DI PUNCAK SEPI

DI PUNCAK SEPI

Diantara darjat dan kehendak,
acapkali manusia kerdil,
ingin berada dikemuncak,
puncak kejayaan,

Aku juga manusia seperti mereka,
ingin berada disana,
bersusah-payah bersambung nyawa,
bagi memastikan aku berjaya,

Namun kini kusedari
betapa di puncak itu sepi,
kejayaan tiada makna lagi,
tanpa teman disisi,

Puncak ini sebenarnya,
hanya persinggahan sementara,
kita tidak mampu memilikinya,
sekadar membuka jendela mata tentang kebesaran Ilahi,

Kini aku mengerti
apa yang ku kejar ini hanyalah kepadaNya,
Kerna segalanya telah menjadi
penentu bagi Tuhanku.

FADZLAN RIZAN JOHANI
19 June 1999
Gunung Hijau (Taiping)
Resthouse

PICTURE SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS ?

I could simply post RIVERSIDE project (below) without any words. People might say "picture speaks a thousand words". But in this new emerging digital artist, it would make it difficult for the architect to justify who is doing which part. I could probably post just the images but it would stand out as something being produced by a 3d artist which is supposed to be better than this.

It also seems to be difficult these days when people simply take other people's images and put into their portfolio which in reality they just make a simple effort by producing sketches. If they said "the idea is more important than just a pretty picture", then they're supposed to compile those sketches instead even though it seems ugly. Could we recall how Norman Foster or Renzo Piano sketched?

Yes of course we all work as one team, no one could do everything, but when it comes to telling others about the work you've done, a dummy such as that is not a good ethic. It could be featured (I try to avoid) on CV but shouldn't be highlighted. We should be grateful with what we produced because it is part of our life history and not others.


Not to mention the mushrooming number of Blogs that just comment (sometime criticise) on people's works or news that come across them. Maybe those happening features give some impact in their life or maybe just to attract visitors to their page. The worst scenario is when they just want to own a certain blog address without posting anything. Sick!!


I'm about to make the same "mistake". As we know in our daily life there's always something around us that inspired us. From sketches to movies to music or as simple as at glancing at other people's works. Being an almost absent minded kind of person (I could remember picture easily though); keeping a journal is the best option to make me remember stuff. I even read back all my writings in this blog again and again! While I'm considering to include my thoughts about those things that inspired me, I write this entry and make up my mind.


In this blog I tried my best to filter the works. This writing is just for my own reminder (others might find it useful) Only the works that I did should be featured and giving credits to those gentlemen/ladies' works that I involved in. I will only post all those stuff that inspired me on the side bar of the blog. And when it changes, I will save it in my own safe box. THE END.

ROYAL SPA RETAIL PARK

I'm back with my colouring artist job. Today I only helped to colour drawing presentation for Collin's team. I'm not involved in the design process but just helping out with the coloring submission to the authority.

Sometimes my senior director in-charge keep asking me,"Are you sure you don't mind to do the colouring job?. You're supposed to work more on architectural works". He's right, but in my situation right now being a single parent and being far from the "women behind a man" I decided that I'm not ready to get more adventurous than this yet. I said "Yes, I'm OK. It is better to do something that I'm good at for now, maybe later when I get everything settled down then I could think about doing more things." and he understands my situation very well.

It's good sometimes to take a break from long hectic work life by just doing simple exercise such as this...I call it ARCHITECTURAL THERAPY.

http://www.rgp.uk.com/

LOT 35 -KLCC

Back in March 2004

This was a schematic design. A huge design task for me who had just graduated 5 month (but had been working part-time for 3 years since practical). The project was under the guidance of my former boss, Mr. Ong. It was a fast track design proposal in order to get the client’s attention and to proof to the client the company’s capabilities ("pancing"). With limited time and resources, I managed to complete the job on time and above standards.

A compact presentation board on A0 paper. Huh! it was a 2004 work…might be outdated version of presentation-its history. Agreed?

"I guess that makes all the Malaysian graduates “powerful"
because they speak less and design a project as if it takes the whole office to
do it, which in reality it was a one-man show!"

What do I recall from this job? I think the form was taken from the Maxis tower, in order to blend with the overall development. But the purpose of doing so was because the Maxis tower itself does not complement the KLCC Twin tower design!! But the purple colour looks kind of vibrant fresh colour (that was done by the STONOR PARK, KLCC recently)

I remember that the design planning was well planned to give a smooth transition from the building to Suria KLCC.

The Facilites Club House Level was created to view the KLCC frontage. We might change the orientation to face the park but because the next plot was an empty land which most probably been the result of another development was blocking the view. This was what happened to the The Ascott / Ascort Apartment near Jalan Pinang when it was blocked by Kirana Condominium .The importance of the corner is highlighted as a big advertisement board. It fits the purpose of a mall featured on the podium level. I tried to maximise the advertisement space which at the same time would produce a design feature to the building. This would reduce the add-on advertisement to the building facade

Note: I need to scan my sketches of the project left in my studio back in Malaysia. A lot more to discover the thought behind the design processes. I could not find the original file that has the plan in it

TAMAN TUN HINDU TEMPLE

Back in May 2001


New entrance
Old main entrance

View from main road

View from the park

Taman Tun Hindu Temple, ah! This was my very first freelance job. Back in 2001, not long after I finished my practical year at SNO (Saifuddin And Ong Architect). I didn’t know how I become a freelance job seeker. (Didn't even know there is such term as “freelancer”) I guess because at that time I was really in need of extra money to support my young married life. I could vividly recall receiving this work from my officemate's recommendation. Thanks so much for his help.

The existing site

The job was about making landscape proposal to the authority for land extension which eventually gain some sponsorship. Based on my little knowledge on landscape, I managed to make a simple proposal which has very close relation with the nature.

Before the work commenced, my client took me to visit the site. The Hindus were obviously stunt to see a Muslim visiting their worship place. People were staring at me. Even though we all learned about other religions in a few of our subjects eg Muslim and world civilisation and also in Architecture History, but we'd never gone to the actual place of worship.

Seriously, most of the time I just kept praying silently to protect myself from any bad things especially when I recall all the superstitious Malays' believe about Hindu’s worship.

"Nevertheless the experience taught me to better understand about other races in Malaysia and how very little that I know about them."