dilemma

1. Client vs end user. inevitably, big C wins.but we architect always try to make the best for both ends.have you tried pleasing the needs of both your mom n wife and mother in-laws? it's somewhat familiar. (so now u know the EQ that architects comes with)

2. With all the recession and inflation and cost of living rocketing, there's more and more high end living (note. RM450G for 20'X70' link house) instead of affordable housing. and now calls for micro housing in urban area. KL to become tokyo?

3.My First Home Scheme (MFHS) is a good idea, unfortunately to get a house in the range of RM220G you'll be living far far away from the urban epicentre my friend (and that is before we delved deeper whether your loan get a preferential 3.5 % interest rate. even a RM3G earner will be hard pressed. marriage first?). so, long distance working?

4.to curb property speculators (be aware people), should, or should not, 30% real property gain tax (RPGT) comes into view?

5. dear architects or wannabe, perhaps architecture of relevance should be our priority instead of architecture of excess. click here. (dont stop at the article, follow on the discourse)

6. I've always like this quote by Mok Wei Wei (he's one of the speaker in Datum some years ago);

" Why we need to build taller and taller towers -
in Asian culture the void is imbued with
a lot of meaning and strength,
and we should be designing space as an icon,
rather than object as an icon,
because they are memorable, imageable and
definitely more enjoyable"

architecture doesn't stop at visually arresting breathtaking image, we deal with built environment. visuals and images can lie, but architecture, built architecture, is ever presence. I think Billy Tsien (a speaker in the same Datum as Mok Wei Wei) said something along that line.

There's no harm in exploration, its a must, but we should explore meticulously, more so in space, practicality and function, instead of just hovering about form and facades. that's superficial, to me in my opinion. Justification is the keyword to our works, never stop at being 'pretty'.

Eugene Raskin, in his writing "architecturally speaking" said something along the line (of which I hold very dearly) ;

Architecture is not like movies - as movies didn't make sense when it is played backward, architecture is not. It goes both way.


each to his or her own opinion mates. just be honest with your work. gesundheit

dear whiners

pessimists alike.

blog hopping during break and found something quite interesting. Original post from superfuously sweet


Do you hate your job and feel that you get paid much less than you deserve?
Is there a subject you totally despise and hate studying?
Is there someone who’s being rude and nasty to you all the time?
And have you been wondering why it’s all that way?


Maybe you should hear the story of the evil monster and the little boy.



The story goes that long, long ago there lived a monster in a tiny village. The villagers were all terrified of him, and felt their village was cursed to have such a creature living in their midst.


Several men tried to fight the monster. One man attacked the monster with a sharp sword. The monster grabbed the sword and almost magically pulled out another sword, twice as large, twice as sharp and cut the man into half. Another time, a villager set off with a large wooden club to hit the monster. The monster responded by slamming the man with a wooden club, twice as large as the one that the villager had. On another occasion, a villager tried to set the monster on fire. But the monster opened his mouth and spewed huge flames – that roasted the poor man. Scared by these events the village folks gave up trying to fight the monster. They felt this was their lot, and they had to learn to live with it.


And then one day a little boy said he would go and vanquish the monster. People were surprised, and despite their disbelief, went along to see the little boy take on the monster. As the boy looked up at the giant, the monster just flared his nostrils and glared back. The little boy then took out an apple and offered it to the monster. The monster grabbed it, held it to his mouth, and then thrust his clenched fist in front of the boy. Bang! As the fist slowly opened, the people were astonished to see two delicious apples there. Twice as red and twice as large as the apple that the boy had offered. The boy then took out a little earthen pot with some water and gave it to the monster. And the monster took that and responded by placing in front of the boy two urns made of gold, filled with delicious juice. The people were ecstatic. They suddenly realised that the monster was not a curse – but a
boon to the village. The little boy smiled. And the giant just smiled back.


While the story is centuries old, the monster is still around. In colleges, in the office, and in our lives. And it’s a good idea to remember the lessons from that story. Most of our problems appear that way because of the way we look at them. You get back what you give. Twice as much! Is someone being rude to you? Maybe you need to change the way you behave with them. And no, don’t wait for them to change; you need to change first! At work too, if you go in to work, hating every moment, it’s unlikely that you’ll do a great job. If you don’t contribute, don’t expect to get paid a fat salary. You get what you give. Resolve today then to change. Love your job and give it everything you have. Be nice to the “Ms Nasty” in college. Look at Maths as a cool, fun subject. And you’ll discover that the evil monster is in fact a benevolent giant.

It’s significant that it took a little child to discover the true colours of the monster. Children don’t have preconceived notions. They believe the world is a wonderful place. It’s only as they grow up that the optimism
vanishes, and negative conditioning sets in. Go on. Let the child in you take over. Look at everything you dread with fresh eyes – be it rude friends, tough subjects or lousy jobs.


Maybe the monster is really a nice guy.
Change the way you look at him. And see the difference!


gesundheit.