UTM Architecture Students Outclassed Others in IFHP International Student Competition

by webmaster FAB | Sep 27, 2007 | News, Uncategorized

A group of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM) architecture students has been awarded third place in the Ranko Radovic Student Competition, an international design and planning competition organized by the International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP). The result was announced at Royal Danish Art Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, 24th Sept 2007 in an auditorium packed with international audience, speakers, participants, and panel of jurists, including the competition’s 10 finalists.

Due to the competitive nature and comparable standards amongst the top winners the panel of jury has decided not to award the second place. Several categories of prize money were lumped into one and to be divided equally amongst the winners instead. UTM have to share with Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana (Mexico) and TU-Berlin Fakultat VI Arkitektur (Sweden/Germany) for a joint third place with each of the teams received Euro5,000.00. The first and honorable mention went to Technische Universitat Braunschweig (Germany) and National Technical University of Athens (Greece) respectively. It can be also understood that UTM have actually won a second place.

The IFHP’s Ranko Radovic Student Competition of the IFHP Congress 2007 in Copenhagen has invited students at all levels and from all disciplines – Urban Planning, Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Geography, Sociology, Anthropology, Urban Studies, Environmental Studies, Engineering, Traffic Planning, and related academic fields – to submit their rendering of ideas and solutions for the future cities. It was first established in 1983 and has taken every second year, giving young talent from all over the world a unique chance to showcase innovative projects. The competition is organized to coincide with Student Congress and the IFHP 51st World Congress held from 23-26 September 2007. The theme ‘Futures of Cities’ establishes the concern and focus of the 51st IFHP World Congress. Hence similar theme renders the background and objective of this competition.

About 200 submissions from more than 100 universities from around the world participated in the competition for instance Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (US), Carnegie Mellon University (US), Virginia Tech (US), Cornell University (US), Yale School of Architecture (US), Sheffield University (UK), Architectural Association School of Architecture (UK), Manchester School of Architecture (UK), University College London (UK), National University of Singapore, Tianjin University (China), Chiba National University of Japan, Waseda University (Japan), and University of Melbourne (Australia). The works of all 10 selected entries were exhibited for the final stage of the judging. Winning teams were also invited to orally present their scheme. The winning UTM team consisted of 6 undergraduate degree students in architecture from Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment: Yew Wooi Seng, Nur Adlina Fawzi, Asmah Basherudin, Mohamad Radi Rahmat, Chairul Anam Muqimun, and Muhd Mustakim Abd Wahab, all are in their 4th year under the tutelage of Wan Mohd Zakri Wan Abdullah, Dr. Mahmud Jusan and Adjunct Professor Ar. Shamsuddin Mohamad.

UTM team submitted an urban design project aims to revitalize existing fisherman village in Pontian, located within the Iskandar Development Region, with utmost care and sensitivity so that its existing social, cultural and environmental setting could be protected and enhanced. The design and planning aspiration seeks to achieve a balance proposition towards built environment so that the people within the area can live in harmonious equilibrium with their dwelling place. The Jury issued a 3-paragraph comment on UTM submission, “…the buildings fit to the river landscape and opens for views and access to the coast line. Finally the small scale and structural openness of the traditional building culture is reinvented into a modern building form suited for prefabrication. The project is the result of a very coherent design process, and is very clear presented.” It is hoped that a project such as this could inculcate in the hearts and minds of the students of their future role in ensuring a balance and harmonious development by not ignoring social, cultural, and environmental interconnectivity.

Head of Architecture Department, Assoc. Prof. Dr Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed Ariffin highlighted that for this semester, all design studio projects for all years of study are based on issues and challenges related to the proposed Iskandar Development Region. Elements of competition have been included and implemented consistently in the curriculum and in it’s teaching and learning approaches as means to bench mark students’ academic quality with the rest. It is hoped that through competition such as this IFHP Student Competition UTM could gauge her students’ competitiveness at international arena. The students arrived at UTM Skudai Campus on Monday, 1st Oct 2007 and with smiling faces briefed Head of Department of the mission they have accomplished

Mark Curtis Awarded PAM Travel Scholarship 2007

by webmaster FAB | Sep 15, 2007 | News, Uncategorized

Mark Curtis Josem, 4th year architecture student, has been awarded the PAM Travel Scholarship 2007. Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) delivers the award annually. The objective of the award is to give opportunity to architecture students in higher learning institutions in the country to travel abroad. PAM hopes that students will be better exposed to different culture and built environment, hence broadening their learning and experience.

