mine?

SPM > Diploma UTM (3 years) > Bachelor Hons UTM (3 Years) > MSc Virtual Environments UCL (1 year) > PhD in Architecture Education (current)

usually people stop at bachelor/degree, coz u can already practice then. some of my friends even took masters, coz it gives them the extra edge both in wage, post, and more importantly, that image ur portray to ur clients. i currently teach, but practicing part-time/freelancing as well.

hi
im a student after my spm...
im very very interested in tiz architecture course....
so b4 i take the other step...any advise?......

well...how important is accreditation by the Board of Archi M'sia?
as some of you seniors mention, some uni doesnt have that accreditation,......so how does it imply on us?

does other university have tiz accreditation also...

thanks in advance

Lembaga Akitek Malaysia is the official government body governing the architecture profession in Malaysia. as u understand, architecture is protected profession under msian law, and LAM is the body incharge. in order to practice, u need a license. to get a license, u need to register with LAM with an accredited degree. if u do not hold an accredited degree, it means u CAN NOT PRACTICE in malaysia. period.

that's how important it is. people may still employ u, but they will be liable if anything happens. for example, u wanted to build a house, and employ a non-licensed architect. u pay him RM70k for fees. he sends construction workers. suddenly accident happened, a worker died. he ran away. YOU will be liable for the whole thing.

this also applies at any point in the future. for example, if a child fell from a poorly design balcony from ur shopping complex, YOU will be liable, not the non-licensed architect.

u get the point.



so what if u study a non-accredited degree?

well, simple enough. while studying, KEEP ALL design drawings u have, assignments, exam papers. EVERYTHING. after u graduate, apply job and become either architect's assistant or technical assistant for awhile. gain experience for awhile. after u're confident enough, contact pertubuhan akitek malaysia (PAM), sort of akitek's club in league with LAM, who will organize an examination and interview to assess ur skills.

if u pass, they will grant u part 1. then apply immediately for part 2. sit another exam. (sometimes u can do both at the same time). so u will still be able to practice, after acquiring ur part 2.



remember, under malaysian law (as well as most countries in the world), no one without Part 2 qualifications can call themselves as architects. there is another level which is Part 3. architects holding Part 3 qualifications are called Professional Architect, and carries the title Ar. infront of their name. for example Ar. Abu bin Ali. now that carries a lot of weight, a dream of all architects.

How good must you be in drawing to be an architect. I don't think I can draw that well. Will that be a bad thing?

go back n draw/sketch something for me:

"imagine ur future office. a room of ur own. what would it be like? would u like a huge plasma tv filling up a wall? a good view from ur windows? or how about a sexy secretary serving u coffee every hour?"

draw that, and put it here. i was part of the interview committee for UTM's architectural students admission. if u really wanna try, lets assume u're an applicant and i'm interviewing u. lets role-play a bit , and see where u are.



although drawing is essential to architecture, it doesnt mean everyone MUST be good at it. what is most important is how fast can u draw? a fine drawer is nothing in architecture if he only could produce a perspective in 5 days! an architecture student should be able to draw a perspective in a matter of hours.

in any university u'll go into, they'll teach u from scratch. even if they dont, they will assume u will teach urself to draw while they teach u how to design. it's a skill, and no better way to develop a skill than to practice, practice, practice.

hurm, according to above, onlu local uni is accredited, meaning, in order to be a licensed architect, i muz go to local uni???

i do not feel like taking stpm ( its very hard ,rite?), but as i know, local uni do not accept Alevel student ( they prefer stpm...rite?)

then where should i go?
if i take Alevel, then i must go to private college. does tiz mean that i wont have the accredition, then i must save all my works/projects n apply to go on the exam for part1-3?

anyway....about LUCT, alot ppl say its too expensive n not very good in this course .....how true is that?.....

This post has been edited by sleep_walkerz: Jan 4 2007, 12:14 AM

a whole list of accredited universities in malaysia and abroad is available at LAM website. look under "accreditation>schools". i couldnt access the link, but u guys in msia might be able to do so.

before deciding, u must first understand this: there are 3 levels that u need to acquire, part 1, 2 and 3.

part 1 - architect's assistant, junior architect, technical assistant.
part 2 - architect, project manager.
part 3 - professional architect, the man.

it takes 5 years to get a part 2, anywhere in the world. it's usually a 3+2 degree, 3 years part 1 and 2 years part 2. having a certified part 1 (assuming in malaysia) allows u to proceed for part 2 any part in the world. schools accredited for part 1 in malaysia are UTM, UM, USM, UiTM, LUCT and UIAM. u can also sit for ur part 1 abroad (from a-levels) and later come back for part 2. but people always do the other way around.

if u prefer to take A-levels and proceed for part 1, u have 2 choices: UIAM and LUCT. other choices is to go for twinning programmes that immediately takes u for part 2 (overseas). almost all colleges offering architecture in malaysia is part of a twinning programme. u will study here for a diploma (3 years) and a degree abroad (2 years) after STPM/A-levels/foundation. this can be quite 6-10 times more expensive than studying locally.

if u DO decide to take twinning programmes, do check with LAM whether they recognize AND accreditate the studies. recognition is not enough. recognition without accreditation would mean u still have to sit for the qualification exams. without recognition means u cant even sit for the exam .

wherever u go, u MUST keep all ur works/projects. NEVER throw them away. that's ur life. if it's really good, people will still talk about them even after u graduated.



