Diversified Talent of Architecture Graduates

Editor: Ahnaf bin Samsury Authors: Ahnaf bin Samsury, Akmal Hakim bin Jatmi, Assyahiddin Muhammad bin Reza Syahrial & Mohd Khairullaznil bin Khairullanuar Copyright Š 2021 1ST EDITION

All rights reserved. No part of this book, either text or illustration, may be used or reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher.

Published by Institut Sultan Iskandar (ISI), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia 81310 Skudai, Johor Published in Malaysia Cover and page layout design by: Ahnaf bin Samsury ISBN-XX: XXX-X-XXXXX-XXX-X

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ORGANISATION Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Institut Sultan Iskandar (ISI) SUPERVISORS Prof. Dr. Syed Ahmad Iskandar bin Syed Ariffin Mrs. Jamilia Marsin COLLABRATORS Farah Hanim binti Mohd Mohan Shah Huda binti Nejim Al-asedi Nur Syakirin Saharom, Ahmad Syahmi Ismail Afiq Afify Anuar Radin Aminurasyid

Akiff Muhammad Ariff Azyan Zainual

Luqman Bin Mohamad Rosli PROOFREADER DK iv

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Many thanks to all those who helped compile this monograph and bring it to a successful completion. They gave their time, their collaboration, their cooperation, their suggestions and their advice freely and generously. Many tight deadlines wouldn’t have been met and the overall work wouldn’t have been completed without this sense of cooperation. Their involvement was essential at various stages.

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CONTENT

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SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION COMMON JOBS FOR ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES EVOLUTION OF ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE IN MALAYSIA HOW ARE ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES DOING IN MALAYSIA IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE MOVING FOWARD

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SECTION 2: THE PEOPLE

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SECTION 3: CONCLUSION

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REFERENCES

BATIK ARTIST EDUCATOR ILLUSTRATOR MACRAMÉ ARTIST GRAFFITI ARTIST TAKAFUL CONSULTANT HANDCRAFTSMAN GRAPHIC ARTIST DIGITAL CRAFTSMAN

ENDINGS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

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INTRODUCTION

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In this Year of Covid, when lives, lifestyles & workstyles have been altered, how has the architecture industry been faring, both globally and in Malaysia? What impact has it had on students, and, moving forward, what lies ahead?

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

01 Architect at work Photo by Daniel McCullough on Unsplash

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COMMON JOB FOR ARCHITECTURE

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rchitecture is one of those fields that include a wide variety of career options, owing to several topics that fall under its domain. The work scale in architecture is started from designing a small room in a house to the entire master plan of a city. Architecture work involves designing, developing, presenting and supervising all kinds of projects. In the process of studying architecture various skills and knowledge are gained that can help students if they venture into career path. These skills include product design, graphic design and even game design.

Architecture defines the design practice, arts and constructing buildings. From the definition, the terms show a wider scope of discipline that might suggest architecture has broad education.

In fact, there were uncertainties in job scopes on what kind of architect that you might be after you graduated from the university. Below is a list which shows common jobs undertaken by architecture graduates: • • • • • • • • •

Technical Architect Design Architect Project manager Landscape architect Urban designer Town planner Restoration architect Research architect Interior and spatial designer

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• • •

BIM Manager CAD Manager Architectural technologist

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

EVOLUTION OF ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE IN MALAYSIA

(architect) understanding and open-up other feasible career options following their passion or interest (different from core architecture). Digital world has opened up some new opportunities to the profession. The information now can be easy

to access and this might give freshers and young professionals a chance to discover a wide range of alternative career options to choose from.

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n architect’s task includes designing, altering, adapting, conserving and preserving buildings. All these expertise have been used by the architects to adapt the surroundings of buildings and . The current generations of architects use many computer aided design software and other tools to provide and prepare drawings to fulfill the client’s needs and requirements. The task must be completed according to specific requirements that include material, colour, structure, construction time, costs and environmental or safety regulations. Other than that, architects also work as a supervise technician who prepares these drawings. Every architect must be able to perform meetings with clients, negotiate contracts and present the idea to the clients.

On the current trend, the internet and social media have revolutionized everything.

Communication of ideas and experience can be enhanced with the emergence of new technologies to facilitate the professional

02 Architect Profession Photo by Ariana Zilliacus on Archdaily

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

HOW ARE ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES DOING IN MALAYSIA?

innovative ways of designing, building, managing and communicating architecture. A wide range of career options and level of freedom can be explored and discovered by young practitioners and graduates. Despite the long and arduous process to complete a degree or master in

architecture, more or less the freshly graduated architects could see other perspectives which will be rewarding in the future. However, many freshly graduated architects find themselves lost and unsure about the future of being an architect after graduating from university.

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s it possible architects could explore alternate career paths? Architect careers train students to be creative problem-solvers regardless of situation by utilizing and applying their skills to a variety of challenges compared to other professions. We know that architects like to plan and design structures for buildings which serve as places for people to live, eat, and work. If that is the career that suits you, keep moving forward. It is not an easy task for an architect to find balance between budgets and client’s objectives, the feasibility, design and cost involved in the project. However, the digital world has changed the way architects work and it has revolutionized knowledge sharing and experience. Architects realized that technologies have created alternative viable career paths pursuing interests and passions which diverge from core architecture mainstream.

03 Score wheel of Job Matrix 1 = Low 2= Below average 3 = Average 4 = High 5 = Outstanding

The emergence of technologies has also made a strong impact on the industry, allowing new generations of professionals to explore

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2019 COVID-19 pandemic Covid 19, also known as coronavirus, started out as a virus outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019 that soon spread to nearly every country in the world. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic and by 2021 it has caused more than 2.1 million deaths and 100 million cases, with present day medical ďŹ ndings showing that the virus has mutated and produced a fresh more contagious variant. Medical scientists working as quickly as medical protocols provide have come up with several vaccines that are beginning to bring hope. Covid 19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-Cov-2.

04 Virus Photo by CDC on Unsplash

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON ARCHITECTURE PRACTICE

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hen the world reopens slowly to encourage lock-down, everyone adapts to new realities. The coronavirus has brought in a new “normal,” shifted our expectations and adjusted our goals by dramatic changes to our lives. In order to interrogate and analyse our climate, we always respond and foresee a relatively uncertain future.

Many architects have switched to their best knowledge: architecture and creativity, in an attempt to react constructively to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new societal constraints are a mechanism for replenishing much of what we believe in the urban world. The planet will forecast new expectations after the COVID-19 epidemic as a result of its transition to this new lifestyle.

DELAYS, CANCELLATIONS AND UNCERTAINTY As the economy is starting to fall, it is also seen by the architects. Economic instability continues

to deter large investments, and the coming recessions are like poison for the multiannual mechanism for planning and house a building.

However, nearly 80 per cent of businesses were affected by the pandemic and almost 2/3 were affected by the closing of their premises.

According to the RIBA report, nearly 37 per cent of architects experienced project cancellations.

Around 57 per cent acknowledged that cash flow was limited, company expenses rose and unrecoverable outlays increased. While business returns to normal, businesses will also face this financial effect, which will lead to closures and loss of employment as the economy fails to rebuild.

In some businesses, such as university ventures, studios and high-tech development, the influence of the pandemic was more difficult to experience, says Harris. The decline in the number of foreign students, as will the activity in the aero sector due to a drop in the volatility level in the higher education industry.

The changing market, however, has moved workload focus to other areas and will continue to do so as a reduction of coronavirus.

“ Some sectors of our workload have been harder hit than others (Harris, 2019)

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05 Young man covered in sticky notes, work overload Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

COVID-19 CRUSHING THE ARCHITECTURE INDUSTRY

Lockdowns and quarantines almost left many offices and hotels all over the world vacant and the appetites of developers of new ones have been exhausted. “It’s a big question who will need office space,” says Nancy Ruddy, co-founder of CetraRuddy, a New York based venture. Her organisation has a big office building about to be finished, but claims that they do not actually have plans to take in any additional offices.

B - Up : Housing Suburban housing is another form of building that has persevered. However, according to (Ruddy, 2020) it’s not cookie-cutter homes from the past. Her company has taken on a variety of medium density housing schemes, so-called transit focused construction, in or around suburban railway stations. “People may see that there is another type of housing typology,” she says. “These developments can be seen as a boost for you as people opt to leave town during the outbreak, although it can be more hype than reality, because they can be found in the suburbs of the city, and in a little less dense environment.” The form of growth might be an adjusting and following the pandemic

06 On site supervision Photo by Guilherme Cunha on Unsplash

would leave the town the vicinities, although this scenario could be more dramatic than true.

C - Evolving : Higher Education “Though there is a slight drop in expected expenditure this or the next year, higher education and other education environments seem to be maintaining strong,” notes Mark Ripple, director of Eskew Dumez Ripple, New Orleans. He says the most “resource-consuming” sections of universities, such as departments of science and technology and medical schools, have special demand. “Although students can easily attend group lectures ‘virtually’ from the comfort of their sleeps, practical, resourceorientated learning still requires physical presence in and around the laboratories.”

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D - Adapting : Everything Designs are being changed to satisfy current demands and requirements generated by the pandemic for projects which still move in one way or another. Enhancing cross ventilation, natural light, outside vision, and space for the work of individuals from home in residential developments. The next chapter of all our lives.

That requires more air, natural light, connectivity and space for people working at home in residential projects.

