20 under 45

First off, I will like to share a quote from Nary Chea, one of the young architects who presented their works at URA for the 20 under 45 exhibition.


It was my first time attending this exhibition opening and forum. Getting to hear some of the architects inspired me. But what inspired me most is a question posted by a Professor from Holland who was present during the round table discussion, asking a question about the issue of social needs rather than fulfilling the requirements of the clients.

Being thought in University of Tasmania, what I had learnt that made me remind myself about my goals and dreams is the involvement of an Architect with the social needs of the users. I dream of one day, if possible, to be able to be involved in providing my professional service to tackle and provide solutions to under privileged users in the developing countries.

Apart from that, I am also proud about my current scope of work. Though some people might think it is a small project that does not allow me to learn more, I feel I learnt more than just designing houses. Lift Upgrading Programme, or in short LUP, is the current project I am handling. I felt that I learnt a lot from LUP projects. I learnt something that I will not get from new-build projects.

Social needs and social interaction is what I look forward to in that project. It is not just 1 or a few users, it involves hundreds of users. Understanding and designing for the needs of the residents involves interactions with the users and working out the best solution from ground sentimental. Providing a better life by understanding the needs is the key to a successful practice.

What is Professional Practice Examinations, PPE, to me? It is just one of the technical milestone for me. The satisfaction that drives me in architecture is not PPE, not good looking architecture, but the depth of my involvement with the users.

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