird spesis'. This is what they called me at the faculty. Aku pun tak tau.. aku rasa aku sama gak dengan dia orang & korang. Generasi X ni ada gak dari spesis bell bottom tapi aku tak sempat la nak layan spesis tu. Ish malas la aku nak cite pasal Generasi X ni. Korang pergi la check sendiri kat dalam web site ada citer detail cam detail drawing korang tu...

Ni satu lagi dilema aku... Aku sekarang ni pun tengah giler photography plak. Dulu ada gak giler kejap tapi tak la camni... Aku ni nak cakap besar idak le tapi ada la belajor skit skit pasal fotografi ni. Tapi tu dulu masa pakai kamera analog. skarang ni sume dah digital... kena la aku belajo balik... aku pun fening asyik nak cari subject matter je... sampai korang pun aku jadikan subject matter aku... ntah eh.. nape ntah... NTAH lah malas la aku nak pikiak. Korang tolong pikiak la untuk aku dan beri la pendapat korang kalau korang rasa rajin nak layan aku....

FASTING

2009-08-22T02:01:00.006+08:00

The purpose of fasting is not to feel one's own hunger but the hunger of all those other people. How can one say one has fasted if all that one felt was one's own empty stomach gnawing. Although the feeling is our's, the purpose is the perception of another's hunger that shall understand the meaning of 'food for one is enough for two, and food for two is enough for three.'
Our beloved Prophet s.a.w is reported to have said, 'woe to those who fast but all they felt was hunger and thirst.'

Blessed are they who fast and their own hunger and thirst are the echoes of the plight of the hungry millions.

Blessed are they who fast and understood the meaning of 'food for one is enough for two' because they perceive the second as none other than God Himself.

borrowed from other musings of Jak.

WELCOME RAMADHAN AL MUBARAK

2009-08-20T22:20:00.008+08:00

My warmest salam to all my muslim brother & sister.

The Holy month of Ramadhan is just around the corner and i would like to take this precious opportunity to wish all muslims around the globe, ahlan wa sahlan ya Ramadhan Karim. The Holy month of Ramadhan is a special month in the Islamic calender. As our beloved Prophet (s.a.w) said: "It is the month of Allah." It is the best month of all months and the most glorious one. It is one of the distinctive features of our community (ummah) that is now practiced as the word of Allah Most High said,

"Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you" (al Quran 2:183)

THOUSAND APOLOGIES

2009-08-18T22:06:00.005+08:00

Salam & Hi everyone.....

Please forgive me for not writing for quite sometime. Actually, I'm having problem with my computer (maybe because i always called it ('stupid box'). Will try to overcome it asap. Thanks for stopping by at my blog.

18 ANSWERS FROM OUR BELOVED PROPHET pbuh

2009-08-05T01:05:00.022+08:00

Salam everyone. Please forgive me for a long silent due to my health condition. The recent heat wave brought so much to my family. All in the family have fallen ill due to cough and mild fevers and that really tied me up for the past few weeks. They said it is from the swine flu virus. But of all, al hamdulillah wa shukrillah Allah had grant all of us a complete shifa' inwardly & outwardly and thanks for your precious doa.

I got this from a friend and would like to share with all of you.

A traveller once came to the masjid to see our beloved Prophet Muhammad saw. After he greed the Prophet saw, the Prophet saw asked where he was from. The traveller replied that he came from a very far just to get a few questions answered.

Following is the dialogue between the traveller and the Prophet:

Traveller : I do not want adzab (punishments) to be written in my account.
Prophet : Behave well with your parents.
Traveller : I want to be known amongst people as an intelligent person.

Prophet : Fear Allah Jalla Jalalahu, always.

Traveller : I want to be counted amongst Allah's favourites.
Prophet : Recite Quran every morning and evening.
Traveller : I want my heart to always be enlightened.. (Munawer)

Prophet : Never forget death.
Traveller : I never want to be away from Allah's blessing.

Prophet : Always treat fellow creatures well.
Traveller : I never want to be harmed by my enemies.

Prophet : Always have faith in only Allah.

