UCSI bags seven awards in architectural workshop

KUALA LUMPUR: More than 60 Architecture students from UCSI University’s School of Architecture and Built Environment (SABE) banded together to participate in various categories in the recent 25th PAM Architectural Students Workshop, bagging seven prizes as the reward for their efforts.

Designing LED-illuminated dance suits and constructing a unique wood-based structure, among other works, the students made a formidable team, edging out tough competitors from local universities – both public and private – as well as foreign universities from Korea, Indonesia and Brunei.

Notably, the young talents won in three categories, namely, Performance Art, Installation and Ideas. For the first two categories, UCSI was given the theme ‘Visible and Invisible’.

The ‘Performance Art’ category saw the students choreographing a unique ‘Michael Jackson meets PSY’ dance that drew an overwhelming response from the crowd and won them the 1st place, Best Performance and Best Costume awards. 

This success was further complemented by more wins, as the students made a clean sweep of the top three awards in the ‘Ideas’ category with their impressive artwork.

In this category, they were required to design a living capsule and a 1:10 scale model – built within a week – as well as architectural drawings that were creatively communicated on boards. These were accompanied by floor plans, perspectives and detailed design explanations.

Chalking off another win to their achievements, the team also won 2nd place in the ‘Installation’ category with their structure.

“We spent 20 hours a day – five days a week – in the workshop. Some of us were permanent (fixtures) there,” grins Architecture and Interior Student Association president Ashkan Shirazizadeh Moghaddam, while explaining that it took them approximately two weeks to come up with the idea and design.

“It was challenging to build the structure on such a large scale, the biggest among all other university entries. It is easier to work with a model because you only need glue to stick the pieces together.”

Further elaborating on his experience, he points out: “Unlike past entries, Architecture students from semesters one to six were invited to join the team this year. The teamwork was just amazing and I gained so much experience, especially in terms of design and construction.”

In line with their theme, the ‘The Invisible Project’ was created; a visible structure for the ‘invisible’ in society.

Highlighting that the entire structure symbolised society as a whole, Ashkan adds: “The hollow wood panels – covered by wire mesh – symbolises the poor and the needy – while the other panels are solid wood that represent how our lives are ‘full’,” he explains.

This structure is part of the students’ efforts to raise funds for a village in the Hulu Langat area.

In an effort to connect to society, the structure was part of the students’ efforts to raise funds for a village in Hulu Langat

Further elaborating on the design concept, Ashkan says “When money is donated, it goes into the wire mesh and ‘completes’ the lives of the underprivileged, making it whole again.”

Such innovative pieces successfully illustrate that the School has nurtured its students to become problem solvers who strive for the best – a sentiment shared by UCSI Group founder and chairman Dato’ Peter Ng.

“I can see that this project draws all of you together as a unit and (the win) must have been a highlight – a definitive moment – for the School,” says Dato’ Peter.

“It is an amazing feat. This is our biggest win (since 2006) and it is a fantastic show of winning spirit.”