The document summarizes an interview with architect Wallace Ong about his profession and career. Some key points from the interview are: - An architect must understand structures, materials, aesthetics, costs, regulations, and client needs to design and plan buildings. They must negotiate design elements and solutions. - Architects are responsible for safety, functionality, and sustainability in their designs. They must work with clients and other consultants. - Wallace has been an architect for 30 years and finds the job rewarding but competitive. He advises passion for the work and pushing design boundaries. The biggest challenges are managing costs and utilizing limited space creatively.

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

2. CONTENTS
INTERVIEW
SESSION WITH
WALLACE ONG
4 , 5
UNDERSTANDIN
G OF AN
ARCHITECT
2
ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILI
TIES OF AN
ARCHITECT
3
REFLECTION
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.
UNDERSTANDING
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.’
5xc 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
designed , the open space will
be more . Biggest challenges is
to create space .’
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 him through the interview .He explained the
responsibilities of an architect , his own design philosophy and gave us
some advices . He taught us to have passion in doing things and to do what
we love . He kept reminding us that we need to focus on the safety of the
building and how the building can function well .
REFLECTION