The recipient of the award received RM5,000.00. Upon returning from the travel the student is requested to submit a printed report documenting his learning experiences.

FAB Won Gold Award in Landscape Design Competition

by webmaster FAB | Sep 7, 2007 | News, Uncategorized

Department of Landscape Architecture has won a Gold Award (University Competition) in landscape design competition Floria-Putrajaya Flower & Garden Festival 2007 held at Putrajaya between 25th of August and 2nd of September 2007.

Organised by Perbadanan Putrajaya, five universities i.e. Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi MARA, International Islamic University and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia have participated in this year’s competition.

Winner received a plaque and RM 3000 cash presented by YB Dato’ Seri Zulhasnan Rafique, Minister of Federal Territory at Majlis Penghargaan Putrajaya 2007 on the 1st of September 2007.

Ratnakala and Kheng Khoon Awarded PAM-Johnson Suisse Scholarship 2007

by webmaster FAB | Sep 2, 2007 | News, Uncategorized

Department of Architecture (UTM) is blessed to have two of her best students to have won this year PAM-Johnson Suisse Scholarship. Architecture students from any accredited architecture educational institutes in Malaysia were invited to apply for the award. They have to prove that they are excellent in academic as well as in non-academic endeavors. Only two awards are given out each year.

Each recipient will receive a study grant amounts to RM7,000.00 per academic year, for a period of two consecutive years. Ratnala Sithravel and Ng Kheng Khoon, both are now in their 5th year, are most consistent in their studies and can be seen in their achievements in winning the Dean’s List for every semester since 1st year.

Urban Design Visit to Surakarta and Yogjakarta

by webmaster FAB | Aug 24, 2007 | News, Uncategorized

On 17th August 2007, landscape architecture students from Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment lead by Dr. Ismail Said went to Surakarta and Yogyakarta for a five days joint workshop with the students of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta on urban landscape design. This joint-workshop was a collaborative effort by the Department of Achitecture, Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta (UMS) and Department of Landscape Architecture, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

The purposes of the visit were:

• To experience and understand the spatial pattern and building typology of Javanese city.
• To conduct a one day urban design workshop during the visit with the architecture students of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta.
• To know the social attributes of people in Surakarta and Yogyakarta in relation to the urban landscape features.
• To create generic skills including communication, critical thinking, and adaptability of landscape planning skills and ethic of professionalism.

There 30 students are from (UTM) and 20 students from (UMS) participated in design workshop. The workshop was guided by five lecturers from (UMS) and one from (UTM).

On 17th August, the students of (UTM) were welcome by a group of (UMS) students. We arrived at Adi Sumarmo, Surakarta Airport at 10.00 a.m. Then the participants were taken by UMS buses with 20 students and one lecturer (UMS). The first trip was at Prambanan Temple Yogyakarta. It took two hours to reach the destination. This was where we learn about the cultural landscape. The students were given a brief before they took off to the temple. A band of Gamelan veteran artist performed their beautiful music as to welcome the students before they started visit the temple. The temple is the temple for the Hindus. It was a marvelous architecture that shows the glory of the past Hinduism country. All the students were amazed by the great architecture, they all wondering how the gigantic structures were done. After the temple visit, we proceed to Yogyakarta then checked into a hotel. We arrived at hotel in the evening. The groups get chance to rest before reach night.

At night after dinner at Bamboo Restaurant, the UMS students took us to the Malioboro Street in Yogyakarta. The Malioboro Street was a vibrant linear street that showing the lively city of Yogyakarta and it was the main commercial spine of downtown Yogyakarta. It formed a street approaching the Palace as the ceremonial street. The goods and souvenirs like unique keychain, bracelets, ‘baju batik’, and sandals and so on were cheap. The UMS students were hearty kind to help us to bargain the goods. The process of bargaining was very fun because the price can be reduce to more than half. The cultures of the street made the place lively and vibrant with the activities which create a ‘sense of place’ where the other place did not.

On 18th August, the academic trip continued the journey to Tamansari (Royal Garden) or the waterkasteelor by the Dutch. The site is built as the pleasure garden for the Sultan Hamengkubuwono in 1758. There were 3 bathing pool for himself, children and his putri. The Sultan watched them bath and summon one of them accompany him. All the students were allowed here to walking around the garden passageway and observed the remaining architecture of the garden. The remain wreckage of the place still make the students feel amazed. This TamanSari was protected by No.5 1992 Republic Indonesia Law as preservation of historical value of Indonesia.