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A - Downturn : Offices and Hospitality

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

THE ARCHITECTURE PROFESSION While we cannot forecast the future, we can build rational analogies based on our present condition and first replies. Architects around the world have used their know-how to tackle coronaviruses and created creative strategies for a long time to come. Some build infrastructure, while others reconsider the city. In the next segment, we shall explore how the practice will develop, how future ventures are oriented and how our cities are adaptable.

A - Interdisciplinary Approaches 1ST EDITION

One lesson which we have learnt from the pandemic is that architecture cannot save the world alone. As the market moves forward, our view of the urban environment will change.

Currently, there are now interdisciplinary ways to cope more successfully with these desperately needed global challenges, putting new knowledge and insights to work. The collective strategy would solve global shared issues, including conceptions of public and personal wellbeing, transportation and mobility, environmental psychology, biophilia and even agriculture.

climate shifts. In an early period these issues will concentrate more in the near term on the prevention of illnesses and natural disasters, geared towards migration and war-related camps. As an important part of all approaches, sustainability will further improve its status and initiatives will become more self-sufficient. In the other side, we are shaping emerging underused spaces as we strive to create quickly reacting systems. In our emergency response, adaptive reuse approaches are becoming necessary to facilitate swift action. Considering that sustainability is the most successful method, the sector would only develop as the global economy struggles.

on health-oriented practices. Build and material are rethinking and creating new living forms according to the present situation. As structural architecture, prefabricated elements, portable partitions and lightweight structures continue to evolve, developers will start designing new configurations in order to take social distancing initiatives into account. Surfaces will be protected by materials which prevent diseases from spreading and designed to minimise transmission risks.

C - Rethinking the Concept of Home We shall reflect again on our personal spaces as we move forward in various phases of the pandemic. Currently new settings and new plans are evolving. Our homes are at the top of the ranks, efficiency and luxury. We are confined to our homes and reconsider our needs, along with our “new normal” desires: from green areas and parks, exploitable rooftops, fresh air and sunlight, balconies and terraces, limited and safe indoor rooms, transitional and filtered entrances and more.

B - Future Projects D - New Parameters The architecture of crises and disaster architecture will continue to take priority as the

New guidelines will be developed to concentrate

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07 Architect works from home Photo by Ryan Ancill on Unsplash

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When companies start opening up, architecture firms investigate how their offices are run, while students and graduates are making first moves towards a modern labor market. Offices aim to predict workloads, in particular as particular styles of buildings like trading offices and the markets weaken. Company sustainability, along with modern office systems and operating styles, is taken into account by many tools for companies.

A - Business Continuity In the U.S. the Architect’s Guide to Market Continuity has been published in the US by the American Institute of Architects (AIT).

The guide provides companies with insights into management personnel, premises, infrastructure, information, supply chain managers, stakeholders and reputations in order to help offices continue to deliver services and produce revenues. It draws on best practices and provides lessons learned through past incidents by organisations affected.

B - Office Structure

08 Construction during the pandemic Photo by Macau Photo Agency on Unsplash

Once offices continue to concentrate and look at their current facilities, they can also look at the layout of their offices, from infrastructure to administration and recruitment. Now is the time

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for businesses to find innovative approaches to generate standards, with the advances to BuildTech, 3D printing and production and generative modeling. This will lead to benefit security, risk avoidance, as well as recognising steps to reduce vulnerability, disturbance and future new revenue. It is specifically associated with recruiting, from the quest for expertise, to the handling of current teams to how human talent is used.

C - Workmodel Companies around the globe have virtually overnight adopted remote and automated job practices. The step checked the normative model of when and how the study is carried out for those who did not already have these applied. Any immediate improvements to the long-range effect suggest smaller physical locations where fewer offices and workplaces are expected per employee. Additionally, how the expansion of the gig economy can be more common in construction occupations. It would have a significant effect on the communication between workers, prospective employee ranks, individual workplace benefits and competitive recruiting. The results would also form management equipment, IT and staff.

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THE ARCHITECTURE FIRM

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

THE INDIVIDUALS Although the influence of COVID-19 continues to grow, it is apparent that the work market has improved for new graduates and professionals.

Yeah, new jobs do remain, but the economy is getting more competitive, and not the last slump, as companies look to cut prices and exploit internal reserves. By recognising that architecture builds critical thinking, relevant in all areas, graduates and young professionals may adapt. They should exploit their interests and skills, even without conventional experience, to discover what paths are available.

These wider concepts can also be seen by students worldwide. Take the opportunity to seek bursaries and tournaments in science, inspect university job committees, explore alternate work opportunities and be mindful that you will be eligibile for student assistance in the COVID-19 pandemic if you have federal student loans.

industry, technical resources to health care and emergency services.

Young professionals should maintain open contact with management companies, continue to work to license applications in countries and find opportunities to take advantage of their desires to either support their established office or improve their career capacity.

B - Young Professionals

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In the modern work market, young architectural professionals face unique challenges. AIA has developed a forum for COVID-19 designers and architects covering a variety of subjects, from

A - Students and Recent Grads New students should concentrate on the long term, as it is possible that economic growth will occur especially in the next four to five years.

More schools will also shape the way schooling is provided, and students will possibly have to respond to new modalities of learning. It is necessary for recent graduates to have a broad portfolio of various talents and skills. These can also be seen in areas outside of the architecture.

To maximise your portfolio, use specialised consultants, job advisers, and free tools and guides.

Resources were also released exclusively for students in Part 1 and Part 2 and applicants in Part 3 by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

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09 No More Studio Culture Architecture studios in schools are closed but all teaching and learning will be online

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

MOVING FORWARD

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very year, colleges and universities around the world are introducing a new wave of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed architectural graduates into society. A new generation of ambitious, up-and-coming architects dreams of making a difference in the world.

Have you ever noticed all the possibilities you have for a degree in architecture? Have you ever talked of what you could do as one rather than simply being an architect? much to get you into the real world. As such, collegiate-level programs seem to be far more about designing environments that encourage you to spread your wings and innovate rather than teach you any experience you will need to be an architect.

The answer is simply no.

Instead, architecture graduates are taught basic ways of thought, modes of being, and mechanisms for interpretation.

Architecture is a discipline in which it actually takes decades to build your own path and to work properly as an architect. Since college is just four to five years, academia will do too

The opportunities you have because you were trained as an architect don’t stop at architecture.

They begin there.

Architecture is not a trade, it is a profession.

Graduates leaving school with an attitude rather than a whole range of capabilities. We are learning skills, but the skills can be extended to almost everything. As a creative person, and not just an architect, we tend to find the

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passion to be in the manifestation of ideas. The opportunities graduates have, when you’ve been educated as an architect, don’t stop at architecture. They’re starting there.

Here, it is not to suggest to leave the career right now, rather see and open a new perspective and opportunities lie ahead in our architecture school. Instead, for the next chapter, it may suggest that you take a look at what you’ve been offered to date and think that maybe there’s another version of you waiting to be unveiled.

One who embraces becoming an architect and chooses to use the skill set to support people outside the built world.

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When you’re taught how to be an architect in school and in the studio, what are you really taught about? Are you gaining the skills that are specifically important to your job in the workforce?

10 Graduation Day Photo by Vasily Koloda on Unsplash

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THE PEOPLE

FIRST EDITION

Not every student starts & completes a degree in architecture. Some leave to pursue other callings. What does this alternative career journey involve? How does a background in architecture help?

FIRST EDITION 11 Batik DIY kits Some of Farah’s batik DIY kits design

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

BATIK ARTIST Farah Mohan founder of NOVAKBATIK novakbatik@gmail.com

FULL NAME : FARAH HANIM BINTI MOHD MOHAN SHAH NICKNAME : FARAH MOHAN AGE : 28 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BSC. OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1), GRADUATE IN 2013

@novakbatik https://www.facebook.com/novakbatik @FarahMohan

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

12 Erte and Alen Her first batik collection designs

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THE JOURNEY

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etting out upon a career in Architecture, Farah says with a laugh that the prime reason she chose to study architecture was because the Masters offered one year fewer than other four-year Masters courses. Not long after, though, she realised that this was not the career for her. Yet, she says unhesitatingly, those were ‘the three best years of my life,’ adding, ‘But I’ll just be honest. I never really practiced architecture professionally, I only have internship experience for two months!’ She also says, ‘Architecture was too technical, just not for me.’

So, in 2015, she decided not to waste her time.

Armed with skills in designing and software skills such as AutoCAD and Photoshop, she quit the architecture life and embarked on a career in batik making. Her love for watercolours and watercolour painting no doubt played a large part in that decision. Early in her career in batik making, she started designing batik patterns with inspiration by a few architects like William Van Alen and Atonio Gaudio that are synonymous with the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. By using some of her knowledge gained in architecture study, she produced her first collection named Erte and Alen.

Her aspiration to become a businesswoman

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No batik background No canting skill No clue about business Yes, I can design Yes, I can use CAD/ Photoshop Yes, I can sew.

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

she is passionate about. Like she said earlier, the time spent studying architecture was, ‘the best three years of my life.’ Architecture knowledge that she gained from her study made her ready to face any kind of obstacle in life and helped her current career. Architecture taught her how to manage time properly, which is a very important skill for everyone. This skill helps daily, especially in her current career as a batik artist.

13 Batik Workshop Novak Batik first workshop of 2020

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batik-maker didn’t get off to a dream start.