Traveller : I never want to be humiliated.
Prophet : Be careful of your actions.
Traveller : I wish to live long.
Prophet : Always do silatul rahim. (Goodness towards blood Relations)
Traveller : I want my sustenance to increase.
Prophet : Always be in wudhu.
Traveller : I wish to stay free of adzab in the grave.
Prophet : Always wear pure (paak) clothes.
Traveller : I never want to be burned in hell.
Prophet : Control your eyes and tongue.
Traveller : How do I get my sins forgiven.
Prophet : Always ask forgiveness from Allah with a lot of humility.
Traveller : I want people to respect me always.
Prophet : Never extend your hands of need at people.
Traveller : I want to always be honored.
Prophet : Never humiliate or put down anyone.
Traveller : I don't want to be squeezed by fishare qabr.(Squeezing in the grave)
Prophet : Recite Surat Al Mulk (The Dominion) often.
Traveller : I want my wealth to increase.
Prophet : Recite surat Al Waqiah (The Inevitable) every night.
Traveller : I want to be safe and at peace on Day of Judgement.
Prophet : Do zikr (Praises) of Allah from dusk to night.
Traveller : I want to be in full attention & concentration during prayers.
Prophet : Always do wudhu with concentration and attention.

So my dear friend, about the only thing we ever possess which we can call our own is our non existance! & about the only thing we ever possess which we can be proud off is our nothingness!

INITIATION AT GUNUNG LAMBAK ECO RESORT, KLUANG, JOHOR

2009-07-15T22:33:00.012+08:00

It is a tradition that all of our new student of architecture to undergo an initiation program or 'Masuk Jurus'. This year, the whole Unit Fundamental members had attended a 2-day initiation program at Gunung Lambak Eco Resort, Kluang on July 17 & 18, 2009. There are 12 invited final year students from Regionalism Unit to assist the program. There are several tasks that take into action in which during the action the students will naturally fall under various categories: a leader, a thinker, a follower, or a backbencher. It is also a self-discovery: are they conventional or unique, activist or conformist, egocentric or eco-centric.

Day 1
program 1: Intrduction of self
program 2: Portrait of a Place, Sensorial Walk & Mental Map
program 3: Inconvenient Truth
program 4: Creative Expression
Day 2
program 5: Environmental Project
program 6: Lessons from the Seniors
program 7: Lesson from the Masters

The program ended at 4.00pm
The unique creature in the above photo is amazing, named as Lantern Bug and was taken at Gunung Lambak crawling on a tree trunk near my chalet. Now, people hunt and sell them indiscriminately. Please protect these beautiful insects from extinction. HELP SAVE THE BEAUTIFUL CREATION OF GOD, THE ALMIGHTY. Click first photo to enjoy the rest......

WELCOME ABOARD

2009-07-08T01:46:00.009+08:00

I wish you all a warm welcome and are pleased to have you with us to begin your architectural journey. As before, I will be teaching Fundamental Unit. Fundamental Unit is a 1st year core studio subject. Fundamental Studio plays a role as a transition from school life to campus life. Our responsibilities are to make this transitition occurs surely and conciously, so that you will accept the new learning culture in university. Fundamental studio also plays an important role to initiate you to the architectural discipline. Here for the first time, the students will be introduced to the broad parameters of the discipline.

We believe in the 5 essential skills in learning architecture that you must acquire:

- awareness of self
- awareness of environment
- knowledge in architecture
- effective communication &
- positive attitude & good ethics
This will help you to develope love of self which leads towards development expressive and distinguished individuals; to sharpen perception of the environment which leads to better cognition and critical thinking; to sharpen decision making; designing and communication ability; and to maintain integrity within the profession and mankind.

It is a Fun da Mental year to Fund a Mental!

I would like to share with all of you what my Guru Jak used to say about an architectural philosophy. All those mystical enough shall understand this. Life is linked to a river that one has to cross. Architecture is linked to a boat that takes one across the river of life. As such it is only a means to an end. But it does not mean that one should not make it a beautiful boat. After all there are bound to be passengers hitching a ride acoss. Although the means is not the end, one may realise that having made the crossing, the means is nothing less than the end. Should one reflects further one may also realise that end is nothing more than the means. Life is linked to the river and architecture to a boat that take one across.

Wish all of you good luck & have a bless journey....

