architecture enlightens life

after two years or so, my knowledge in architecture has substantially increased. therefore, I think my opinion towards malaysian architecture I wrote few years back isn’t really valid anymore. therefore, I’ve decided to update my view towards malaysian architecture while still continuing the quest.

architecture is not as simple as we think. it is bounded by so many overlapping borders, from budget, clients, policies and laws. on the other hand, general malaysians’ ignorance of architecture is a result of our cultural thinking developed over the decades.

if you begin to compare like; france and italy against malaysia in example- the french are generally more aware of architecture.

look at im pei’s louvre pyramid, when the design for the new entrance for louvre is revealed, somehow all parisians has become ‘architects’, they criticized the design as resembling egyptian pyramids. simultaneously im pei has became the most infamous criminal of paris- well since louvre is critical to paris. there are even instances that the parisian spitted on im pei for what he did then.

in malaysia however, nobody seems to know who the hell are the architects behind the buildings theyre sitting in. of course, france had centuries of history in architecture- but that shouldn’t be reason how malaysians deal with architecture in general.

how about malaysian architects, you ask? I believed they all have learned to be aware of architecture and why they still produced crappy houses?

crappy malaysian houses

well, during their studies, we, architecture students aspired to be outstanding, the new generation that is going to transform and beautify the surroundings with a sense in design. but the more we travel deep into architecture, the more difficult such dream is.

that in particular coupled with the working environment; which is far more different with what we studied to. young graduates tend to become drafters of senior architects before they gain the momentum of their own. such way the thinking of young minds is bounded by the seniors which ultimately leads to money.

and that system reincarnates every generation. and they produce the same crappy houses.

in the end, they all came back and say, “ultimately architecture is a business, it is essentially a money game.” and that my friends, is the worst sentence you can say to degrade architecture. so, stop using it, and go back to the dream we all aspire to realise - designing buildings with a sense of creativity.

a very good quote from one of my lecturers;
“in the end of the day, architecture offers unimaginable rewards. many of them got rich, by making shit. so, I hope you do not become one of those- but make beautiful things instead.”

p/s: read my previous version of “a quest for malaysian architecture” here