Firstly, because batik is a ‘niche’ and ‘expensive’ industry, first timers venturing into the business either have to have large capital on their side or be prepared to make the struggle via low budget business dealings. For Farah, the low budget route was the only option. However, in this, Farah says she was somewhat lucky. ‘My whole family know how to sew. That’s one of the advantages of growing up in a seamstress’s house. We all know how to sew.’ Further, she was able to ask her friends and in-laws to help out by modelling her outfits or taking photographs.

A further obstacle was with the batik-makers she sent her designs to. ‘The first batch (I received from the batik-makers) was nice, the second not so nice, the third batch my complicated lines got somewhat missing – it got simplified batch by batch.’ Those are some of the areas in which Farah reckons she failed, in 2016. As she says, ‘I didn’t fail completely, but I had been very nice to people. I also didn’t know how to do business.’ She breaks off at this point to remind her listeners, ‘So don’t be like me, you guys.

Study business first before you want to venture into anything.’

For Farah, she is extremely satisfied with what she is doing right now. There is no regret in leaving architecture life. Not saying architecture life is bad, but she is glad that she is doing what

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

SIGNIFICANT EVENT

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fter three years of becoming a fulltime artist, Farah’s batik artworks #projectbolat caught the attention of social media and went viral on Twitter. This artwork was about a cat. She saw a video of a guy crying over his dead cat and this artwork was dedicated to all cat lovers. This proved to be a turning point and changed Farah’s career as a batik artist. A fan following slowly began growing incrementally and her batik business also positively grew.

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“ #projectbolat “ 14 Cat Lover She was inspired by a video of a guy crying over a dead cat that he took care for five years

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t the end of our conversion, we asked Farah, what advice she would have to offer to future students of architecture who wished to pursue the same path.

These are pieces of advice that she gave us.

It’s what has kept her grounded and helped her push her ambition forward. Despite having to cope with the hurdles presented by business and a lack of business knowledge, while also being pregnant, she refused to give in. ‘I just watched a lot of videos on Youtube, attended a one-day course, spoke to batik makers, got many valuable insider tips and spent another six months canting daily, non-stop in the kitchen. At this stage she quotes her good friend Hana:

This quotation has stood her in good stead, she says, because she was able to translate it as, ‘If you take care of the process, the goal will take care of itself.’ So that’s why, she adds, you have to make sure that every day is just right, at least accomplish a few things daily. ‘Hard work has its rewards’, is an old but reliable saying. It rarely fails and it didn’t fail Farah. Her relentless faith in making something worthwhile of her life as a batik-maker branched out in several fulfilling ways.

This selflessness is also reflected in nearly everything Farah says. Her humility in telling her story just like it is, is both endearing and inspiring. Although her work as a batik artist may have come a long way, she displays no signs of pride or arrogance. Instead, it is the humility and patience that shine through, as she cuddles her four-year-old daughter affectionately on her lap, while quietly dealing with questions. Her parting words to fellow-graduates in architecture is, ‘You have to be mentally prepared.’

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ADVICE

“ If you take care of the day, the year will take care of itself.

15 The Batik Jade Bunny Farah collabirated with other artist to create artworks for Mid Autumn Festival organized

by Kwai Chai Hong

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FIRST EDITION 16 Lino Printmaking Workshop An open studio session in collaboration with Studio Rumah Kotak (2019)

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EDUCATOR CIKGU HUDA artbycikguhuda@gmail.com

FULL NAME : HUDA BINTI NEJIM AL-ASEDI NICKNAME : HUDA / CIKGU HUDA AGE : 29 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BSC. OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1), GRADUATE IN 2013

@artbycikguhuda https://www.facebook.com/cikguhudaarts @cikgu_huda

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

THE JOURNEY

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n these days of COVID-19, the suggestion to ‘step out of the bubble’ might sound like a dangerous one. However, the bubble in this instance is the one that most architecture students/graduates inhabit. The advice to ‘step outside’ and say hello to the real world comes from a former student of architecture herself: Cikgu Huda.

“ I was motivated by the curiosity of what else is outside the architecture bubble “

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In an interview session, Ms Huda graciously and articulately explained how she went from a thirdyear student pursuing a Part 1 in Architecture, to taking up her calling as a creative educator.

‘While the journey through architecture school really opened up my mind, I think I was more open to try other things,’ she said, adding on, ‘I was motivated by the curiosity of what else is outside the architecture bubble.’

She shared how an internship experience in a firm during her degree study break helped put her on the path to education. Her lecturer had advised her to go work there and perhaps stay on. ‘When I was in the firm, I learned a lot. I felt it was enough for me to decide I didn’t want to spend the rest of my career like this (architecture).’ She says it was in this brief moment that helped her make that ‘informed

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decision’.

So, armed with the thought of, ‘How can I bring architecture into another realm?’, she embarked on a two-year teaching fellowship with an NGO that took her to rural Sarawak from 2015 to 2016, and which also led to a Post Graduate Diploma in Education.

17 Encourage the Youth A photography workshop in collaboration with The Local Focal project in Johor (2018)

18 Connecting with Art Guided lino printing session with children (2019)

ARCHITECTURE VS EDUCATION

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eferring to ‘multidisciplinary’ practice, she indicated how the years spent studying architecture have not been wasted; how she has been able to use a lot of those skills in her role as a ‘creative entrepreneur and design freelancer’ today. She also explained that her path is not a common choice for graduates, it was more like ‘the road less taken’. She

sees it as the meeting point of a few different careers; not practicing architecture but bringing the body of architecture knowledge with her alongside education, ‘I also get involved with a lot of community work. Thus, my job now is an intersection between education, entrepreneurship and the creative industry.’ It is, she says, a very clear Venn diagram in her mind. She illustrates this further by referring to a recent project, a comic drawing competition for the public where she is hired as the art consultant.

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‘Basically, my role is to encourage youngsters in Malaysia to tell their stories through comics.

I’m not a comic expert, but the fact that I am a teacher, I can demystify the idea and steps to making comics, where most would think it is complex. That’s the value that I bring to the project. That’s where I wear my educator hat and my entrepreneur hat, simultaneously.’

Recalling another example, she was once a facilitator for a project that involves coding and programming. “I don’t know much about coding, but my colleagues in the same team are experts

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themselves. But, my role there was to convey to the kids (13 to 16 year olds) how it was about instilling a growth mindset to learn and keep motivating them. As a teacher I can also come in to help ‘break down’ big concepts for kids.”

This action of breaking down concepts, called ‘scaffolding’ in the education world, where her experience from architecture school has served her well. ‘In education, scaffolding is the ability to break down big concepts so that you can make it simple and palatable for the youth, whose cognitive ability is still forming.

“These are skills it would seem only a teacher can develop but to my surprise, I already had pre-developed some of these skills through architecture school. So basically, if you give me a new big concept, I will be able to digest it fast and tell you what it’s all about in simple understandable terms, going right to the core of learning it,” she says.

As a present day 21st century educator, she speaks both with praise and criticism for the system. An area that she disagrees with is teacher qualification. As she says, “There are systems in place that require you to be very highly educated to teach at higher levels and not so highly qualified to teach younger ones…I disagree. I think you need to be really well informed when teaching young kids.” In this context she shared with us about the educational system in Finland where one is required to hold a doctorate in order to teach at kindergarten

19 Demonstration Carving as a medium of expression (2019)

level; Master’s graduates may teach middle level students while those with a degree can teach secondary students. “I think that’s a better way,” she says, while also pointing out the reality, ‘But I’m just one person in this educational landscape.’ Little children, she points out, are at the stage where they absorb everything, “So we really have to be mindful of what we say or what we put into the syllabus and their activities.”

Elaborating further on the overlap between

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architecture and education, she says, “If we look at architecture school we have always been exposed to manual drawings, tactility, using your hands to create something, and that hands on approach becomes something natural for me. That is something I bring into my class.” She mentions design thinking, “What we learnt in the studio is part and parcel of design thinking; it is the creative process. The ongoing creative exploration and decisionmaking along the way. So, I try to bring this into the school environment.” In this context, she mentions a recent project with the children using recyclables, discarded cereal boxes, or tissue boxes to incite curiosity in them; making the process fun; encouraging the desire to go home and research further. They finally apply their knowledge in the history lesson activity of civilisation model-making, with the parallel aim of helping the kids to effectively learn history. It’s the classic case of helping the kids think outside the box, both literally and metaphorically.

As she points out, “Sometimes just being a teacher alone has its merits but when you become a teacher and bring with you preexisting skills from another profession. It can sometimes be a great help, just as the case with me and all that I learned from architecture. It helps me to see connections faster as I am trying to design a lesson plan or work on a solution.

Quoting Charles Eames, she added, “I really do think that ‘Eventually, everything connects’.”

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s to the future, she has this to say, “I’m a believer in the fact that wherever I am, I will head somewhere. As a Muslim I believe in the spiritual connection, to fulfill a bigger purpose. If I look back, five years ago (2015) I was clueless with my life direction.

Now, I know deep down inside that everything happens for a reason; why was I put in this situation to get this experience? Definitely it’s something for the better. I want to tell people how important creative education is, not just for the sake of art, but for growing our community and building up the youth.’

She also dwells on the important issues about rising cases of mental health, of kids and young adults graduating with no clue where to go.

She says she feels for students who because of peer pressure, community pressure, are forced to take up a stream of study that does not match their passion, interest, or ability.

“If there’s anything I want to give the younger generation it’s the sense of hope that they can build their own future. My purpose is getting more youngsters to experience different forms of learning so that it can inform them on what they want to do in the future. Eventually, our future is our choice. Own that choice and take the next step. Right now, I’m trying to build more collaboration, networks and I’m trying to see

ADVICE

where all this takes me, InsyaAllah,” she affirms.

s to what advice she would have to offer fellow architectural students who might find themselves in a dilemma after graduating, she says it’s important to weigh the consequences, take the first step and see where you are, never thinking you are alone. In fact, she says, when feeling down it’s always worth challenging one’s self to see the flip side.

