Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Architecture

AR533 Professional Architectural Office Practice

January- May 2022

Assignment 1:

Business Communication Skills

Prepared by:

Chin Jun Yee 1001956511

Prepared for:

Ar. Rien Tan Kwon Chong

Submission date:

09th February 2022

Chin Jun Yee
Northampton Terraces,
Jalan Paboi, Simpang Ampat,
Seberang Perai Selatan (Mainland - South),
Penang
(+60)168219295
chinjunyee88@@gmail.com

2/9/2022

Dato’ Abdul Rahman Ahmad

Group Chief Executive Officer, CIMB Group
CIMB, 1, Jalan Dr Lim Chwee Leong,
10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Dear Dato’ Abdul,

Having been accepted to Architecture Association School of Architecture, London, United

Kingdom for the 2024 January term to pursue a Master’s Degree in Architecture, I am
writing to express my desire to participate in the CIMB ASEAN Scholarship Program. As
a kid I have always fantasize to design a building that can become a landmark in my
country, that passion for architecture has been burning since then. One of the landmarks
in my country KLCC, has been one of my favorites as it still looks stunning and futuristic
even though it has been many years since it was built, which is the reason behind my
motivation innovate and produce buildings that are decades or centuries ahead of time.
I’m particularly excited by the opportunity network of leaders from big architecture firm
like Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind, Jeff Kipnis and many more who helped to maintain
AADRL as a world-leading design research lab for architect.

My parents have been working low paid jobs to provide for our family of 4, they do not
have the power to financially support my higher education desire and have ask to find a
job as an assistant architecture or drafter after I finish my bachelor’s degree, but I have
higher ambition where I want to push myself to be better at what I am doing and be the
best version of myself. Therefore, this letter is my biggest opportunities to meet my
ambition to be an architect which help me to complete my part two of my country’s
architect act which is also called Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM). There are three parts
to finish in order to fulfill the requirement for LAM which is firstly, to get a bachelor’s degree.
After that, 6 months of work experienced is required to move on to part two which is
getting my master’s degree. With that on ward we are able to take part three after two
years of practice of architecture, which is the Architectural Professional Examination
according to Board of Architects Malaysia. Under Section 4(1) of the Architect Acts 1967,
the Board oversees setting the standard for entry into the architectural profession and
conducting examinations related thereto. Thus, I need to pass this examination that test
the participants by their level of skills, capability and maturity in fulfilling professional
responsibility and obligation as Professional Architect.
To me an architect role in society is very crucial as they design spaces for human to live
in and work in. I believe architect can be a part of human innovation as people need to
be creative and think about how to improve, architect can design a workspace for them
to do so which requires very original or specific design to help certain person to fulfil their
utmost desire to live in to help them. For example, designer or many successful people
have a vacation house far away from where they are living to use it as an escape from
reality to immerse themselves in their creative though to create something innovative.
Other than that, the quality of life also depends on architect as well. They design the living
space that we will be living for decade or generations, so with that in mind the design
quality of the space from a architect highly effect one’s quality of life. For example, my
grandparents have been living in the same house that my mother used to live in even till
now we have visiting them every year because of that house, it gave everyone the
memories of being in that place. Understanding the place that I am from, I am all too
aware of the impact of high housing costs and environmental destruction on
underprivileged communities. These problems can easily be solved by architects. This
reflects to how architect can improve a society by using architecture to connect people in
the community as how a city should be. Architect has the power to change a city and
make improvement to our world slowly and connect the whole world together as a whole.

Apart from defining architect in my own terms, an architect is a qualified expert who
assists in the translation of buildings and other structures into practical reality. Most
architects, like myself, I suppose, have the ultimate ambition in their careers as architects
to start their own firms to serve clients. In Malaysia, there are four key jobs with many
responsibilities that every architect should keep in mind from time to time because they
can have a large impact on the community. When you have a lot of power, you also have
a lot of responsibility. First and foremost, there is the professional position, which entails
three responsibilities. Architect, as defined by the Architects Act, professional adviser who
gives advice in the architectural field of knowledge, and special agent of the client, as
defined by mutual agreement between the employer and the contractor. Following a
discussion and comprehension of the client's needs, the architect collaborates with
members or organizations to carry out his responsibilities with appropriate skill and care.
They create, design, plan, manage, and supervise every phase of a project until it is
completed. In the process, one must be responsible while fulfilling his or her duties
properly and with particular abilities and knowledge that non-professionals lack. Then
there's the contractual role to consider. Because it contains a description of
responsibilities, the building contract is crucial to be implemented by the contract
administrator and agent. When certifying in accordance with a building contract, an
architect acts as a quasi-arbitrator to negotiate, supervise, and support the contract
process when settling disagreements during a meeting. Furthermore, an architect's
statutory job is to ensure that laws are followed, as stated in the Uniform Building by Laws.
After all of the proposals have been prepared and finalized, only the appointed architects,
also known as the Principal Submitting Person (PSP), are entitled to submit the building
plans for approval, rather than the engineer or the building draughtsman. Last but not
least, as architecture is made for humans, architects cannot avoid playing an ethical or
moral role. As a result, three acts are especially designed to protect affected third parties
or users for integrity and reliability. The Housing Development Act (HDA) protects
people's interests when they buy property for a set period of time, the Strata Titles Act
1985 acts as an independent certifier, and the Strata Management Act establishes the
rules and regulations for residents of high-rise buildings such as apartments or
condominiums.

With all the principles listed above, it is apparent that a great degree of construction
expertise is necessary for an architect to design not only for aesthetic purposes, but also
for function, safety, and sustainability for both humans and nature. Despite the fact, I am
aware that architecture is a career that demands extensive knowledge due to the large
number of legal responsibilities it entails, I am nevertheless inspired and interested in
furthering my education. It's the manner I'd like to leave a trace of my previous existence
as a small dot in the vastness of the universe while also reminding people that they are
always connected to nature.

After I qualified as an architect, I would love to give everything I got into this world by
unleashing my creativity into making positive impact on it, making this world a better place
in terms of sustainability and the environment. What we build is more than just a sheltered
space, it is beyond that as building have chronicled many eras' ideologies, religious
beliefs, and societal requirements. Architects do more than only design structures; they
also plan entire experiences for people and future generations. They are taught that their
designs can have a wide range of psychological and mental health effects on the people
who use them. I would also like to connect communities together using architecture, as a
Malaysian, we are a country with many cultures and communities which give me the
chance to create space for us to interact and embrace the word Satu Malaysia by planning
every aspect of a structure, from the layout of the area to the final material finish choices
to them feel happy and connected with each other. Architects have no control over how
society behaves; all they can do is maximize the harmonic balance between physical and
emotional forces that contribute to social behavior while also restoring the natural
environment. I would also like to improve present environmental conditions by
incorporating technology and design ideas into buildings to make them more ecologically
friendly and long-lasting. Throughout the life cycle of the building, these green buildings
use resource-efficient and ecologically responsible structures and processes. To prevent
global warming, it safeguards resources such as raw materials, solar energy, and water,
as well as reducing waste and other pollution.

Please get in touch to arrange a meeting with me. I’d love to tell you more about my
upbringing and my desire to give back to my community through my further education.

Best Regards,

____________
(Chin Jun Yee)