LUCT is expensive, but the course is well established. some of my friends graduated from UTM are teaching there. the course director is a close friend of mine as we used to teach together back in UTM. the 2nd top guy in LUCT is the ex-PAM president, prof datuk parid wardi, who is also ex-UTM deputy vice chancellor. most people who says its not good or this or that are people who havent been there.

This post has been edited by azarimy: Jan 4 2007, 12:36 AM

Based on my experience...I also not really good in drawing last time...but after 4 years in architecture studies...i learn one thing that is more important...that is 'confidence'...with confidence, u can draw better and better...the skill can be developed while u're studying....now I can feel that I become more confident, before I enter architecture field...I also feel like what ypurs...

anybody who's interested in becoming an architect, refer to this topic:

http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=391777

it explains the routes u can take to become one.

How would you compare studying architecture to studying finance, accounting or law?

Is an architect's working environment a pressurised one like accountant or any finance job?



This post has been edited by Sensui: Jan 4 2007, 01:58 PM

gosh, i have no idea. we've got to ask people who actually HAVE STUDIED both i guess. again, i cant compare architect's with accountant's working environment, coz i've never approached accountants working environment.

Is there a lot of maths involved in architecture? I suck at maths and add-maths too.

i sucked too! well addmath laa. i got P7 for my addmath in SPM. hahhaha.

actually, it's not math that u need. u need logic and deduction. a lot of people mistaken deduction=math. also, u will need to be sufficiently adequate in physics, although in reality we have engineers working for us to solve that problem.

i mean, it's simple laa, if floor's too big, how to support?

get bigger column laa.

but how big?

give it to the engineer to decide!




wahhahahaha

keh keh keh....

i hv this notion that architects makes an engineer's life miserable... in a good way i guess.... heheheh...

yeah...i agree with that...

Architect's dream is Engineer's nightmare

This post has been edited by albirri: Jan 5 2007, 11:40 AM

tats why it commonly said...
engineers and architects ...engineer will say architect r DH ( no offense) coz they want to do smth impossible..so engineer have to do bloody calculations..
but i prefer to be architect coz it change the scape of everything..it is like a master of everything...from infrasturcture to little dealing going...

working alongside engineers for some theoretical projects, competitions as well as a few house rennovations allowed me to meet with lots of different kind of civil engineers. for example:

i. we have the usual "u tell me what u need" kind of engineer. just follooooww whatever u say. just gotta luv this kind of people. but the thing is, they're not independent. they really FOLLOW u one, and wait for instructions.

ii. we have super-enthusiastic engineers that not only assist u in construction, but goes further by even suggesting an alternative solution or even a new design entirely! they guy said "ooo dulu aku nak jadi akitek, tapi bapak aku tak bagi..."

iii. old-school engineers. the bunch who wont do anything that they've never done before. if the beam is 400mmx250mm, DONT CHANGE IT! architect's nightmare.

iv. happy go lucky engineers. they do they work, go home, at night call u, go out, yamseng a few rounds, go home, then next day do work with a hangover. makes u wonder "calculation tu betul ke?" hahhahaa.

v. and we have the female engineers, who not only LOOKS good, but produce good stuff too! their spirit of competition in a male dominated world makes them strong, aware, highly motivated, mean spirited and can be vicious, ruthless and egoistic as well. dont stand in their way... they'll run u down!



just personal experience only, from MY perspective. please dont get mixed up for facts...

Is it possible to study Architecture locally without having to complete remainder of the course overseas?

ofcourselah!


assuming ur target is Part 2 (for practice ofcourse), here are ur choices, not according to any order:


i. study part 1 (UTM, LUCT, USM, UiTM, UM & UIAM). then study part 2 for 2 years in UTM, USM, UiTM or UM. note that these 4 schools are the only accredited schools for part 2.

ii. study pre-part 1 (any diploma or college degrees). then study part 2 for 3 years in UTM, USM, UiTM or UM. (sometimes 4 years depending qualification)

iii. study part 1+2 integrated in a single 5 year degree in UTM. no breaks, 5 years straight!

iv. study part 1 overseas, come back and finish part 2 (2 years) in UTM, USM, UiTM or UM.

azarimy, if u don't mind I ask a Q.

Why UTM offer study part 1 +2 no break?
Where my friend in USM need to take part 1 first. and then after part 1, mayb e like 60%(I don't know the actual percentage) will be absorbed into part 2 to continue their study. Why there differs between UTM and USM?



This might be an option but how many percentage of local U places "reserved" for those people? Priority to or pure meritocracy(I doubt this )?