‘My advice,’ she concludes, ‘is universal.

Once you set out of university, it’s welcome to the real world. It’s a world where no one is going to dictate what you can and cannot do.

You are an adult, and you are a person with limitless abilities. You think you’ve graduated in something you must stick to it. But I’ve proven it wrong. Because you have the power to shape your future. And if there’s anything you want to do, as cliched as it is, I like that Nike slogan, ‘Just do it!’

“ 20 Giving back to Community Creative activities are always welcome in the community (2019)

Just do it!

(Nike)

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FUTURE ENDEAVORS

FIRST EDITION 21 Bunga dan Bintang Studio Kirin and her creative thinking workspace

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ILLUSTRATOR Kirin founder of BUNGA DAN BINTANG hi.bungadanbintang@gmail.com

FULL NAME : NUR SYAKIRIN SAHAROM NICKNAME : KIRIN AGE : 29 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BSC. OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1) & M. ARCHITECTURE (PART 2)

@bungadanbintang https://www.facebook.com/hellobungadanbintang @bungadanbintang

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‘Kampung Kota’, related to population density in Indonesia.

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When she returned, the projects in Malaysia were typically housing projects – luxury apartments, offices etc. At one point, she considered returning to Indonesia and taking up employment there but the salary that was being offered made her think twice. So, she spent a year ‘without work’ at any official company, while still entering some design competitions and doing freelance illustration. It was at this time, she says, that she began to like and enjoy the role of an illustrator and soon began considering making it part of a lifetime career.

22 Bandung Grenery The illustration was inspired by greenery scene during her Part 2 study art Bandung

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n 2014, Kirin graduated Part 1 from University of Malaya. After graduating, she took up employment with an architectural firm, for two years. She gives this experience a ‘six out of seven’, saying she enjoyed her time working there. “The working environment was fun and the firm was focused on conceptual design while also experimenting with ‘fun’ aspects in

architecture,” she said. Overall, the experience was rewarding, and she gained a lot of knowledge, although the salary was ‘not worth it’.

After working for about two years, she decided to pursue Part 2 in architecture at the Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia (ITB). Following her graduation from here, she didn’t take up any work in the industry, because she came back to Malaysia with a sense of disappointment. Design in ITB, she says, was geared more toward solving current issues like floods, and local issues like

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ARCHITECTURE IN MALAYSIA VS INDONESIA As she is quick to point out, there is a lot that is different. In the Master’s syllabus, every semester had a core syllabus which is the course subject. For example, for the first semester there is a Studio subject and Research Methodology.

Study in Indonesia required her to learn the Indonesian language and the medium of instruction was also Indonesian, like ‘Perumahan dan Perkotaan’. However, in ITB, students are also allowed to take elective subjects. Many interesting options were available. For example, she said, she chose Bamboo Architecture as an elective and this was one of the most interesting aspects when studying at ITB. Another interesting elective on offer was parametric

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In terms of study, Kirin says, ITB was geared more toward discussion methods rather than typical class-lecturer models. The studio culture was also a bit different. She said that during her study at UM, all students seemed extra hardworking and this put a little pressure on her whereas in ITB, people seemed relaxed but work was still productive. “The concept was more like ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’,” she said. The relaxing part about studio culture there was that it was not a 24-hour concept; the studio only opened until 9 pm daily. This gave her more time to work on other hobbies.

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or now, she says, she is a full-time illustrator. She has her brand, Bunga dan Bintang. She sees herself both as an illustrator and entrepreneur. Sometimes, she also does branding for both her brand and also that of her client.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND ILLUSTRATION Kirin said that for her, the closest similarity between architecture and illustration has to do

with drawing and sketching skills. “By nature,” she said, “every architect likes to draw. The main difference is that drawing in architecture calls for great accuracy, keeping measurement in mind and also laws. Illustration, however, is more organic; the illustrator has greater freedom to draw whatever she likes without considering the technicalities too much.” This freedom is what has attracted her to illustration. She sees it in her sketches and drawings and recognises that her creative thinking has not been limited but has instead allowed her free expression of her ideas.

But she hastens to add that what she learned in the architecture industry during her two years has had a major influence over what she is doing now. Her ex-boss was supportive and encouraging of all the workers to pursue personal projects. The office also provided a small gallery space for the workers to exhibit and launch their products. From this, she says, she learned much about branding awareness and also how to make merchandise

1ST EDITION

design, she said.

THE TURNING POINT FROM ARCHITECTURE TO ILLUSTRATION The real turning point came about during the first year when she wasn’t working in the architecture industry, she said. Her former boss had given her the task of designing a bamboo pavilion which excited her because of her love of bamboo. However, during the design

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23 A girl that enjoys Shinrinroku: Forest bathing The plants in this illustration are based on Tropical Asia native plants

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process she realised that if things went wrong, she was unable to stop and switch designs. “At the same time,” she added, “I had been doing some freelance illustration jobs and surprisingly managed to complete the tasks in a short time.” This made her consider her skills as an illustrator, also keeping in mind that illustrating a project was a lot less stressful than designing a building. From here, she set her sights on moving forward as an illustrator and made up her mind not to go down the path of architecture.

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PEOPLE’S PERCEPTION TOWARDS CHANGING CAREER FROM ARCHITECTURE TO ILLUSTRATION

Kirin says, that the first thing that came to mind was the fear that her father would not agree with her decision not to pursue architecture, particularly as her father is an architect. “But I showed him what she had accomplished with Bunga dan Bintang.” And surprisingly, she says, she won her father’s encouragement to follow her dream. Further, he asked if she needed start-up equipment like printers and other devices. Her mother supports her work 100 per cent, by promoting Bunga dan Bintang to others.

Her promise to her parents is that whatever she is doing now it will definitely be carried out with 200 per cent energy to make her chosen career

path successful.

FIRST PHASE FOR ILLUSTRATION CAREER AND ‘BUNGA DAN BINTANG’ BRAND The brand name Bunga dan Bintang was created randomly, she says. “Initially, the idea was to name the brand ‘langit dan laut’.” But as the name has been used quite commonly on social media, she decided to go with Bunga dan Bintang. Further, she loves to draw flowers and astronauts. She point out that the brand started with a small freelance job for a local boutique, which required her to design a shawl. After that,

24 Tropical Series One of her first postcards series for Bunga dan Bintang 25 Flora dan Rimba Bunga dan Bintang 2 layer face mask was released in August 2020

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she set about trying to collect as much to make up a portfolio for illustration artwork. After posting her artwork on social media, public interest in it began to grow. She remembers that during her first six months, her income with Bunga dan Bintang was not stable. She realised the need to set targets that matched her commitment. Surprisingly after setting realistic targets, income started stabilising. She feels that her income today is sometimes more than the salary given to a Part 2 architect nowadays.

She reminds others that if one wants to achieve something, it is important to set goals.

Whenever she wants to start, she makes sure to do it manually first. If she wants the file in vector, then the illustration will be drawn using a drawing tablet and software to make it digitally.

With regard to illustration software, a lot of it she didn’t learn in architecture school. “As we know,” she said, “most of the software in architecture school is technical like Autodesk AutoCAD, Revit and sketch up.” For illustration

software, she learned using online sources like Youtube and also subscribing to paid online classes like Skillshare and Domestika. She also added that her first illustration workshop took place during her studies in Indonesia with her favourite illustrator. Since that time, she has been unable to stop making illustrations.

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WHAT ARCHITECTURAL SKILLS CAN BE RELATED TO ILLUSTRATION? As Kirin says, during her days as an architecture student there were many subjects that related to illustration such as graphic communication, architecture design fundamental where she learned about proportion, colour, etc. All these skills have helped in her current work as illustrator. Her main style, however, is hatching.

During her first exhibition for Bunga dan Bintang, an interior designer who comes to her realised he could see the architectural element in Kirin’s illustration, especially the hatching part.

26 Girl Astronaut Her interest to do an illustration of space and flora is one of the reason ‘Bunga dan Bintang’ got her name

Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator were the main software skills gained during her studies in architecture. But, for her all that is just software that helps to enhance illustration skills.

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1ST EDITION 27 Malaysia’s 62nd Independence Day An artwork for the #wanitamerdeka movement created by her for sharing dreams and inspire each other

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28 The Malayan Tiger An art piece that expresses how much she loves flora and fauna.

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t’s okay to start small and use whatever resources you have,” she says. Even she, she says, started with only 16 postcards printed on A3 paper. “I had no printer, but used the university’s print shop to print the postcards.”

Once she sold the postcards, she used the money to make more postcards. The process continued till she had enough to buy a printer.

“Don’t be afraid to start small and don’t think

starting something needs a big budget,” she said, “You can manage even if you only have to start with a laptop and photoshop. Nowadays, mobile phones function almost effectively as laptops.

Lastly, it’s okay to start drawing manually with pencil and paper.”

She does caution, however, that being an illustrator and achieving something in this field can sometimes be a long journey. Patience is needed. Sometimes a wait of six months may be required before stability of income is achieved. Try rolling your first income to invest in something like merchandise, she added.

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Finally, she encourages people to add more skills to what they already have. There are many online sources right now where we can learn something new. Try to explore various styles in drawing and by the time you learn, you will recognise your style. In closing, she adds, with typical warm heartedness, “And all the best.”

