Originality

We talked about being original and the idea that a thesis must have originality. We can start with a mundane and common topic, like a school or a gallery. But in order for it to be a thesis, two, three or four things must happen… questions must be asked, especially fundamental and deep questions to create the depth in engaging thought to the problem.

We talked of issues and the importance of extracting more and more issues of the problem. You see, when you have a topic, like a school, it is at the same time a “problem” or another words, a challenge and a task for you to complete. To complete what? To complete the new discovery.

Design thesis is a story. It is also a journey of discovery. So like any story and any journey you must start somewhere.

( I will add more later)

How the Design Thesis Affected Me

The greatest lesson that I learned after being involved with these 24 lives and their projects was that I should never take anything for granted.

Being intimately inter-woven into the whole tapestry of each of the individual student’s thought process, I felt like a ball of “fluff”! I mean the whole trip was immense and I feel like a small piece of fluff, left-over from the whole threading and knitting together of design. I felt humbled by it all.

Now I said earlier that the grades did not matter, but the learning was more important. People would say, it would be easy for me to say that because I am the tutor, but hey, I had been here before, doing a design thesis myself back then in North London Polytechnic in 1989-90. And it wasn’t easy either, although not as rigorous as what my students had been put through in the last year though. Regardless, I needed to state here that I feel so blessed that I was a part of it all.

This is my first experience as the studio coordinator and I was feeling that I sat on a roller-coaster ride in the last two weeks especially. I was praying for the best outcome possible. I mean, if its all up to me, I would not have felt that way, right? We had to defend the students’ thesis to the examiners, internal and external.

The ride was really wild. Bumpy and edge of the seat, hanging by dear life sort of a trip. I wanted so badly for everyone to fulfill their potential. I wanted so much for everyone to be proud of themselves.

Yes, I felt like a small and tiny insignificant thing to this immense and gigantic experience and still feel so. The design thesis experience was like orbiting space and feeling very tiny in comparison to the greatness of the universe. Yes, that kind of feeling of being truly blessed. You may think its weird that I say that, but I tell you, I might have thought I was in control, but in truth, I am the least in control of the destiny of the 24 lives.

I was swept away, even worst then the students, because at least they were doing the drawings and models, while I was just a mere “hitch-hiker” to this unbelievable trip.

24 projects, 24 lives

You don’t know really when you first get involved with the 24 projects, you are involving 24 lives.

All you know, as a studio master is that, hey, the special semester is coming and you have to prepare for it, the proformas, the course info., the programme and the schedule. And then you have the first session where everyone presents their two topics and the studio masters deliberate on them, etc, etc.

And fast forward 35 weeks plus plus later and here we are post design thesis stage and looking at graduation…

Every single individual that I have been blessed to meet and be involved with had their own unique destiny with their projects. Each project was conceived with their acceptance. They may have been cajoled and influenced into doing the topic but only with their own acceptance and embrace. It may not have been a tight embrace for some, but then again that would have been more to do with their willingness or unwillingness to be subjected to the design thesis process.

The design thesis process affected their lives. Some grew thin and emaciated. Some grew fatter and flabbier. Some had permanent frowns and furrows. While others had baggy eyes and tears wallowing indefinitely.

Yes, there is no doubt that the design thesis affected them all in their different ways.

24 projects and 24 lives.

It was different for each of them, because they had different reasons to do it. I would argue that the grade that they each received meant differently for each of them. Maybe for one person a B+ is a let down but for another a great achievement. But a grade is just something someone else gave to you. What is most important is that whether you had changed for the better or discovered something about yourself in the process. Your own grade of yourself is more important.

Exhibition on the Design Thesis Studio – End of Year Work (Session 2008/09)

You are invited to view the Design Thesis Studio – End of Year Work (Session 2008/09) at the following time, dates and venue.

Time: 9 am – 4 pm

Date: Friday, 17th of April

Venue: Dewan Tunku Canselor, University of Malaya

The exhibition showcases 24 different Architectural Design Projects from the Design Thesis Studio / Final Year / Fifth Year students of the Bachelor of Architecture Course of the Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya’s 2008/09 Session.

The projects are listed as below:

1. Disaster Assistance & Rescue Training Centre

2. Kendiri: Servicemen Rehabilitation and Community Centre

3. Budget Airport Terminal

4. Tropical Monsoon Mall

5. ASEAN Islamic World Centre

6. Children Rehab Hospital

7. Dance Sport City

8. Chendering Fisherman’s Wharf

9. Book Park

10. Perodua Design and Brand Centre

11. Centre for Independent Arts

12. Mosque

13. Memorial Park in Bukit Seputeh

14. Eco-literacy School in FRIM

15. Penang Chinese Opera House

16. Bangsar Community Library

17. Malaysian Institute of Art

18. Cross-border Station

19. Mah Meri’s School in Kg. Sg. Bumbun, Pulau Carey

20. International Students Hostel

21. Revitalization of Pasar Seni

22. Reinventing the City’s Fire Station

23. Museum of Modern Art Kuala Lumpur (MoMA_KL)

24. The Revitalization of Malacca Old Fort

Spoon-feeding

Upon analysing and dissecting the work displayed yesterday by the Design Thesis Studio (2008/09), my colleague went up to me and asked me, “Nazy, think about it…have you been spoon-feeding the students?”

Then I had a think.

Spoon-feeding is like “babying” or “putting stuff with my own hands”, like force-feeding!

No, of course NOT!

You cannot spoon-feed maturity. I mean the students are mature. You use psychology man! You use means that are subtle. Sometimes you use the ‘whip’ but I did not have to use that much, in fact very little.

They were hungry to do well and it showed.

I am just happy that I did my job or my part of the bargain.