RECOGNITION

"we would like to use your CV as a part of the company profile for presentation to a potential client", said my colleague. I was quite shocked to know that the staff profile for this project would include me as well. It would usually include only the high level of the company's management. I'm just an architectural assistant who is still new to the UK's architecture. This is another advancing step in my career. When I recall my previous employment, I've never been included in any company profile. This would make the first time my CV being included into the company profile; a big milestone in my architectural journey. Deep inside, I feel accepted by the company for a good reason... a recognition for a great job!

SERI BUMI - Seven Tiers of the Sky, Seven Tiers of the Earth

This was a design competition entry back in 1998

The design concept of the design is Supremacy. It means the extreme highest and extreme deepest and the theme is Seri Bumi, Seven Tiers of the Earth, Seven Tiers of the Sky.

It is not just a power station but it is a multifunction monument. It has recreational park for tourists and also public spaces for people such as hall, gallery, offices and etc. It also functions as a centre of the hi-tech future power station and it symbolizes the growth and development of Malaysia in the future.

The design issues concentrates on the environmentally conscious design as it protects the environment by maintaining its natural condition. Falling of flowing water has been used to perform work for thousands of years. The generation of electricity from falling water expanded with the need for larger hydroelectric plants because the energy does not need to be used on the site. In the future, the knowledge and understanding of all hydropower facilities components can assure tht hydropower can be economically optimized, properly integrated and be a properly functioning facility that is built and maintained.

It is obvious that hydropower development is a renewable energy source and that its renew ability is a significant advantage. When hydropower development occurs at existing damp sites, the environmental impact is minimal or non existence. A hydroelectric impact is minimal or non-existence. A hydroelectric project in Malaysia is also a very good investment if it is used to bring future income and to provide power that humans will need in the future.

The design of the power station shows that Malaysia has achieved the highest part of economic sustainability. The design also shows the movement of Malaysia from the past to the future. In the design, we convey the characteristic of a national identity.

We mean to address the importance of our nationality and to show how proud we are to be Malaysians.

Fourteen petals that overlap each other show the fourteen states of Malaysia working together to develop the country. The Seven Tiers of the Earth show where Malaysia has been through. It also symbolizes the starting point of Malaysia towards better future. The Seven Tiers of the Sky show where we are going and the highest part we can go. The hollow part symbolizes the past and the laser symbolizes the future. The water that falls through the deepest part shows the fear to fall down. Once we fall we can’t fall again. Let bygones be bygones. Malaysia has to move towards the future.

MSSA STUDENT IDEAS COMPETITION 2004

While I was browsing the Internet, I found an old article from my former lecturer in University, Miss Faridah Adnan. http://eprints.utm.my/474/1/A_Faridah_Bridging.pdfAmong interesting notes from the article were several pictures used from her supervised student as examples in relation to the topic. One of them is the picture in Figure 9: First prize winner of MSSA Student Idea Competition 2004 from UiTM. Well, it was so happened that I was the person who involved behind the scene of the project to do the presentation board.

I'd still recall the few nights before they submitted the design; the group of students wasn’t able to finish it because they concentrated too much on the model making. One of my juniors approached me and asked for my help. Within limited time and resources (using old computer)
I managed to complete the 3d model and rendering, presentation boards and the Graphics for the project. Alhamdulillah, it finally won the competition and the boards were displayed worldwide.

After that I never heard any news from this group of students. They came, they took and they left. This experience teaches me that if we’re not in the front line to show (but not to brag) our works and capabilities, there will be others who would just simply take the credits of others’ effort to themselves. We will never know who really did the hard work.

This example also applies to bosses in firms. People behind the scene are usually not the good-presenters or speakers kind of people or even sweet talkers who talk a lot about their works because they were given less opportunity to portray this ability. In addition, they have so much work to do and have less time to talk about their works. The situations leave the person who has more time to talk and becomes better at talking rather than work to get the credits out of it. A good boss should have the ability to judge not just by its cover but also see beyond the scene.

"An understanding heart is everything in a teacher, and cannot be steamed highly enough. One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feeling. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child. "Carl Jung Swiss psychologist (1875 - 1961)