LEICESTER STREET, NORTHWICH

First draftFinal Render

First draft

Final Render

More often than not, I've been asked to do simple facade design. Under my director's supervision I had developed a skill of knowing what to expect. Familiarised with the firm design approach and "style".

Nevertheless, like most designers we tend to push the boundary further. We would not easily mould into certain monotonous work. Like many other young designers, we love the adventure of new design and the process that goes with it.

During this exercise, I was asked to re-use typical retail design facade constructed on other site. However, due to the uniqueness of the corner entrance (not like central entrance in typical design), I took the opportunity to give a little bit extra look on the front.

I've learnt that cost control in this tight budget building is crucial, therefore any suggestion to "push the boundary" is taken with extra thought. Despite such worriness in mind, we as designers need to be "brave" to venture into new set of design territory. During this exploration, one must not get carried away.

In the end, this "out of box" exercise for the typical design gets the clients' approvals. I must always bear in mind, "no single project is identical" thus could prevent us from self-plagiarism and deliver to client a fresh thought. Remember, although some creative design may not be first acknowledged, it has won your freedom!

OPERABLE WALLS

TOK! ABANG DAH BALIK

TOK! ABANG DAH BALIK

Sudah lama kita berjauhan,
Hari ini aku pasti akan pulang,
Tok sedang menanti menahan nyawanya,
Terlantar dia menahan sakit di Kampung,

Hari ini sesibuk mana kerja, aku tinggalkan!

Hari ini segunung emas harta, aku biarkan!

Hari ini sekuat mana pelukan kekasih, aku lepaskan!

Aku tinggalkan segalanya demi bersama segalanya,

Pulanglah aku pulang,
Cepatlah cepat aku tiba,
Ingin sekali aku disisinya,
Sekarang juga di saat ini...di waktu ini.

Mengapakah begitu lama untuk sampai?,
Kapal terbang apa yang begini lambat?,
Jarak benua ini bukannya jauh sangat,
Takala jasad menunggu hatiku sudah sampai.

Angin sedang bertiup kencang,
Hari pun menjelang senja,
Tok duduk bersimpuh dipangkin rumah,
Berteriakan memanggil aku pulang,

Berlari-larilah aku kerana takut,
Kerna dihambat rotan acuhan Tokwan,
Ini semua angkara leka bermain,
Penatnya hingga terbongkang aku di riba Tok,

Oh! Terjaga dari tidur di belai Tok,
Usap tangannya ini masih terasa segar,
Teriakan Tok itu sedang terngiang-ngiang,
Memanggil aku segera pulang...Abang balik!

Tuhanku! Hentikanlah masa ini,
Untuk Kau panjangkan umurnya,
Kuatkan semangat tenaganya,
Hinggakan derita tidak terasa,

Tuhanku! Sebelum Tok menjadi tetamuMu,
Izinkan aku mendengar kata "sayang" sekali lagi,
Untuk tamatkan penantian rindu dendam kami,
Tok! Abang dah balik...

Fadzlan Rizan Johani 14 May 2009
(sebuah catatan awal sewaktu menunggu penerbangan pulang 2 April 2009)

Al-fatihah buat Allahyarhan Che Jam binti Omar (Tok/Nenek) yang pulang Rahmatullah pada pagi 23 April 2009.

HAPPY HOME

Port Dickson, April 2009

"A home design from happy experience in life, will bring true happiness to one; imposing a build that we thought would create happiness may only give misery to another!" Fadzlan Rizan Johani

E-BULLETIN

Final design

This is an e-bulletin designed for RGP marketing strategy. The purpose of this e-bulletin is to publish the latest news about RGP to our existing clients and potential future client.

The bulletin is composed in only one page to provide brief news of the month. This monthly news will then be compiled for RGP's seasonal news booklet.

First Option

This first option was designed by another colleague of mine in the office. At first I was shown the design of the layout. The director gave the same brief for me to work on another option. He decided not to show me the design in order to get another fresh idea without referring to the first option.

For many of us this could be a competition which they'd fight to win. But for me not knowing the look of the first option gives me more freedom in design. Instead of worrying whether my design would be chosen or not, or to follow the previous company CV's design or any formal format of design, I was simply having fun producing a 'fresh' design.

Second Option

As a result, the e-bulletin that I produced is out of RGP's design norm. When the director revealed the first option, I was expecting a very formal format design. Although the director feels excited about my option, he still feels comfortable with the first option (formal design). However, instead of choosing any particular one from the two options it is a good idea to combine both design elements to produce the best option.

The final design is composed in In-Design publishing software. This is another good software that I'd recently learnt and currently practiced to produce excellent presentation.

During this small exercise I've learnt and proved that creativity should be explored with greater freedom. There should be less or no restriction on ideas. Only after creativity has grown that it could then be moulded towards the requirements.

Dear Friends

Dear Friends,

It's been quite a while that I have neither posted any news nor updates on any of my work recent projects on this blog. Some of you may know that I've just returned from a four-week holiday in Malaysia due to urgent visit to my critically ill grandma and also attending my brother's wedding. Our hectic schedule during the stay did not permit me much time to update anything.

However, we are now back in England. The blog will resume as per usual with some story from home during our visit.

We've lost one of our beloved family members and at the same time receive a new member in the family. It appears that life seems different, the event seems to prepare me for my 30th life in the small world.

Cheers,

FADZ