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FIRST EDITION 29 Minimal Wedding Setup MacramĂŠ is used as a backdrop for the wedding decoration

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MACRAMÉ ARTIST Syahmi & Hanisah Johari founders of CONDIMENTSTRINGS NAME : AHMAD SYAHMI ISMAIL HANISAH JOHARI AGE : 31 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BACHELOR DEGREE OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1), GRADUATE IN 2015

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hi.condimentstudio@gmail.com @tali.kapas https://www.facebook.com/tali.kapas

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30 Macramé Backdrop The Potential of macramé is yet to be explored. Macramé is used to frame the moment of the event

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THE JOURNEY

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ack in 2015, after graduating from architecture school, Syahmi joined an architecture firm (Ahmad Helmy Architect) for five years before starting his business. The business itself started off as a hobby, he says.

His wife, a self-taught macramé artist, learnt the art through Youtube, books, attended workshops and after many trial and error efforts, they decided to go into business.

Syahmi’s business venture commenced even when he was still working with the architecture firm. He decided to have macramé decorations for his wedding.

“We wanted something different”, he said, and in this way he and his wife became their own wedding decorators. It was here that people started noticing and expressing an interest in the macramé work. They began receiving wedding decoration contracts and, from that point on they decided to just go with the flow.

next started to join some of them to get to know the art scene and make business connections.

This allowed them to learn how to expand the business and continue what they were doing.

Back in 2016 & 2017, they participated actively in events and festivals such as Urbanscapes market, Riuh market and many others.

When Syahmi began to show an interest in collecting indoor plants, they realised that they needed to organise those plants in such a way that it wouldn’t take up too much space.

Thus, another opportunity presented itself to use macramé to hang the plants. Plant hangers made of macramé became the next phase of the business.

From there, the orders started piling up. All orders had to be customised as these were not ready-made products. From plant hangers to wall hangings and wedding decorations, they are now doing really well in the macramé business. More people began to hear of them, international orders started coming in and, “Sites like Pinterest really helped deliver the idea of this kind of decoration to Malaysia,” he said.

They are thankful for the exposure.

With so many art markets available in KL, they

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SIGNIFICANT EVENT

holds dear. They have helped contribute greatly to his business.

yahmi said that one of their biggest projects was an art installation for the Urbanscapes festival, in 2019. He said that they wanted to show the people that macramé is not just a decorative craft, but one that could be used as art installation; and this is where he was able to pour in all the knowledge he had gained from his study of architecture.

He did, however, reiterate that in business not everything is rainbows and sunshine all the time.

There have been down times, he nearly quit his job, depression struck, especially when he found he didn’t wish to continue in architecture, and he felt he was letting down the expectations of others. With his life commitment at that moment, he says starting the business was a big decision, one where he initially did not receive his family’s support.

S

When Covid-19 happened they were devastated, as many job opportunities had to be cancelled.

One of those projects was an art installation for the Borneo Rainforest Music Festival in Kuching.

The pandemic also was responsible for fewer weddings, events and art markets.

Syahmi said they found ways to adapt to this new norm. They are now looking more at interior design and styling, where the clients will be hotels looking for lobby décor, restaurants. They have begun working with interior designers to continue to progress and further their business.

He reminded us that there were just so many possibilities that they could achieve right now.

The environment and the methods involved in working in architecture were something he didn’t want to go on with at the time, he said, adding, “I want to do architecture in my own way. I don’t think architecture is only about buildings and construction.” Running his own business now has taught him to handle clients, while it has made him more eager to do everything, compared to when he was an employee. “When I was working in the firm, I only did what my employer asked me to do, without fully understanding why.”

Business, he said, has helped him understand ‘the why’ of so many aspects.

Architecture has helped his business a lot, Syahmi said. The fundamentals of architecture, the process of planning, exploration and consistency are some of the key factors that he

31 Juxtaposition of Macramé Macramé is suitable with the natural environment and outdoor event

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1ST EDITION 32 Macramé Composition Architecture element of symmetry is used to give the balance effect to the overall wedding decoration

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find your true passion and career direction, he advised.

ADVICE

H

is advice for fellow students of architecture: “Find some experience and get to know about the working field of architecture first. Work in a firm and invest some time to find what you really want to do,” he said. He said only by experiencing the working environment in architecture would a person come to a decision whether they wished to pursue this field or do something else.

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“As for me, I won’t look back because I cannot imagine myself working in an office culture and environment anymore,” said Syahmi. He said loves what he is doing right now. Take time to

33 Macramé exploration Colour is added to the macramé to give visual pleasure and enhance the wedding ceremony

34 Macramé combination The combination of classic and rusted effect give a warm feeling to the ceremony

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FIRST EDITION 35 ‘Organic Marine’ Kuala lumpur, 2016 Indoor graffiti 10m x10m wall

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

GRAFFITI ARTIST Afiq Afify co-founder of AKUDESIGN afiqafifyanuar@gmail.com

FULL NAME : AFIQ AFIFY ANUAR NICKNAME : AFIQ AGE : 31 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BSC. OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1), GRADUATE IN 2013

@afqaffy https://www.facebook.com/afiqafifyanuar https://twitter.com/afqaffy

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THE JOURNEY

W

hat should we do with our lives now? What can you do? What can I do?”. This was the conversation Afiq had with his brother back in 2008 during his semester break. Afiq was an architecture student in Universiti Islam Antarabangsa, Petaling Jaya, and his brother was awaiting his SPM result.

They wanted to fill their spare time doing something, so they started a few businesses, but one interested them the most.

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Influenced by local street art and independent brands, Afiq and his brother started a clothing brand named Akudesign, a name that was randomly picked. They thought of changing it later but, ten years after being in the business, the name has stuck. Having studied basic fundamentals of design in his foundation in architecture studies, Afiq produced a few designs of his first t-shirts and the very first design was one to which he applied architecture elements: a 2-point perspective of a building.

They printed their first thirty t-shirts and, “It took us one year to finally sell all of it,” Afiq said, adding that one of his first customers was actually his mother. “It started very slow, with only our family members’ support, and then friends, to finally a real customer.” He said it was

not a serious business during his study years.

In 2015, they started doing the business seriously and just went with the flow. Afiq said, “I can make the products, I can design, but I can’t sell it. That’s where my brother comes in, as he is good in selling and management. We complement each other.”

Afiq continued his architecture studies further into degree in architecture. He knew he wanted to pursue architecture as his career. After finishing and graduating, he received his first work offer from Veritas and joined them a day after his final exam. He worked there for ten months. Afiq said, “It was a crazy learning process that gave a powerful impact in my life.

Architecture taught me almost everything, how to appreciate art, and art is very subjective.

Not just in buildings, but in paintings, visuals, social life, like the places we go, it has its own patterns.”

After a few months working, Afiq felt that the work commitment was too heavy for him.

“I did not have any problem staying up late working, the environment, the culture, but one thing I could not afford anymore was the idea of attaching onto something for too long. For example, when the company had a high-rise project, that took years to develop. And I had to work on it for longer period.” This, he said, was a main reason why he quit.

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36 ‘Heritage and Culture’ Melaka, 2015 Grafitti to help rejuvenate the alley in Melaka

37 ‘4710’ Melaka, 2020 Grafitti for sharing session

SIGNIFICANT EVENT

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ealising that he loves design, Afiq told us he is more into illustrating, drawing, sketching and doing wall murals. The passion for this grew when he had the opportunity to do a mural project in Shah Alam. “I’m always eager to try something new, so I took the job. That was my first wall mural project.”

During his working days, Afiq told us that he

had a very bad downfall where working in an architecture firm does not make him happy anymore, that it started to reduce his quality of work, and that the interest was not there anymore.

He had a chance to go backpacking in Europe where he had family members living in Rome, Italy. That was the time, he said, that he spent some time considering if he really wanted to pursue a career in architecture or do something else. Yet doing wall murals kept coming back

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to his mind and how he really enjoyed doing that. He also encountered graffiti and street art during the trip. “Illustration, murals, sketching are what I love and enjoyed the most. That’s how I transitioned from architecture to this creative business,” he added.

One of the highlight events was his collaboration with Volkswagen Malaysia where he had an opportunity to do illustration for that big company, and that really gave him the confidence to continue his business.

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1ST EDITION 38 ‘Anti Cig Bushi’ Negeri Sembilan, 2020 Grafitti for anti-cigarette event

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ADVICE

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1ST EDITION

rchitecture is the only course that allows you to explore almost everything, from management, calculations, the way you perceive something, the aesthetic value, time management. There are just so many things you can go for such as photography, video illustration, graphic design, and others besides being an architect.”

He told us to just go with the flow and you will find something that eventually you love doing.

Studying architecture, he said, will never be a waste of time.

39 ‘Favour Grafiti’ Melaka, 2016 Grafiti for charity event hosted by mubadala petroleum

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FIRST EDITION 40 I am the Presenter One of my time as presenter to explain the work experiences as Takaful Consultant

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TAKAFUL CONSULTANT Radin Aminurasyid aka AGENT BRONT raminurasyid@gmail.com

FULL NAME : RADIN AMINURASYID NICKNAME : AGENT BRONT AGE : 40 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : B. ARCH (PART 2) GRADUATE 2005

@radin_aminurasyid https://www.facebook.com/ radinaminurasyid

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THE JOURNEY

M

r. Radin Aminurasyid is a person who is very passionate about architecture, especially in relation to the way an architect designs a building, regardless of whether it is externally or internally. This explains his continued interest in exploring more about architecture.

