ACORNS DON'T FALL FAR FROM THE OAK TREE

I was sitting outside the examination room, waiting nervously. All the memories when I was 9 slowly came to the back of my mind. I could vividly recall my very first visit to the optician, an awkward looking Chinese optician in his small very antique looking spectacles shop. I remember getting an old nerd looking glasses with big frames as my first pair of spectacles. My dad had a hard time getting me my first pair of glasses as it did not only cost him a fortune but it cost him even more in maintaining crystal clear vision at all times plainly because I back then used to break them, bend them, and even get them hit while playing football with my friends. There were even times when I slept with my glasses on and upon waking up I'd find them broken or bent. I could clearly recall during my early adolescent, my dad wanted me to look good wearing glasses. Hence, he bought me spectacles with trendy looking frames instead of the old geeky ones. It was one of the best days of my life; wearing posh looking glasses. But my good looking days didn't last long. I eventually broke them. That was when my dad punished me for not taking a good care of my glasses by never buying me those trendy pricey spectacles and I had to wear the big old nerdy frames for a long time... I then learnt my lesson.

However today, those memories is coming back not because I need a new pair of glasses instead I'd come here to witness history being repeated. My son, Azhan who is 7 years old and his brother, Nine, 5 are now wearing glasses!!...just like my wife said in her writing, "acorns don't fall far from the oak tree". I will soon step into my dad's shoes. I will learn how he felt each time those vision aids are broken. I will try my utmost best to provide the best for my sons as much as my father did to me during those good old days.

"I will try my utmost best to provide the best for my sons as much
as my father did to me during those good old days."

Link: http://anidraw.blogspot.com/2008/04/acorns-dont-fall-far-from-oak-tree.html

WHY SUSTAINABILITY ? - a new mind set

A Sustainable Future for Development
“Meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” Brundtland Report: Our Common Future 1987. The World Commission of Environmental Development

The above statement is quoted from a seminar about sustainable study done by one of our directors from RGP London. The seminar explains how RGP will tackle the environmental and sustainability issues in our projects. A few examples consisting of our current proposals are also included in the study as case studies to test and verify the theory.

Below is the table of contents of the study:

A. CONTEXT
i) Sustainability Implementation Plan (SIP)
ii) Corporate Environmental Policy
iii) Output from the SIP
iv) Sustainability Assessment tools
v) Rational Structure

B. SUSTAINABILITY BRIEFING PROCESS
1. LAND
i) Land Use
ii) Ecology
iii) Green Travel Plan

2. RESOURCE CONSUMPTION
i) Materials
ii) Energy
iii) Air
iv) Water

3. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
i) Health and Wellbeing
ii) Pollution and Contamination

4. USERS & CUSTOMERS
i) Building and Estate Operation
ii) Portfolio Management
iii) User Satisfaction and Feedback

5. STAKEHOLDERS

I’m sure that this study will be updated and upgraded from time to time. By having this draft as guideline, it’ll be the first big stepping stone for the practice. It’ll also provide a clear vision on how to deal with every built-environment issues that need very much of our attention. Overcoming these issues is a process not just for the sake of any architecture practices to survive but most importantly I believe as part of our quest to become noble architects.

“Noble life demands a noble architecture for noble uses of noble men. Lack of culture means what it has always meant: ignoble civilization and therefore imminent downfall” Frank Lloyd Wright US architect (1869 - 1959)

BINLEY SHOPPING PARK, COVENTRY - Development 3

These images are a part of updated version of illustration which I had done earlier. The previous version was only a quick massing model done to illustrate the scale of the development.

As the project progresses, I had more time to further develop the design. This also creates a proper illustration that includes more actual surrounding environment that will feel the impact of the development.

With the fast-track office design done these days, we tend to forget the essential rules of producing a masterpiece; we can never rush art. A work of art would need an extra care for detail which consumes a lot of time and passion. But when time is running short, we designer should make full use of what ever resources available to illustrate the dream beautifully.

LINK TO PREVIOUS POST

http://www.rgp.uk.com/ RGP have an innovative approach to architectural design. We have no dogma, no standard answers and we are spirited and fun to work with.

A TRIP TO REMEMBER

There is one famous architect quote that was once passed on by my good lecturer, “the foot that walks, the head that turns, the eye that sees” - Le Corbusier.

Since then we were forced to go on field trip for each semester that varied from an urban visit to jungle tracking. These field trips were intended to expose us to the importance of visiting the real site and to sharpen our senses towards the actual environment.

Later in life when I finally graduated like others, and just like the rest of my fellow studio-mates, we still travel…to work. Travelling from day office to freelance office to client meetings and travelling home was already an exhausting experience. Until at one point when I begun to drain out of idea, a clear signal that it was time for long walks to refresh my mind.

After hearing alluring stories from several friends who lived in England, I was more convinced to travel abroad, and England was the foreign land I’d set my foot on. I couldn’t describe how much excitement ran through my body on my first international flight. Not to mention the day-to-day excitement for the first time walking down to buildings that we would usually see in architectural magazines. I was even more surprised and struck by amazement when I set my bare eyes on Eiffel tower. Praise is too good, my fishing for job went well, and I was offered a permanent post and finally got me settled in Bury, Lancashire.

It has been more than a year now that I seem to get stuck here in Bury since my last travel home to Malaysia and spent time with my entire family. The long walk to refresh my mind is due again. We are planning to go for a trip around “Malaya” this year but had to be extended at the last minute. This is to give way for a trip with my parents -in-laws to discover the south of England.

This trip is not just to visit places of interest but also visiting friends. It gives glimpse of people’s lives as a lesson in understanding ourselves, family and friends. It also evidently gave us a full vision of life. From a friend who is expecting her baby any time soon to another friend who’s juggling with her trotting son and another friend who has kids of the same age as my growing boys and finally to my father’s friend. That whole process gave us a bigger picture of what the future holds for us. It even makes us more grateful, and become a better person. It is a trip worth to remember.

Let’s read the full coverage of the trip reported by my beloved wife. Link: A TRIP TO REMEMBER