Sonia M
INTERNSHIP | REPORT + LOGSHEET
| Acknowledgement
With great pleasure, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to C’arch Architecture and Design for giving me the opportunity for interning at their office. I would like to thank my supervisors and directors, Wilson Sng and Koh Sheh-Ren for guiding me throughout the internship. I again thank my fellow colleagues for helping me out in familiarizing the working environment.
I realized this opportunity as a big milestone in my career. Also, I sincerely hope that there would be a chance for me to be part of the team in the future as it was an unforgettable experience.
| 1.0 Introduction
C'arch architecture + design was founded in 1992. The core of the firm is rooted in modern architecture and applying sustainable principles. To achieve meaningful and quality work the firm believes in the importance of discovering the essence of a project. This will inspire and organise the functions of a design brief. They understand the significance of being able to identify, understand and apply the many wishes and concerns that are woven into the tapestry of a specific design brief to achieve reasonable results and standard of work.
There were in total 4 projects that I was involved in which are in the fields of educational and residential. The projects vary in scale and comprises of high rise, low rise, exterior or landscaping work and interior work. The range of works done gave me an insight of how different projects run and the challenges faced by an architect.
| 2.0 Sri Kuala Lumpur School (Medical Station)
The school is located in SS15, Subang Jaya. A medical station is proposed to replace the existing office and demolition works have started at the site. I was guided by my supervisor to the site to take photos for references and to observe the site condition as it was my first time at the site. We met up with the contractor on site to understand further on the conditions of the site and schedule.
I was assigned to produce the interior drawings for the new medical station (sections, toilet details, door and window details, furniture). Since it is catered for wheelchair access, some considerations were needed in the process of designing which I had to refer to the technical references (Malaysia Standards and Metric Handbook). Once the drawings were done, I moved on to produce the 3D model for better visualization of the space.
I also helped out with the sourcing of appliances and fittings for the pantry area to suit the design. It was a challenge as the size and cost were a restriction and not many products in the market complies to what we were looking for. These were all included into the Schedule of Works. The drawings and the selected fittings were then sent out for costing and adjustments were made based on the budget given. The constant challenge was to balance between the budget and the design which eventually was solved after numerous modifications. The proposal was presented to the client whom was an architect himself. It was a good experience to observe how architects communicate with the client to make sure that both parties are on the same page.
“ A room is not a room without natural light.”
Louis Kahn
| 3.0 Sri Kuala Lumpur School (Preschool Courtyard)
Simultaneously, work has begun at the preschool courtyard that is also within the school compound. It was previously an unused area which was not desirable for the students. A walkway for the students and some landscaping were proposed for the space. The design is close to finalization but amendments were to be made along the way.
During the site visit, I had the opportunity to observe the works on site and how the architects conduct their responsibilities on site. The site inspection was crucial to ensure that works are done according to the program to avoid any dispute.
I was given the task to produce a 3D model to show the changes that were to be made to the site. Modelling this project required calculations as it was on a slope. Much consideration was given to the safety of the students when designing especially the accessibility and the choice of materials. Most of the construction at the site involves metal work which gave me an insight on this particular construction such as the types of connections and detailing. Consultation from the specialist was required for the landscaping. After some comparisons, a mini garden was decided as it was the best solution to make full use of the site.
“We have to base architecture on the environment.”
Toyo Ito
| 4.0 Sri Kuala Lumpur School (New Facility Block)
This project is scheduled to start later this year. It is a 4 storey building which houses the orchestra room, the dance studios, scouts meeting room and other facilities for the students. In this project I was assigned to finish up the tender drawings for the door and window details.
It was my pleasure to have a mentor who is specialised in this field. I was given a few drawings to analyse and the fundamentals were studied before drawing. Things such as the location of the door or window, the dimensions and the floor finishes were factors that should be considered when drawing. The drawings include sliding doors, casement windows, timber doors, acoustic doors which are of different systems and mechanisms. The connections were rather complex and it was a constant problem solving process throughout the production of drawings. Through this, I have learnt up a wide range of technical vocabulary which will be beneficial in the future.
“ The details are details. They make the product. The connections, the connections, the connections. It will in the end be these details that give the product its life.”
