AR.Chia Lin Lin : Head of Architecture

Hi, welcome to the Architecture Program here in UCSI University! 

 

This is my second month of being the Head of Programme for the architecture degree program, and I am as new to this position as some of you are to this new environment.  Life gives us challenges, however we are making them our opportunity towards a better future.  Thank you for joining us and becoming a part of our big family.

 

Architecture is not an easy path to take and many students jokingly refer to it as ‘architorture’ as it requires mad dedication to sustain through many sleepless nights to achieve ideas that get grilled in tutorials and presentations. So many throughout the semesters ask themselves, is architecture really worth the sacrifice? Is it truly worth the effort of a good fight? In the end, only you can answer this, as the passion to study architecture burns differently in every individual.

 

Now, if you are new to this programme then perhaps you may have come across me during education fair, asking me tons of questions to better make your decision. If you have, then you will know that my main answer would always be the same, do you think you could take uncertainty as a passion? 

 

Architecture unlike Accountancy is not something that has a consistent outcome or reception, there isn’t only one way of doing things, learning a skill, and there is no such thing as just one solution to a problem.  Architecture speaks a different language where you are expected to do things differently in every project, you are like a chef in a cooking challenge, being thrown into the kitchen with all kinds of unknown ingredients, with variables in  combination, and you are always being pressed for time, you will get stuck, confused and sometimes dishearten.  But an architect doesn't give up, because this is what the architect enjoys.  Architects take it as a challenge, enjoy the process of discovering, excitement of knowing that no problem is the same, and architect always, yes always create!

 

We will always be the odd ones in a random group of people, as we are under the governance of all rules and regulations and yet are always amongst the most rebellious bunch of people as we are thought to always think out of the box.  We are proud to be different, as we dare to ask questions, mostly to ourselves, so we could always move forward a bit faster to get to the core a bit closer.  We are problematic because we love to take on problems to give it a twist and turn, so we could give positive input to the remedy of issues. 

 

Quoting the famous Steve Jobs;

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.

 

Architecture could fill a large part of your life, but if you love what you do, this torture is definitely a sweet torture, and you'll know it.