{"id":688,"date":"2021-06-12T16:34:40","date_gmt":"2021-06-12T08:34:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nusmarchgradshow.com\/2021\/?page_id=688"},"modified":"2021-06-28T18:02:55","modified_gmt":"2021-06-28T10:02:55","slug":"messages","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nusmarchgradshow.com\/2021\/messages\/","title":{"rendered":"Messages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Head of Department, Professor, Department of Architecture
School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore
UNESCO Chair on Architectural Heritage Conservation and Management in Asia<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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I must first congratulate the graduating class for achieving a milestone in your life! You have taken a decision boldly some years ago to embark on the learning journey in architecture at NUS. There must have been ups and downs along the way but you persevere as you developed a passion for architecture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Needless to say, these few years must have been very difficult with decanting and reduction of facilities at the department during our major renovation. This is compounded by the ravaging pandemic affecting your study in the last two years. However, you are resilient and have adapted to the situation and continued to ponder and make innovative solutions to some of the issues facing the community today. I salute your efforts and truly enjoyed the fruits of your labour in the last few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this time when you begin to turn a new page in your career, I would like to reflect on what you might have picked up in this learning journey with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am sure that critical mindset is at the heart of your learning. Central to developing this mindset and initiating the creative design process is asking question intelligently. Curiosity in both social and physical environment is the key to critical thinking. I hope this attitude of curiosity and exploration will stay with you throughout your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beyond critical thinking, you should also have picked up the skill of lateral thinking and the creative leap. This is the iterative process that you have been engaged in for all your academic training, which I think you will continue to develop if you choose to stay in the profession. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the process, you would also pick up skills in inter-disciplinary collaboration. You would be able to see issues at hand or problem statement not just as an architect, but also as a sociologist, historian, engineers, policy makers, and the community, just a few stakeholders for example. This collaborative skill will get more important in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, you should have a good in-depth sense of the challenges facing the community and the world currently. Climate change, urban heat island and sea-water rise are some of the resilience and sustainability challenges we are confronting. Do we have solutions? How about social issues such as inclusivity, racial harmony, fairness and social justice, or national identity and collective memory? Have we developed value propositions? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not all issues can be solved by architecture alone, but we are in the key position to make changes so that these issues will be addressed. We value health, harmony, sustainable and wellness. And we hope that you hold these values into your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I do not want to leave you with such heavy mission for life, but rather, I would want to suggest that the key to sustain your passion and drive you to continue in the profession is to find joy in your work. The joy of the creation of architecture or space is perhaps in the research and design process, the aesthetic of the form, and the enjoyment of the users. I hope you can find joy in what you do in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thank you for taking the journey with us in your architecture education, we learn and enjoy your work. Again, heartiest congratulations on your achievement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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