ALAM 2010: Gathering of Landscape Architectural Students at Universiti Putra Malaysia

by webmaster FAB | Dec 27, 2010 | News, Uncategorized

On 13th until 17th of December 2010, Universiti Putra Malaysia has organized the annual Assembly of Landscape Architecture Students Malaysia which known as ALAM 2010. This program was held to gather all landscape students from all over Malaysia including the community college students. ALAM 2010 is the fourth assembly after ALAM was organized by Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia in 2007, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2008, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Perak in 2009. ALAM is one of the educational and social programs for landscape students from various local universities allowing students and academics to gather and discuss on landscape architectural issues. It also affords students to establish friendship and networking.

For 2010, all public universities and a few community colleges has been called for program briefing at UPM about two months earlier before the program started. UTM was represented by Encik Mohd Farid Azizul and a few students. The theme given was There is No Place like Home, and students were required to do an environmental issue sculpture or visual arts. Seven universities participated in this program including UiTM Shah Alam, Uitm Seri Iskandar Perak, UTM Skudai, UIAM Gombak and UPM Serdang, and the colleges were Kolej Komuniti Selandar Melaka, Kolej Komuniti Masjid Tanah Melaka.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Skudai was represented by 22 students. The preparation of the program started after Hari Raya AidilAdha. They discussed on the ideas of how to present something that can move people to aware about the environmental issues like pollution and development. Lead by Muhamad Zaimudin Azman, they finalized the ideas after one week discussion and presented it to Dr Sapura. The preparation was not going so well at first because there was not much budget to do the sculpture on a space of 3m x 3m. With a faculty fund RM3000, the students managed to come up with a brilliant sculpture. The preparation continued nights and days until Saturday before we leave to UPM on Sunday night.

2010 International Symposium: IFLA APR Cultural Landscape Committee Identity of Traditional Asian Landscapes

by webmaster FAB | Dec 20, 2010 | News, Uncategorized

On 14 to 17 December 2010, a group of five staff from Department of Landscape Architecture attended IFLA Symposium on Cultural Landscape organized by the Seoul National University, South Korea.  The theme of the symposium was Identity of Traditional Asian Landscapes that enabled academics from Asian universities to share viewpoints on cultural landscape issues and its meaning. Dr.Hamidah Ahmad, Dr. Sirima Nasongkhla, Dr. Sapura Mohamad and Assoc. Prof. Dr Ismail Said, presented their paper at the IFLA Symposium. In addition, landscape architect Mohd Za’i Kandar fromTropics Design and tutor, Lee Yoke Lai joined the symposium group.

Generally, there are 21 papers were published on the IFLA symposium proceeding which encompassed papers from Seoul National University Korea, Tsinghua University, Chinese Cultural University from Taiwan, Sala Design from Cambodia, University of Indonesia, Trisakti University from Indonesia, Hanatoyo Landscape from Japan, CEPT University from India, and Shahid Beeshti University from Iran.   During the technical tour at symposium, all the participants provided wonderful experiences to visit Changdeokung Palace (Biwon Garden) and Hahoe Village (Korean traditional village). At the end of symposium workshop, all the committees decided to have the paper to be published in a book. In addition, the symposium discusses the establishment of a journal, Asian Landscapes. The theme for the next IFLA Symposium on Cultural Landscape is Redefining Cultural Landscape.

For those who wish to access to the content of the proceedings of the symposium, please contact Lee Yoke Lai at lylai@utm.my or Dr. Sapura Mohammad at b-sapura@utm.my.

Runner-Up and Best Presenter for UTM in 1Malaysia House Design Competition

by webmaster FAB | Dec 8, 2010 | News, Uncategorized

On 29th November 2010, a group of 15 students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia were announced as the runner-up winner for 1Malaysia House Design Competition 2010 organized by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam. All the delegates were in UiTM to receive the prize worth RM 5000 for the design competition, and an additional of RM 1000 for winning the best presenter category. The first prize winner team is from UiTM Seri Iskandar, while the first runner-up is from Tunku Abdul Rahman College. Seven institutions took part in the competition.