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Mr. Radin may be seen as a catalyst in the field of architecture. His journey on the path to becoming an architect began after finishing studies at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2005.

He received an offer to work in the Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) as an architect. As he points out: the work scenario in an architect’s job is two-fold – namely, an architect who focuses on management (or, how to be a project architect), while it also focuses on the design part (how to be a designer architect).

After eight years working at JKR Kuala Lumpur, he was confronted by a ‘reality’: he could not choose the job position that he wanted without any argument. He just had to do what he’d been ordered to do and follow instructions, where the job did not match his passion. Mr. Radin felt that what he learned at UTM, or the spirit in venturing into the world of architecture was suddenly not as desired.

So he decided to stop and change direction; find a new starting point that had both purpose and also gave him satisfaction. After researching various suitable companies, in 2013, he joined GDP (a well-known and award-winning architect firm in Malaysia). His choice to participate in GDP was based on the company’s performance and also the work culture practiced by the company as a designer.

“This is where I felt pleasure and satisfaction of work, because I could hone my talent in the world of architecture,” he said. It was an exciting time. In the firm, he could express his skills to the maximum and all the ideas that he wanted to do could also be implemented in designs. He also gained lots of new knowledge, especially about how an architect thinks as a designer to meet social needs.

“I learnt how to design specific spaces for the rich and elite people,” he said. The perspective as an architect is very different, unique and meticulous, he said, as he learnt more about design knowledge in GDP firm.

However, after sharing and exploring knowledge and devoting two years to GDP, he started to feel constrained. A new reality was being felt.

Enjoyment levels were not as high and the tiredness of planning and working on something didn’t seem as rewarding as before. Throughout his 10 years as an architect, Mr Radin said he

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41 How secure is your career?

The Takaful industry is still in strong demand despite the economic downturn

DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

At that moment, he really began considering his future. “How long am I going to be like this?” he asked himself. With this question he decided he needed to change direction. He ended his career as an architect and took up the job of a takaful consultant in one of the prudential insurance agencies. He has been contracted as agent since 2015.

Before being recruited, he had earlier been invited by his brother to join the insurance business but it took some time before this move actually happened. When he joined he was able to see a different perspective as well as the

benefits he could get as a takaful consultant.

Even though he knew there would be big risks, his intention to change his life for the better was a permanent decision.

SIGNIFICANT EVENT

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fter two years in the field of insurance, he not only felt grateful for the decision to change but he also found he had become confident in his work. He became aware of two significant benefits to the job: he was providing awareness and also reaping benefits that he was unable to attain when working as an architect.

One of the highlights of his new career was the

level of appreciation he received. He was able to help others by providing insurance services with best-term benefits. He was also able to help his own family members, directly and indirectly.

“Life is about benefits to others,” he said.

With this self-awareness, Mr. Radin was able to keep moving forward in his career as a takaful consultant. The work was not stressful, he was getting appreciated by his agency, his partners and colleagues. The level of pleasure and satisfaction in this career was at a different level, he said, stating firmly that his decision to move on from architecture to another profession was the right one.

42 Trophy All the trophies of my career achievements throughout four years as Takaful Consultant

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really felt exhausted and stressed.

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43 The Team Muqmenn team, we always wok as a family

Life is“about benefits to others

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ADVICE

“

As he says, this might be one of the most important skills learned by architects. It doesn’t just help with design and planning but it helps with how we see life both now and ahead. It helps find resolutions.

Architects can see other perspectives.

Use it

As for Mr. Radin, he said it is a good thing that he realised at a critical moment when he needed to switch careers. In his perspective, being a takaful consultant can provide the life he desired and dreamt of, not only for himself but also his family.

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s Mr. Radin says, “Being an architect is not wrong because it is your passion and being an architect taught us to be creative, explore possible technologies to create unique presentation to the client, develop design thinking skill to be problem solver and other knowledge. However, as an architect, we are also trained to see different perspectives, we get to see things from different perspectives. This is a special skill. Use it.”

“

Even though it was quite a risk changing his career, looking back now he knows there is no turning back but instead he must, “Give a tremendous effort for a better future.”

44 ‘Organic Marine’ Kuala lumpur, 2016 Indoor graffiti 10m x10m wall

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45 Muqmeen Group Gathering Event A participation with one of Muqmeen Group Annual Gathering to celebrate the greatest achievement as Takaful Agency.

FIRST EDITION 46 Leather Quran Cover Made by genuine full grain chrome tanned cow leather

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HANDCRAFTSMAN Akif Ariff designer at KOTAK ILHAM akif.ariff21@gmail.com

FULL NAME : AKIFF MUHAMMAD ARIFF NICKNAME : AKIF AGE : 25 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BSC. OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1), GRADUATE IN 2017

@kotak_ilham https://www.facebook.com/Kotakilham

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THE JOURNEY

H

umility must not stop you from fighting for what you are interested in. These are the words of Mr. Akiff, a businessman who, with his father, manages the Kotak Ilham range of leather-based products.

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But Kotak Ilham didn’t just happen overnight.

Mr. Akiff didn’t just wake up one morning and find he was the co-owner of a promising business. No. As he says, his journey has been long, requiring hard work and also a touch of luck.

One of the pieces of luck was being exposed to laser cut technology when enrolled at the University of Malaya. “Our batch was the second batch to be exposed to laser cut technology,” he said, adding that this field generated a lot of interest in him because it linked with his prior interest in the field of fabrication. In high school he had designed pop- up cards as a hobby. Later, these pop-up cards attracted the attention of one of his lecturers at that time and he was offered the use of the laser cut machines in the facility. This helped his ‘hobby’ take off and grow, and become a serious occupation.

Suddenly, whenever there was work in building a model, Mr. Akiff found that he was often chosen to be the group leader, because of the prior

skills that he possessed.

“Actually, I really liked building models when I joined architecture,” he says, adding, “Architecture is one of the courses that really emphasise that.” So, it became regular for him to use lots of scale models whenever making a presentation, or to communicate his ideas.

As he says, “The model is the medium which helps me explain the idea better than visual graphics.” Architecture has helped a great deal in strengthening his capability as a model maker and giving him an additional skill to help with his craftsmanship.

Continuing to relate his journey, he said that when studying at UM, as a result of attention on Instagram, he once received an offer to work in a fabrication company. Then, when he was in his third year, he had produced some handicraft products for a college event. A lecturer who spotted his talent and skill levels suggested, “Why not turn your hobby into a career?” This was one of the pivotal moments in his thinking of an alternate career of starting a business in handicrafts, he said.

Another interesting aspect of his journey he says was when doing industrial training in 2013, his work was related to making models using laser cuts, and this involved making a masterplan model UM 2050. At this time, he also set up a laser cut handicraft company, Krava Sdn. Bhd (a company he established with a lecturer as

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47 Card Holders Collabration work with @_bysarah_

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investor.) “Krava was my first company that produced wood products that did not use glue but instead used mortise (tanggam) bases,” he pointed out. This passion kept him moving forward nicely, even after graduation in 2017.

By 2019, however, management problems caused the business with Krava to slow down.

By January 2020, he transferred his handicraft skills to Kotak Ilham, a company founded by his father. Although Krava is still active, its assets have been bought by Kotak Ilham.

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SIGNIFICANT EVENT

M

r. AkiAkiff says that the idea for Kotak Ilham came from his father, Muhammad Arif, a man with capabilities in many fields of art. He sees his dad as his prime mentor. “The focus on Kotak Ilham is on leatherbased products. My father encouraged me to learn and explore about the manufacture of leather products, because of its potential in the market,” he said. Mr. Akiff, with his father, has been the lead designer of Kotak Ilham.

Throughout 2020, Kotak Ilham has produced its own range of brands with a wide range of products.

48 Quality checked The leather needs to go through quality check before proceeding to production

“Kotak Ilham was my and my father’s greatest achievement,” he says, adding that the company has helped develop his skills to an amazing level.

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1ST EDITION 49 Custom ID Tags ID Tag series complete with songket fabric at the back

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ADVICE

D

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o something that you are interested in. Do something that can actually be pursued as a passion and as your career,” advises Mr. Akiff, adding, “If you really like what you’re doing, just do it.” Do it, even if you feel there’s little chance for survival, but do it with the belief that you can make it work. “No one can stop you. You know you have the talent and the potential, but it is you who have to work to make it successful.”

“

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistake, Art is knowing which ones to keep and perfectionism just holds both of it.

50 Messenger Bag Collabration works with FidHarry

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51 Woman Bucketbag Collabration works with FidHarry

FIRST EDITION 52 Carmilla for #MLartcollabMY An experiment using new graphic style to produce one of the famous mobile game character (Mobile Legend)

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GRAPHICS ARTIST AZYANDRAWS - Freelance Graphics Artist azyandraws@gmail.com

FULL NAME : AZYAN ZAINUAL NICKNAME : AYAN AGE : 30 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : BSC. OF ARCHITECTURE (PART 1) & M. ARCHITECTURE (PART 2)

@azyandraws @AzyanDraws

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53 AzyanDraws Printed Merchandise This print of her portrait artwork will be released in 2021

THE JOURNEY

H

er journey in architecture is simple. It started with Part 1 at UITM Shah Alam, from 2008 to 2012. After graduating Part 1, she managed to work at an architectural firm in Subang Jaya for more than a year, before quitting her job to study overseas. She did not manage to go overseas, but during that time she had her scarf brand, which helped bring in some income.

