architecture enlightens life

ok, I’m fed up with these complains. I’m sure you have heard them sometimes;

• architecture in malaysia is different from overseas, here architects are just cad monkeys. they just follow whatever the client wants.
• over here architects have low salaries than those overseas. imagine a fresh graduate with only rm1600 starting pay..while outside you have lots more 
• in university you’re taught how to emphasize on design, but in architectural workplace you’re just creating functionalistic buildings
• malaysian architecture restricts creativity with so-called law of economy. money wins, or is it?

few sad facts about malaysian architecture.

1. most malaysians do not know who is the most famous architect in malaysia. or worst, they don’t even know who the hell is frank gehry. fyi, frank gehry designed the bilbao museum that is now globally famous (yet, malaysians don’t even care about it)

guggenheim bilbao. world-famous (excluding malaysia?)

2. most recognized buildings in malaysia are designed by foreign architects. do you know that?

our great petronas towers are designed by american cesar pelli (sorry, argentine american architect, thanks narmi)

our famous klia, by japanese kisho kurokawa

3. so what is majority of malaysian architects are doing? they’re designing three of the most sad buildings in malaysia.

a) designing sad, boring shoplots. that looks the same all over malaysia. now, is that architecture or a sad building?

b) the long, depressing terrace houses that all look the same in brochures. that makes us feel more to escape from it rather to live in it. residents buys the idea to live in it, developers take all the money, and malaysian architects? just do it.

c) ok, now prison-like apartments. painted a little bit red here and there to look different, but still that you can see everywhere in urban areas of malaysia and you think to yourself: “hey it’s my friend’s condo… oh nope, it just looks like it.”

so, we all got to stop complaining about malaysian architecture and, I am going to start a quest to revolutionise malaysian architecture. so folks, start appreciating architecture, and also critise it! don’t just take it like youre still in high school.

now what you should DO;

1. if you have a chance to commision an architect (just assume youre the owner), don’t let him simply do it. demand your home/project to be a work of art, tell him it’s boring! and ask him to redesign it! remember, great artists need great clients.

2. money. tell the architect the budget earlier and keep it. don’t simply cut the budget in the halfway of the design process! it’s like when you are served the meal and you refund a part of the meal just to save money. so, look at your menu for price first then savour it completely!

3. appreciate the architecture. if you are buying a completed house, ask who is the architect. determine if he is famous or not. or better, don’t buy a complete house. ask your architect friend if there is any plot of land for you to build a home. you might even get it cheaper, without the money going to the developer’s pocket!

4. if you saw the same architect’s work outside, go like this;
you: hey, do you know that new shopping mall downtown is going to open soon?
your friend: yeah, it’s kinda cool and we going to have a new shopping mall^^
you: well, the very same architect designs my house!

so, spread the word. start a quest for malaysia! let us be proud of our modern culture. and put these nice little banner on your blog