An architect must be trained and experienced in designing and planning buildings, as well as overseeing their construction. They must understand structures, materials, aesthetics, costs, regulations, and client needs to present creative solutions. An architect's responsibilities include providing clients with advice on design, costs, approvals, timelines, and engaging other consultants. They must produce design schemes, ensure safety and functionality, and represent clients during construction. The biggest challenges architects face are controlling costs and utilizing small spaces creatively within tight budgets.

1. Q
Building
Team
ARCHITECT
10
QUestions
WITH WALLACE
ONG
INTERVIEW
UNDERSTANDING OF AN
ARCHITECT
BY : AGNES YEO SHU YUAN (0318668)

2. CONTENTS
INTERVIE
W
SESSION
WITH
WALLACE
ONG
4 , 5
UNDERSTA
NDING OF
AN
ARCHITEC
T
2
ROLES AND
RESPONSIB
ILITIES
OF AN
ARCHITECT
3
REFLECTI
ON
5

3. 2Architect ?
PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS ?
ARCHITECTURE ?
An Architect is a person experienced and trained in the design or the plan of
buildings and the construction of buildings . An Architect must be creative and
practical and to have the understanding of structure, materials, aesthetics, the cost ,
regulations , construction industry and the needs of a client .An Architect must be
able to negotiate through elements to present out a creative solution to a brief , and
to bring the solution from idea to reality.
UNDERSTANDIN
G OF AN
ARCHITECT
What is Architecture ? Architecture is the art of designing and constructing buildings
in which human requirements and construction materials are related so as to furnish
practical use .The practice of the Architect, where architecture means offering or
rendering professional services in connection with design and construction of
buildings and environment .Architecture is essentially abstract and
nonrepresentational and involves the manipulation of the relationships of spaces,
volumes, planes, masses, and voids.
How to be an Architect ? One of the first architect educational requirements is
graduating from high school and enroll in a Diploma/Foundation or other Pre-
University such as A-Levels . After completing your foundation year , enrol in a
Bachelor’s Degree Program. Courses in these programs cover architectural theory and
history , building design , construction technology , structures and more . Then , earn
a Master’s Degree . Most students who earn an undergraduate degree in architecture
go on to receive an additional degree from a 2-year master’s program at an
accredited university . After earning a Master’s Degree , all aspiring architects must
complete at least 2 years of training before entering the field professionally . Lastly ,
Architect must become licensed in order to work professionally in this field . This
process involves passing the Architect Registration Examination .

4. The responsibility of
an Architect is to provide
the client with sound clear
advice at the outset of the
project about the design ,
approximate building costs,
the need for various
statutory consents, project
programming and likely
time scales, the need to
engage the services of other
professional consultants
and specialists.
Besides, to respond
accurately to the client’s
brief and advise generally
on the aspects of the
client’s brief.
Furthermore ,
architects will need to
produce design schemes
and planning structures.
Architects need to focus on
the safety of the building
too . Lastly, Architects
have to make sure that the
building can function well .
3
The role of an architect is to create architectures ,
articulating the architectural vision, conceptualizing and
experimenting with alternative architectural approaches ,
creating models and components and interface specification
documents and validating the architecture against
requirements and assumptions .
However , Architects see the big picture. They can
visualise buildings . Architects are specially educated to help
define what we want to build, present option we might never
have considered, and help us to get the most for our valuable
investment. They create total environments, both interiors
and exteriors, that are functional and exciting places in
which to work and live.
Architects solve problems creatively. Architects are
trained problem solvers. Architects can show you how to
enlarge our home so that we can have enough rooms for
everyone . Architects can also propose ways to get more for
our investment than you imagined possible.
Architects make our life easier too by reducing the
building costs, decrease our home's energy needs, and
increase its future resale value through good design. Building
is a long process that is often messy and disruptive .
Architects represents us as a client to helps us visits the
worksite and to help protect us against work that's not
according to plan.
ROLES AND THE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN
ARCHITECT

5. WHAT DOES THE CLIENT
EXPECT YOU TO PROVIDE ?
‘ I think for most of the architecture work , the
first thing that we need to provide the client is
to comply the brief. A building have to look
good and modern enough and keeping with
the time . The material used are also very
important . ’
HOW TO YOU ESTABLISH
YOUR FEES ?
‘It’s around 10% , some architect tends to
charge a bit more . If the jobs are bigger which
means bigger project , it will be lesser
compared to the smaller project . These days ,
its getting more competitive as the client
prefer a lump sum amount instead of basing
the percentage . It also depends on how
famous you are . The more famous you are ,
you could get a higher fees .
4
DESIGN
tALK
WHAT INSPIRES YOU
TO BE AN
ARCHITECT ?
‘ I love to draw since I was young
. This inspired me to be an
Architect and Interior Designer
as I draw a lot and practiced it
alomost everday ’
WHO DO YOU WORK
WITH IN A PROJECT ?
‘ As an Architect , we have to
work directly with the client .
Projects such as private homes
or hotels , apart from the client ,
we do need to work with a lot of
consultants , so those are all
part and parcel of a good design
. Coordination between project
managers and consultant ,
mechanical engineer , structural
engineer are needed for a project
. But of course , the main person
is the client .’
Mr.Wallace Ong,
Design Director and an Architect
from ‘designstyle’ located in
Damansara Damar , Petaling
Jaya . He has been in interior
designing and architecture for
almost 30 years . He travelled a
lot from Malaysia to New
Zealand . He has worked in both
places for the last 30 years and
have many expriences working
in New Zealand .

6. DO YOU ENJOY BEING AN
ARCHITECT ?
‘ Yes , yes I do . I love my job . I have been in this
career for the past 30 years . I think it is a good
job , ever changing o , never static .’
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVtICE FOR
US ?
‘Work really hard in whatever you do and also have
passion in what you do , love what you do. Push
the boundaries and believe what is right, go for it .
Also try to be a progressive architect so that things
will never be stastic.’
5
Figure 1interview
xc DO YOU HAVE
ANY DEISGN
PHILOSOPHY ?
‘ I think design has changed
a lot in the last 5-10 years.
Unlike many years ago ,
designs tend to be very
similar all the way through .
People are more open to ideas
, so I think whatever changes
that comes into our life ,
philosophy of design have to
be functional . Design a
building that is functional ,
building needs to be green
too . Orientation of the
building is also very
important . The first thing
that we need to look at is to
ensure that the philosophy of
the design needs to be
correct from the start .’
WHAT ARE THE
BIGGEST
CHALLENGES OF
THIS JOB?
‘I think these days , things
are getting more and more
comparative . The cost would
be the biggest challenges for
an architect . For most client
, they have a certain amount
that they want to spend for a
house . For example you have
2 millions to build a house ,
most of the time , the design
will be a bit more than that .
The land are getting smaller ,
architect have to be very good
in his design to utilize the
space well . So that , even if a
smaller piece of land is well
WHAT ARE THE
RESPONSIBILITIES OF
AN ARCHITECT ?
‘ The responsibilities has been
spelled out in the plan contract ,
you are responsible for the safety of
the building . Apart of all that , we
as an architect have to be more
cautions for the environment ,
whatever we specify in the project ,
it has to be eco-friendly . I think we
have to think green will be the way
to go in the future . ‘
Throughout this project , I’ve gained more
knowledge about an architect such as the roles and
responsibilities , how they work with people around
them and how they deliver their designs to the client
.Special thanks to Mr Wallace as he was willing to have
the interview with us .I’ve learnt so many things from
REFLECTION