Two years after that, she moved to do Part 2 in

architecture at UITM Puncak Alam (2015-2017).

While she was employed, she said she noticed the difference between what was learned during study and what was learned on the job. The job scope is almost the same for both Part 1 and Part 2 graduates, which is to assist an architect.

interested,” she said. Some of the interviewers pointed out that she had numerous ‘gaps’ that made it a bit difficult for her to get a job at that time. Some even noticed that she had her own parallel business and recommended that she just focus on it and help realise its potential.

She faced lots of hurdles after graduating Part 2. She applied for many jobs. At least five companies invited her for an interview but after the interviews she heard nothing further.

However, she realised something important during those interviews: the importance of a resume and a working portfolio. “Both are hugely important to keep prospective employers

Now, no longer in the architectural field after completing Part 2, she says she didn’t even do any freelance architectural work. Instead, her main focus to date has been graphic and portrait art commissions. She called this year, “A stepping stone.” She is fully committed to monetising the artwork and making it work as a brand.

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A

s a student of architecture, Azyan pointed out that the course ensures you leave fully equipped. For example, she said, in any architecture school in Malaysia everything submitted has to be done properly, with a design cover that illustrates both the creative and the artistic sides. Besides, the mental faculties are also trained and strengthened during studies, via comments from the panels. It is these constructive comments that help students of architecture face life more confidently and cope with nearly every challenge that comes their way after graduating.

From her honest perspective, she said she wasn’t very happy in the industry. When employed briefly after Part 1, it had always been in her mind to work independently without having people asking her to do this and that.

In fact, she discovered that she wasn’t happy working in an office. At the same time, she also afraid that she doesn’t get a stable job for living especially her parents themselves. Even though what she is doing now is more tiring, she says she enjoys it a lot more because this is what she chose and surprisingly she is happier with the direction her career has taken. Moreover, whenever one of her artworks is finished, it leaves her happy and satisfied with her effort even if there had been challenges in finishing it.

Besides, seeing people happy with her artwork also makes her more enthusiastic to create more. From this, she concludes that she is extremely satisfied with what she is doing right now.

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PORTRAIT ARTIST

W

hile studying in university, Azyan said she discovered her love for graphic design. She liked her board to be more graphic and infographic informative than more architectural.

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THE TURNING POINT

For this year, she intends to explore various types of art which catch her latest interest, and which are more geared toward portrait art. She has no plans currently to stick with one art style.

Art style is randomly explored, such as when she joined an art community like KL Sketch Nation and from where she has tried to develop more style in her artwork.

Knowing art people through social media has also influenced her to try more artistic styles.

Her artwork is different from graphic work, she says. She manages her graphic work under the studio name, but her artwork is totally under her name, ‘Azyan Draw’.

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50 54 Graphic Mock Up Her graphic work commissions with one of Malaysia food brand

55 New Portrait Style Her intention to showcase her capability in details, idea, expression and digital skills hence the complexity

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People approaching her for services in artwork are different from those who contact her for graphics. Those contacting her for graphic work don’t really care about her capability; the client just wants an outcome for the client brand.

Whereas, a client for artwork chooses her because of her artwork and the artist itself. This, she feels, is because people interested in her artwork are more likely to appreciate art more.

This year will be one of the most important for her because she will try to focus more on her artwork.

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She uses many various media such as digital painting with photoshop and illustrator, while also using traditional painting styles using watercolours, and more. For her artwork, she

engages in portrait and feminist styles. There’s a softness to the painting when working on the feminism style, she says.

CROSSED SKILLS

T

he first skill she has drawn on from her study of architecture is composition. As she says, in architecture, composition is major! Apart from that, idealisation and conceptual aspects helped her improve both her graphic and artwork style. It is these skills that have helped her deliver and meet all client requirements: from conception of the idea up to the mock-up. By using Rhino software, learned during her studies, she has found help

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in visualising 2D artwork into 3D. When one client required her to create a jewellery design, she called upon her 3D skills to visualise the project to make the jewellery both shinier and presentable (for the client) at the same time.

Prior that that, she has also used technical software like AutoCAD to do her graphic work.

This has helped with geometrical patterns in her designs. After a while, she discovered Adobe illustrator which she says was easier to use. She, however, says that the accuracy of AutoCAD for measurements in patterns is superior. As for her

56 3D Process Graphic process from sketches to 3D mock-up model

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graphic artwork is not so technical, she managed to use Illustrator until now.

Adobe Illustrator is new for her, she says. The basic in using Adobe Illustrator for graphic design is to master using the pen tool. When we master using the pen tool, the other things in illustrator will be easy to be learn. For her, the best way to master certain software is to do a project using it.

people as it will only deter you from learning anything,” she advises. Try to build as many connections as possible. Speaking of herself, she says she first joined the graphic community and after that slowly linked up with the art community. “If we choose the right circle, we will automatically develop certain skills and also improve ourselves,” she said.

She also encourages people to listen to podcasts on graphics and art, from Youtube and Spotify.

It is from these that she has picked up important tips and hints from the experts. She learned how to present a logo, for example. Apart from that, she was also made aware of her mistakes and learned how not to repeat them.

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She said that when she has fixed her mind on doing something in a project, she will google it and learn at the same time. She believes that everything can be learned by practice.

Through constant practice, little by little she says people can master certain software. She also recommends people learn software using an online platform. Besides Youtube, she mentions ‘Domestika’, where one can subscribe to classes one is interested in. She encourages those who want to learn graphic and art software to invest some money and join online classes. the online classes.

ADVICE

T

he best thing is to find the right circle if we want to succeed in this career. As she says, if you want to do art, try to communicate with someone who is into the art scene. “Don’t be afraid or shy to approach

57 Collaboration Graphic Portrait These paintings are made for a special collaboration project with few local talented artists

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FIRST EDITION 58 Keychain Sample product of laser cutting

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DIGITAL CRAFTSMAN Luqman founder of MARKER DESIGN STUDIO manlee@marker.design

FULL NAME : LUQMAN BIN MOHAMAD ROSLI NICKNAME : MANLEE AGE : 29 YEARS OLD EDUCATION LEVEL : DIPLOMA IN ARCHITECTURE, GRADUATE IN 2013

@markerdesignstudio https://www.facebook.com/ markerdesignstudio

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THE JOURNEY

O

ccasionally, a decision becomes clear cut very early. “I knew I didn’t want to pursue architecture right after my diploma,” said Lokman, who finished a Diploma of Architecture in UTM. Swiftly he decided to invest in product design, took a degree in Industrial Design and majored in furniture making.

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After graduating he worked for Kian, a furniture making company. In a recent interview he explained how architecture had taught him the basics about anthropometry, which in turn had helped him a lot with his industrial design studies. It is this that got him interested in furniture making, he said.

His work, however didn’t give him much of a chance to design products or contribute something from what he had learned, he said, adding that he didn’t quite enjoy the process of making furniture which basically focused on interior design.

So Lokman quit his job and started Marker Design Studio, a brand that he set up for a business in laser cut printing. As he says, he came upon this quite by accident. In his final year in UPM, he came across a friend who worked in laser cutting. Later, when he found

himself facing tight deadlines, he turned to laser cutting to help speed up the process. He began experimenting with assembling shapes as lego to make prototypes of his furniture.

“Although laser cut is in 2D form, if you know the right method you can figure out how to turn it into 3D form,” said Lokman.

Marker Design Studio specialises in gifts and souvenirs, Lokman said. Initially, he explained, he tried every business model in order to try and get his business moving: business to customer; business-to-business; wedding favours; events.

With this multi-faceted approach, he soon ended up burnt out. However, this didn’t stop him from taking a short time to figure out a better, more practical approach. He chose to focus solely on the business-to-business model. His clients are basically Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) such as cafes, event planners, individuals looking for gifts or corporate firms.

“When a business wants to have their own keychain, mug, corporate gift or anything that can be laser cut, Marker Design Studio can provide that service,” said Lokman. He pointed out that no big factories would undertake to produce just one product or prototype. “What we usually do is we tell business owners that they can make a minimum of one product with us, but if they decide to scale up the product then the cost may be reduced.”

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59 Plaque Assembly of the Ikrar Belia plaque

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SIGNIFICANT EVENT

L

okman said he is using laser cutting as a jumpstart to do something else. He still says, “I really want to do something that I want to pursue as a career. I really love furniture making.” But as he also points out, production costs are high and the machines terribly expensive. “Since I have used laser cut machines during my years of study, I believe one machine can serve more than one purpose,” he said.

But he has had to face several challenges, especially when he has received big orders and has found himself working with limited resources, both manpower and machines.

Expressing his frustration, he said, “There have been times when we have been unable to accept a client’s request either because it was not our expertise or the machine may not have been able to produce what was requested.”

Another area that is still a challenge, he says is,

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One of the highlights of Marker Design Studio, he said, was when he received a request to make 500 units of certificates. He and his team delivered the order batch by batch. He has also had the opportunity to work with Majlis Belia Negara after they requested him to make a prototype for their merchandise that was different from everybody else, something unique to fit their corporate identity.

60 Hari Belia Negara 2020 The ceremony was launched by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Prime Minister

“How do I portray myself – not just as a laser cut maker but something more? What can I provide?

How do I retain what I have now but at the same time expand to something wider?” Lokman told us how he once had the idea of handling all the prototyping process and then deal with China factories when it comes to production of big bulk orders. For example, if his prototype design is accepted by the client, and they wish to 68

produce them, he will send to China factories for production. Therefore, he does not need to add more manpower or machines but instead just sourcing out the job.