Charles Eames
| 5.0 Hatia Nilai 3 Service Apartments
This project sits on top of two plots of land in Nilai. The proposed design comprises of 3 blocks of service apartments which has 3 types of units, a carpark and facilities for the residents. The project is of medium cost which was the biggest challenge for the architect in-charge. I had the chance to work with another practising architect whom guided and taught me the basics of designing high rise residential projects.
As the space is a constrain, the floor plans were tweaked to achieve the maximum potential. My role was to produce the floor plans and test out the given layouts. I had to refer to the UBBL for the maximum sized of habitable rooms, fire escape requirements and other relevant by-laws throughout the designing process. I was also assigned to calculate the efficiency of the blocks which was something new for me. The calculations were done whenever there are amendments to the overall plan to achieve an efficiency of more than 80%. The drawings from the surveyor were overlaid to the floor plans to study the contour at the site. Further changes were made to the design to suit to the existing condition.
To aid in visualization, a 3D model was constructed using Sketchup which eventually gave a better view of the overall scheme. The orientation, placement and height of the blocks were adjusted to break free from the conventional designs. Throughout the process, there were plenty of test-outs as designing is a back-and-forth process. We were fortunate that the client was understanding enough for us to have the freedom to develop the design up till stage.
“ I don’t think that architecture is only about shelter, is only about a very simple enclosure. It should be able to excite you, to calm you, to make you think.”
Zaha Hadid
| 6.0 Dialogue
I was fortunate enough to participate in the dialogue that was held in the office by one of our in-house technical specialist. This in-house training aims to educate the staff and to ensure that everyone is on the same page. It also serves as a platform to share especially from those that are well-experienced in this field. This particular dialogue was targeted to thoroughly explain the rain water drainage system in accordance to the standards and the available systems. Real life video clips featuring the tests done and the results were shown. In addition to that, materials and technical references were published in the server for all the staffs to access and further study.
All in all, it was beneficial for everyone in the office and it was amazing to see that the firm encourages learning in an office environment. It definitely boost my knowledge regarding this topic.
| 7.0 Meeting Minutes
It was a great opportunity for me to understand the basis of the minutes from one of the senior staff. He was helpful enough to share a copy of the minutes for me to read through and digest. Also, I was taught the way to draft the minutes based on the items that were usually discussed in the meetings. The particular project that was used as an example is a 55-storey service apartment development in Mont’ Kiara. Currently, it is on its way to start the actual floors as the basement carpark block is done.
The minutes were written for the various types of meetings which are the site meeting, client-consultants’ meeting and the technical meeting. The meetings were held to raise issues regarding the ongoing project which involves a number of parties. In most cases, the architect acts as the director which is responsible for the coordination among parties. In the technical meeting, the authority, architectural, C&S, M&E, landscape and QS matters were discussed. As for the client-consultant meeting, it is for the client and consultants to raise their concerns based on the progress of the project. Clear advises are given to the client and issues were solved efficiently as most of the principals are expected to be present. The site meetings were done together with the appointed contractor. Most of the issues were related to the contractor’s matters which includes the site progress, safety, contract and temporary works. Issues regarding the architecture, C&S and M&E were raised to ensure that it is well coordinated with the contractor. As the contractor is based in China, there were slight communication difficulties due to language barriers. This made the coordination tougher for the architects but it was definitely something new to look into especially when dealing with international parties.
It was a memorable experience to work in a firm that has a vision in creating great architecture and is constantly striving for good design.
In some cases, the design could not be delivered according to the initial plan due to certain circumstances but it is the obstacles that create the opportunity to make good design. As an architect, one has to enjoy problem-solving as every day is a constant battle of creating innovative ideas to ease the lifestyle of the people.
It is never a one man show in this field. Communication and coordination are skills to be mastered. There will be conflicts between the clients or consultants but being diplomatic and trying to understand the situation is the key to a successful project. Despite the ups and downs in the process, it is the appreciation and satisfaction on the faces that is motivating.
Once again, I am grateful for the guidance and care from the firm in this short period of time as it is really meaningful to me. It certainly had further inspired me to push myself in the future and to keep the spirit going no matter how tough the journey is ahead.
“ Architecture is the reaching out for the truth.”
Louis Kahn
| 8.0 The Notebook
Manual sketches of what I've learnt in the past 10 weeks.