REBUILT FOR THE THRILL

2009-06-22T23:41:00.006+08:00

Unlike most people, vintage car enthusiasts can see the potential for old jalopies to be restored. They will spare no expense in ordering original parts from abroad or fabricate them and restore the car to its authentic specifications. Tinkering around with the car is all part of the pleasure of owing a vintage car.
Today I had an opportunity to witness professional vintage car restoration at work. If you love old cars but are not mechanically inclined, don't worry. There is still One-Stop Car Cares, the vintage and classic car specialist where Prakash S. Maniam and his team provide professional car restoration services. Thanks to Prakash and his team to let me explore every little corner of his garage and stores. Prakash, who learned repair skills from his father, gained further professional experience and expertise with a two-year stint in Singapore.
In 1990, he started his own garage in Johor Bahru. With a personal passion for Mercedes, he specialised in working on Mercedes Benz. Then he discovered an inclination for restoration work and began to restore vintage and classic cars.
Each restoration job can take up to 12 months. One of his most memorable job is the restoration of 1930 Austin Seven. I would like to share my experience through my lens and Prakash professional skills with all of you out there. One-Stop Car Care is at No. 27, Jalan Selatan 2/1, Kawasan Perindustrian Ringan Pulai, 81300 Skudai, Johor and Prakash mobile number is 016-7722410.
Please click photo to see my set on vintage car restoration work before and after.

POETIC FOOTBRIDGE

2009-06-19T15:41:00.004+08:00

First year architecture student project 2008, universiti teknologi malaysia

WHAT IS GOOD DESIGN

2009-06-17T03:58:00.006+08:00

Nothing is more perfect than nature.

Two big issues always hover around the concept of "design". The first is, What is design? the second is, What is good design?. While this issues of good design is a pressing question today, we should remember that "good design" is also a phrase from the past that carries a mixed message. Good design is a form of respect. Good dessign requires more vision (a larger point of view versus the single brilliant idea), more consistancy (a deeper underlying structure of language and form versus the simple, uniform application of visual elements) and more patience persistence over time versus creative authoritarianism.

In most people's vocabularies, design means veneer. It's the physical outfit plus cosmetics. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a man-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive way which creates an experience that is both delightful and relevant to the human being. Good design amaze us, scare us or delight us but certainly open us to new worlds that within our daily existance.

BEFORE & AFTER THE COLLAPSE

2009-06-08T00:42:00.013+08:00

Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium is a new multi-use stadium in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. The construction began in May 2006 and was completed last year. The RM292 million stadium was currently used mostly for football matches and can hold up to 50,000 people. It is the biggest stadium in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. The stadium was officially opened in 2008 and host the 2008 Sukma Games. It is the first stadium in Asia to used a space frame structure where the 134meters roof is not supported by any columns.

At 9.40am, 2nd of June 2009, sixty percent of the roof structure collapsed. While no one was injured and a few cars and motorcycles were damaged. The damage was estimated at RM35million. The worse damage was at the east wing of the stadium. The CIBD (Construction and Industrial Development Board) of the Works Ministry has been tasked to form an investigation team with certified architects to probe why this happened.

Thank God that it didn't happen while a sports game was going on. As for me it is not a surprise. My brother used to ask me about the flatten shape at the centre of the curvilinear roof form when we were there enjoying ourselves at the bowling alley 48 hours before the collapse. My answer is simple. It's the failure of the roof structure. Well, I'm not an engineer but a lay man can tell you that simple answer. Can you imagine the number of the casualties that would've caused. The Government must take this matter very seriously. It must bring the culprits to book. This ain't mere oversight. It is a criminal negligence. And, one wonders how many other stadiums structure are waiting to collapse. In Teluk Intan, parts of the stadium roof collaped a couple of years back killing one, and none is yet to face the music. It is standard knowledge now that when construction is concerned, everyone involve in the project tends to cut corners and thus increase their profits? I doubt the building was actually "to-spec" but the time it was built by contractors, sub-contractors, building inspectors et al have probably already scaled back to much the quality of the structure was compromised.

What do these people care? Then again, the authorities ain't so hot either. I was given the opportunity by HIM to be there before and after it collapse. I manage to get a few shots of the stadium before and after and would like to share it with all of you. Please click photo to see the rest in this set. My question? Who to blame???