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1ST EDITION 61 Certificate Introduce the bookmark as a contemporary version of participation certificate

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ADVICE

W

1ST EDITION

hen asked what advice he would have for students of architecture who may wish to consider alternate career paths, he advised, “Stop thinking and start doing.” Architecture students nowadays, Lokman said, are afraid to make mistakes and are sometimes not fully aware of their shortcomings.

“Only by making mistakes will you learn and improve,” he said, adding that, “Conceptualising and fantasising is good, but it gets you nowhere.

You have to start using your hands. Just do it.

Do not be afraid to make mistakes.” This is how, he said, he pursued his career and tried to align it with his life. “There’s more than just using your brain. You have got to start doing something,” Lokman said.

62 Quality checked Before continuing to the final touch, each product will go through a quality check

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63 Final product Sample of laser cut finishes

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CONCLUSION

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What architectural experiences are transferable to another career? How does creativity learned in architecture help shape both an alternate career and the person?

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ENDINGS AND NEW BEGINNINGS

P

eople, generally, are dreamers. Everyone at some stage or the other has dreamed of being someone, or something. Children are frequently told not to dream too much, not to ‘build castles in the air’. But dreaming is human nature, and every dreamer without realising it, turns to the one profession that is present in nearly every form of life: architecture.

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Young men and women who dream of becoming architects one day are, perhaps, aspiring to the noblest of callings. Because it is in architecture where their dreams turn into buildings so tall and so magnificent – modern skyscrapers – that they tower into the sky and disappear into the clouds.

In essence, the architects of today have turned those dreaminto reality. They have found ways of fashioning and shaping steel, concrete and glass into amazingly aesthetic forms that will endure for centuries.

But it must be kept in mind that the pathway to a Bachelors or Masters degree in Architecture may not always resemble a smoothly paved motorway. The road is challenging. The course calls for deep levels of concentration, application, patience, longs hours of diligence,

a remarkably high degree of accuracy, and the ability to accept correction, criticism and advice, sometimes in the presence of peers.

Some candidates who enter the gateways of universities may discover within a short time that the choice (of taking up architecture as a career) was the wrong one. That they had, somehow, been misguided. That they may not possess adequate skills to complete the course. In some instances, candidates faced with this insight ignore it and continue to press onward, because to go back would seem like defeat, accepting loss; because to go back may appear like letting their parents down. Some may even go on to conquer their doubts and find success at the end of their degree programs, while quietly acknowledging that they would much rather have succeeded in something that made them happier.

Others, however, faced with such doubts, take a quick and brave decision of stepping back after they have completed a Part 1 or Part 2 program and reassessing. In this act of reassessment, some may find that the only way to ‘be themselves’ and ‘be happy’ is to disregard the collective opinion of others, look at the long term and accept the reality that, at the end of the day, the only person we have to live with is ourselves. There comes a time when decision making needs to consist of what makes YOU happy and maybe leaves OTHERS disappointed,

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and not what makes everyone else happy but leaves you sad for the rest of your life. This thinking holds good in all aspects of life but particularly in career and lifestyle choices.

If we are to be happy, we need to find happiness/ satisfaction in our jobs, because work accounts for 30 per cent of our time every day. If we are deeply dissatisfied with ourselves for 30 per cent of the time, this unhappiness can spill over into private life, into home life and affect not just ourselves but those around us. So this, then, may seem the right time to consider the pursuit of an alternate career path. In other words, find a job that convinces you that you are doing the right work with the right amount of satisfaction, even if the monetary rewards may not be great and it requires months and sometimes years of hardship before financial stability is achieved.

The good news is that quitting a degree course in architecture midway should never been seen as, ‘a waste of time’, because it isn’t. It is never a shame to admit one has made a mistake or chosen wrongly, especially if the mistake can be rectified early. Even one or two years’ study allows the young student to be equipped with so many skills that can be learned and applied in nearly any alternate job.

Just reading the interviews of the candidates in this ebook should be proof enough that architectural skills, once learnt, can never be a waste of time. Because their application is called

64 Architect Photo by Ryan Ancill on Unsplash

for in nearly every profession. Batik artists use architectural skills, Macramé artists fashion their knots with accuracy and the right amount of tension – elements learned in architecture study.

Illustrators carry with them the skills learned in graphics and sketching. Architects-turnedteachers use skills to help break down and structure lessons in orderly fashion. The list is exhaustive and not limited to those interviewed in these pages alone. Hundreds of jobs, to a great extent, find that they overlap into the field of architecture.

For those architecture students who may feel a sense of indecision at any time during their course, it’s worth bearing in mind that there’s always a ‘road less travelled’, calling to be

travelled upon. All that it requires is courage, determination and the commitment to never look back but to keep moving forward. It is also worth reminding ourselves that the ending of something may not always necessarily be a sad thing. An ending can sometimes lead to the beginning of something new, something that leads to success. We all have it in us to take an alternative and turn it into a success.

The underlying aim in putting this ebook together is not to dissuade students from completing their course but to demonstrate through example that taking a step back after commencing a course is not a shameful act. If we are dissatisfied it is worth pausing to consider

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the cause of the dissatisfaction. It’s a bit like wading into the raging waters of a river that gets deeper and deeper the further one swims. At a certain point the swimmer will stop to assess whether he/she has the potential, capability or desire to take on the swift flowing current. Some call this point ‘taking a reality check’. It is never shameful to change course in the river and head for waters less turbulent but waters that may turn out to be refreshingly rewarding. This ebook is primarily not about sad endings but about the courage in making new beginnings.

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DIVERSIFIED TALENT OF ARCHITECTURE GRADUATES

REFERENCES PUBLICATIONS 1.

Hassanpour, B., Utaberta, N., Zaharim, A., & Abdullah, N. G. (2011). Students’ perception of the evaluation system in architecture Studios. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, 77, 383-389.

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2.

Oliveira, S., Marco, E., & Gething, B. (2018). Towards an energy ‘literate’architecture graduate? UK educators’ and students’ evaluation. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 14(4), 317-329.

INTERNET 3.

Archisoup. (2020). Alternative Careers For Architects. Retrieved from https://www. archisoup.com/studio-guide/alternativecareers-for-architects 4.

Architecture Chat. (2019). Non Architecture Jobs for Architects. Retrieved from https://architecturechat.com/blog/nonarchitecture-jobs-for-architects/ 5.

Berg, N. (2020). COVID-19 is crushing the architecture industry—but not in the ways you’d expect. Retrieved from https://www. fastcompany.com/90539820/covid-19-iscrushing-the-architecture-industry-but-not-in-

the-ways-youd-expect

SOURCE OF FIGURES

6.

Design Build Review. (2020). How the Coronavirus is Affecting Architecture Retrieved from https://designbuild.nridigital.com/design_ build_review_jun20/coronavirus_architecture_ impact

Figure 1: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/-FPFq_trr2Y

7.

First In Architecture. (2020). Alternative Careers for Architects. Retrieved from https:// www.firstinarchitecture.co.uk/alternativecareers-for-architects/

Figure 2: Retrieved from https://www.archdaily.com/798632/21-careersyou-can-pursue-with-a-degree-in-architecture Figure 3: Retrieved from https://pubs.opengroup.org/architecture/ togaf8-doc/arch/chap30.html

8.

Kumar, P. K. (2020). Covid-19 Impact: Architects, Designers feel the heat as projects face uncertain future. Retrieved from https:// hospitality.economictimes.indiatimes.com/ news/operations/architecture-and-design/ covid-19-impact-architects-designersfeel-the-heat-as-projects-face-uncertainfuture/74894149

Figure 4: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/L0jLHqF7Q94

9.

Liao, A. (2016). Eight Alternative Careers for Architects. Retrieved from https:// www.architectmagazine.com/practice/eightalternative-careers-for-architects_o

Figure 7: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/Vew4xyLkpdY

10.

Zilliacus, A. (2016). 21 Careers You Can Pursue With A Degree in Architecture.

Retrieved from https://www.archdaily. com/798632/21-careers-you-can-pursue-witha-degree-in-architecture

Figure 5: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/mlVbMbxfWI4 Figure 6: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/0ZOtNzDVUZg

Figure 8: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/VV6uMBbwbC4 Figure 9: Retrieved from http://ericrodrigues.com/5-things-i-wish-ilearned-in-architecture-school/ Figure 10: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/8CqDvPuo_kI

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Figure 1-15: Farah Hanim binti Mohd Mohan Shah. Retrieved from https://www. instagram.com/novakbatik/?hl=en Figure 16-20: Huda binti Nejim Al-asedi.

Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/ artbycikguhuda/?hl=en

Luqman Bin Mohamad Rosli. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/ markerdesignstudio/?hl=en Figure 64: Retrieved from https://unsplash.com/photos/nGsVMkRatgM

Figure 21-28: Nur Syakirin Saharom.

Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/ bungadanbintang/?hl=en

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Figure 29-34: Ahmad Syahmi Ismail & Hanisah Johari. Retrieved from https://www. instagram.com/tali.kapas/?hl=en Figure 35-39: Afiq Afify Anuar.

Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/ afqaffy/?hl=en Figure 40-45: Radin Aminurasyid.

Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/ radin_aminurasyid/?hl=en Figure 46-51: Akif Muhammad Ariff.

Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/ kotak_ilham/ Figure 52-57: Azyan Zainual. Retrieved https://www.instagram.com/azyandraws/?hl=en Figure 58-63:

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