Architecture Presentation, Design Review

23 September 2007 | Category: Life Log

I thought working life was tough but this week’s design presentation really change my point of view, well, in working life you’re paid to work from 9 to 5, and you’re entitled to claim additional allowance when you rush for any submission, but student life appears to be the other way around, working hours is between the time you’re awake and stops when you’re sleeping.

Architecture Presentation, Design Review

That’s me, standing on the grey plinth, I get tongue tied during presentation, I hate presentation, on top of that English is not my mother tongue, it is really hard to express my design intention and from what I observe, those that are gifted in their presentation skills tend to out perform those that don’t, even if their works are not so impressive.

This reminds me of a discussion me and my friends had the other day, presentation is important but is it essential? Presenting your work is important, but if you’re able to talk your way through the project and convince your lecturer that your scheme is the best, fine, it means you posses a good PR skills, but like all fundamental arts in the world, you can’t be presenting your idea all the time or to every single soul, your architecture has to speak for itself, marking a student for their design concept during their presentation is a no brainier, the best way to mark a student’s design is to invite someone that is not familiar with the overall intention and have them understand it through the model and presentation board, after all, you can’t be going around telling everyone what is your design intention is, Tadao Ando’s church of the light speaks volume of his design intention, and he need not even describe it in words.

Architecture Presentation
That’s Shane Winter (staring) and Steven Smyth (in white, standing) presenting his ideas.

Architecture Presentation
Benjamin Yan (my flatmate, in stripe) and our lecturer(holding the model).

Architecture Presentation
Kong Hui Shan (my flatmate, standing).

Through out my entire architecture student life, my current design lecturer is the scariest among all, there is hardly any expression on his face, and when he jokes about something, he simply smirk, he has the same look even when he is mad, it is as if beneath that face of his there are no muscles.

Well, at least he is good, I would say a very knowledgeable architect indeed, by far the smartest I’ve come across.

I can’t wait for this semester to end, this is by far the worst week of my life.

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6 Comments

  1. reem meir
    on September 23rd, 2007
    1

    I’m so familiar with your feeling, about presentation, fatigue and the end of semester.
    I agree with u about that architecture project must be speak for itself, in my best project my presentation was to be quiet and the posters and models where doing the presentation.
    good luck to u untill your semester is over.

  2. Barnastil
    on September 23rd, 2007
    2

    Hey Calvin, I know what you mean about giving presentations in languages that aren´t your mother language. I too sometimes get nervous and don´t explain myself perfectly. Don´t worry too much about it because drawing is a global language and your professors are smart enough (hopefully) to understand your intent. Just think that even if you speak English poorly, it´s probably a lot better than Australians speak your language.

  3. Mazlin Ghazali
    on September 24th, 2007
    3

    Drawings can convey many things but not everything. It can easily tell ‘what’, but not so easily the ‘how’ and ‘why’.
    In real life many people can’t read drawings, or else there isn’t enough time to prepare all the explanations on paper.
    So really being able to articulate your work is very important, and often lacking in Malaysian students, in whatever language.
    Still, Calvin, you have my sympathy.

  4. Eph
    on September 27th, 2007
    4

    Presentation skill is essential. That’s what I can say. Lucky you to be under Simon, he is a fantastic lecturer.

  5. Dave
    on October 6th, 2007
    5

    Presentation skill is the numero uno in the architecture profession. No one cares if your design is 100% perfect in all ways if you cant get a client to agree with you.

  6. John
    on October 12th, 2007
    6

    Greg Lynn was at our school few days ago and he told us that he doesnt get on the same plane as Cesar Pelli because he knows that no matter what design, Pelli can just talk his clients into buying his design.

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