Preparation for the Competition

            At the beginning of semester 2010/2011, an invitation was sent by UiTM Shah Alam to all higher education institutions in Malaysia. The competition brief was to design a house which resembles the unique mixed culture of Malaysia, for Malaysians. Matters such as interior design, façade, spatial planning, environmental response, landscape architectural design and site planning had to be taken into consideration in order to achieve the objective.

Dr. Raja Nafida was appointed as the team coordinator, together with Pn. Malsiah Hamid and Dr. Roshida Majid. A designer team of 15 students were formed, a mixture of undergraduate and post-graduate architectural students and a quantity survey student. The students involved were selected due to their special knowledge, leadership and skills in design. The students involved in the competition:

1. Mazyani bt Muhammad Raslani (Leader 1)
2. Atta Idrawani bin Zaini (Leader 2)
3. Hisham b. Abdul Rahman
4. Nurulhuda bt. Mohd Non
5. Noorfazlenawati bt. Mohd Nor Azli
6. Wan Fairuz Nazwan b. Wan Ridzwan
7. Nik Farah Elina bt. Nik Razmi Shah
8. Taschi Tsering Sim
9. Mohd Farris bin Mohd Sarofil
10. Lim Yaik Wah
11. Abdul Azim Rupaai
12. Muhammad Syafiq bin Muhammad Noor
13. Mohd Nor Izwan bin Samani
14. Tan Choon Boon
15. Khairool Aizat bin Ahmad Jamal

During the design process, numbers of meeting were held to get more input from lecturers and team members. The main constraint faced by these students was communication, due to the fact that they are not from the same year. However, they managed to organize themselves through meeting appointments and crit sessions conducted throughout the semester.

The Competition Entry

            The entry from UTM was called ‘OneMalaysiaHouse’, to portray the idea of simplicity and escaping from the metaphorical approach towards realizing the 1Malaysia concept in physical form. The idea was to include all different lifestyle from different racial beliefs, especially in the spatial planning. The house was intended to move into the existing Malaysians lifestyle, instead of forcing and dictating the users to live in accordance to the design. The façade design was intended not to represent any race, hence was simply to respond to the hot and humid climate of Malaysia. The team did all the environmental ana lysis with the aid of Autodesk Ecotect by simulating the house with the actual environmental context of Malaysia. Overall, the concept of this ‘OneMalaysiaHouse’ may be conceived as the best prototype of Malaysians lifestyle in true Malaysian cultural, environmental, and social context.

Green Learning Grounds : A Shelter for School

by webmaster FAB | Nov 20, 2010 | News, Uncategorized

UTM’s Department of Landscape Architecture, and selected schools in Johor Bahru have working together to ensure that school’s environment are as nurturing as possible. The greening School Ground Program represents a commitment to contribute positively to well-being of future generations by educating students and teachers about the importance of creating and preserving conducive school ground for learning and teaching.

Recently a group of Landscape Architecture students have completed the task of constructing and installing two timber shelters for Sekolah Menengah (P) Sultan Ibrahim and Sekolah Menengah Teknik in Johor Bahru respectively. Although it is part of learning requirement in construction class, the students on the other hand did a good deed to support the effort of school in fulfilling their needs towards creating conducive learning environment. It helps schools and their communities create outdoor classrooms, providing students with conducive place to learn, communicate and develop a genuine respect for a good and supportive outdoor learning environment. The vision is to help to create green school ground.

The initial study found that students spend between 20% to 25% of their time outdoors. Unshaded surface temperature in school, ground can be 20 degree Celcius hotter than adjacent shaded area provided by a shelter. Building type of shade – “A Wakaf” provides benefits such as cooler air temperature; part of energy conservation; create possible space or place that support various activities amongst school students. “This shelter in our opinion is a good place for students to rest and also to get socialized whenever the students are free.” As commented by Syifa and Moo Jia Yi, the SIGS students.

Prior to construction, the Landscape students are required to conduct a site analysis, develop a conceptual plan as initial phase of site plan, and finally celebrate and measure success with school students and teachers (take pictures, learn, and have fun!!). A site analysis includes survey of user needs (students, teachers, principal, Teacher and Parent Association).

Any schools are invited to participate in a effort to reclaim school grounds and create healthy learning and teaching environment. Those who are interested can contact UTM’s Landscape Department: 07-5530606.