Before heading to Kota Gede, we were brought at South Alun-alun which was on open space. It also called a ‘medan’ for Indonesian people. There was a myth that whoever walks between two ficus trees by folding the eyes, the person will have good luck. Only a student succeeded the task who was Siti Aminah. Kota Gede is the site of the remains of a palace Kraton in the late 1500s and early 1600s for the rulers of Mataram. Legend and myth surround much of the information available for the time the palace was intact, and only the Royal Graveyard (precursor to Imogiri) and a few small sections of wall of the palace remain. Here the students went at town trail through the city. After we trailed through the city, they stopped at a Javanese traditional house. Although that day was very hot, but the dedicated and courage of participant to finish their trail and went back to the hotel.

On 19th August, the participant visited Karangkulon village, in Imogiri. A talk on rehabilitation after the earthquake was presented by Ahmad Hanifa Irawan. The village was damage by earthquake in 27 May 2006. NGO and volunteers take cares of the villagers since the governments are lack of attention intention to this place. The participants were divided in 7 groups architecture of UMS and UTM students. The aim of this assignment was to create a conceptual idea of 7 sites. The last task was to present the work to Pak Irawan. After the presentation, all students were invited to join doing a mural painting for the school as memory from UMS and UTM students there.

On 20 August, the landscape urban design programs begun by site observation and analysis on seven sites in Laweyan Village. This is the second design workshop for UMS and UTM students with the objective, students can create their combination creative ideas how to improve the condition of site for public use. Hence the seven groups each comprised of 4 UTM and 3 UMS students, too the task to plan and design the public spaces. The design exercise was held at a verandah of a traditional house located next to Pak Alpha residence. All groups were working diligently from 10.00 am to 5.15 pm to produce their design scheme. The condition at the workshop’s verandah was hot and humid. All groups participated with dedication to complete their tasks which were presented at Faculty of Technique UMS on the following day.

And in the afternoon, we visited Kraton, a place. This Kraton of Surakarta was built in 1670s. It is better known as Kasunanan Palace. Now it was turned into a museum that collects the treasure Javanese Royal Culture Museum. All the exhibits were very old and some of them even are worship. Here the participants have the chance to see the Javanese royal secret dance. Some of students said, they recognized the dance as they ever seen in ‘Puteri Gunung Ledang’ movie. The mystical atmosphere of the Kraton makes the students wondering and want to know more about the Kraton. In the last night of the academic trip, Pak Alpha’s house held a informal dinner for all of the participant. The dinner was accompanied by the music of gamelan. Dr. Ismail Said and the head of Architecture Department of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, (UMS) Wisnu Setiawan gave their last speech for the academic trip. After the dinner, the students were lead by the students of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta, (UMS) to the nearby angkringan (stalls) that was authentic to Indonesia for the last gathering.

On the 22 August, the UTM groups take off by 8.55 am and reach Malaysia in 12.35 pm. The trip was very good because it gave the students exposure to Javanese culture that we should sensitive to. The aim of the trip was greatly achieve by the hardwork of two sides. We hope that the two universities will do the academic manually.

One of the students, Tengku Nor Asiah Binti Tengku Abdul Rahim said that she was very excited and happy with the trip. She learned a lot of things especially the unique culture of the Javanese and she missed the delicious food such as Aram-Aram. She also said that she was very lucky to have new friends from the trip. Siti Aminah binti Umar said that the trip gave her a new kind of experience and made her to be a better person and appreciate everything that she had. She felt that she was very blessed to join the trip.

Last but not least, the 5 days trip of landscape architecture students from Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment lead by Dr. Ismail Said went to Surakarta and Yogyakarta gives a lots of advantage and benefit for each two universities in creating a strong relationships after the visit besides gained many information such as life style experiences , a different social-culture understanding, improving the generic skills through the design workshop is the most valuable experience for all students.

The support of many of great stylish, creativity, generosity and enthusiasm must be mentioned up front too, Dr.Ismail Said and Pak Wisnu, Mr. Ahmad Hanifa Irawan , Pak Alpha , Pak Agong and also others who get involved in this collaboration who helped polish our skills and enriched our information with wisdom words and gorgeous creativity, besides very generous in the sharing of their knowledge, languages , experiences, jokes and body languages have been incredibly inspired us. We can never thank them enough.