PULAU KAPAS RETREAT

2009-06-07T15:34:00.010+08:00

I am just back from a short retreat after a very hectic pace of my routine works. I went to a small idyllic tropical island at East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia known as Pulau Kapas. Located less than 5km from the mainland and is reached within 15 minutes by speedboat from the coastal fishing village of Marang. Put up at Kapas Island Resort on the western shore facing the mainland. Pulau Kapas means Cotton Island and this peculiar name is attributed to the pure white beaches that are the trademark of the island. The name comes as no surprise once you have walked along these beaches, the sand is soft and white and slopes gently into the crystal clear water.
Another reason why Kapas Island is popular because of the excellent snorkeling activities around the island. There are a lot of treasures to be discover under the crystal clear surface of the water. Another 'must try' activity here is 'candat sotong' in Terengganuspeak or squid jiggling. Unfortunately I miss it as i didn't make earlier arrangement. This activity took place in April and May (peak time) each year. If you drive at night along coastal road between April to October, you will see a long rows of light at the sea which i used to call it Terengganu skyline. Those are the lights of squid jiggers.
On second day, I got a shocking wake up call from my sister. She told me that the roof of Terengganu Stadium collapsed. She was so concerned about the incident because the night before we were there at the bowling alley enjoying ourselves till after midnight. We were so lucky it didn't happened when we were there. I managed to take a few shots before it collapsed.
Kapas Island may be easy to reach but it is harder to leave this island after being immersed in its beauty especially during the night fall. By having said that, we were unfortunate because during our stay the sun was burning hot. We could only enjoy the beaches at late afternoon when the sun became more friendly to us. Please click photo to see the whole sets of Kapas Island memorabilia.

KPI WORKSHOP

2009-05-27T22:47:00.018+08:00

Every year Architecture Department organizes a workshop to discuss rigorously on matters that concern architectural education at UTM. This time we had our workshop at Kayangan Suite, Pulai Spring Resort which is just five minutes away from UTM, Skudai. Things that are not done well in the last session had been analyzed thoroughly during the workshop. Steps and action for correction and improvement are also been tabled and debated so that tangible action could be taken next session. The workshop is held from 25th May until 28th May 2009. The workshop also prepare for a 5-year master plan. As current and former students of UTM's architecture programme you must have lots of things to say. Why not take this opportunity to share your viewpoints.

IPOH RAILWAY STATION

2009-05-24T21:53:00.015+08:00

The Ipoh Railway Station is one of the iconic landmark in Malaysia which is situated next to the Central Bus Station and the Main Post Office. Ipoh Railway Station is affectionately known as the Taj Mahal of Ipoh as it is quite a magnificent structure with it's Moorish architecture. The building was selected by survey to be one of the landmark for my research on colour perception between designers and laypublic on constructed landmarks in Malaysian Cities. The main purpose of the study is to explore the various schemes of colour perception or colour interpretation of the urban environment and to discover their potential part in interactions between the designers and the laypublic or users. It is also of equal importance to identify the differences and similarities in perception between the two groups, and to develop possible ideological (based on the relating to a particular set of ideas or beliefs) presuppositions (when someone believes something is true without any proof) about the realities of urban design in relation to colours, especially in the context of the Malaysian cities. Such findings will facilitates a dialogue between decision makers and users of the urban scene and enlarge possibilities for what can be called a common understanding and communicative action.
The research will also deal with the perception of colour of the constructed landmarks between designers and the laypublic and it is postulated that the colour experience and the landmarks are mediated by the process of perception on the part of individuals. It will also study the aspect of familiarity and its influences on the judgement of constructed landmarks in six Malaysian cities.

The study will adopt categories of constructed landmarks that include towers, buildings and special urban features such as stadium and bridges. The study will be limited to identifying landmarks, investigating the significance of association with meanings and interpretation of colour (but not on the physics of colour), emotional response and physical evaluation based on surfacial values or visual appearance, familiarity, educational background and ethnicity which also formed the main variables.

An exploratory survey was conducted on the six selected cities namely Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Johor Bahru, Pulau Pinang, Melaka and Ipoh and former residents are the meant to be representatives of a larger sampling group during the survey. The respondents are the designers and laypublic. The aim was to evaluate the landmarks for each city. The questionaire was open ended and this allowed the respondents to express and answer the quesions freely. The findings will used to help in identifying the range of responses derived from perception, colour perception and evaluation of the landmarks in selected Malaysian cities.

LOST & FOUND

2009-05-22T02:15:00.014+08:00

I still haven't found what i'm looking for....

They asked me what i'm looking for...
I said, i'm looking for myself....
They asked me, have I found myself, yet?
Nope.... why not?
Because I was never lost in the first place.

THE GIFT

2009-05-22T00:45:00.004+08:00

An afterthought to all those people who have been so silent that many a times I wonder if they were present at all.... God gave the gift of speech only to man but how is it that most of us are still dumb. What a waste! Comm'on mate, reach out. It does not hurt to say, 'Hi..i..'
borrowed from: Other Musings of Jak

ARCHITORTURE QUOTE

2009-05-20T03:39:00.001+08:00

Architecture is lower and slower than any other field; we are the least technological, but we talk about it the most.

Mark Wigley

Architecture Principe was born out of the conviction that modern architecture had become fossilised. It had entirely lost its principles, both in its own nature, and also in relation to the other arts.

Claude Parent