Alumni profile: Abdul-Rahim Abdul-Hamid
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Degree:
Masters Landscape Architecture 2002 Being a landscape architect is not the same as a landscaper or a landscape designer. I don't go out to people's homes to dig out soil and put plants in. Like an architect designing a building or a house, I produce sketches then preliminary designs which, when approved by the client, get developed further culminating in a stack of construction drawings for contractors to build the buildings. |
I am involved with the design and documentation of ANYTHING surrounding
buildings and open spaces, from the smallest courtyard space, balconies
to urban plazas, golf courses, lakes, roads, resorts, condominium surrounds
(including deciding where buildings should be located on the plan),
and parks.
I do a lot of drafting and producing documents and presentation boards
and maps using the computer. Sometimes I go on site to survey existing
conditions and get environmental and social data for drawings.
What are some of the most enjoyable and challenging aspects
of your job?
I am inspired by beautiful and functional spaces and landscapes being
built around the world by well renowned landscape architects, by seeing
people happily making use of those spaces and the spaces I have helped
create, and producing fully rendered plans and drawings and getting
compliments for it.
Sometimes a design changes close to a deadline and the team will have
to rush trying to finish everything. A design change means the plans
have to be redrawn and coloured, new sections and detailed drawings
done, the engineering aspects worked out such as drainage and spot levels
and the revision of a 3D model if there is one.
What are some of your career highlights
One of my career highlights was being part of the team renovating the
Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Oxford Street in Sydney and getting
to know colleagues who have been involved with the Sydney Olympic Park
project. The company I work for is renovating the Opera House so it
is great having the opportunity to see the Opera House being upgraded
from the inside.
I have also worked on a few projects in China:
· A 16 km boulevard in Suzhou where we had to come up with a detailed
masterplan for a strip of land, 100m wide on each side of a boulevard,
linking Shanghai to the entry to Suzhou.
· A masterplan for a new 52 km ring road around Suzhou city, 100 metres
wide along both sides the 52 km, creating new hills, forested areas,
plantations, lakes.
· A 60 hectare lake development in Suzhou where we proposed creating
a new peninsula jutting into an existing lake with recreation areas
and promenades and teahouses.
What are your strongest memories of life in Melbourne while
you were studying at the University of Melbourne?
The University is in a fabulous and beautiful city whose people are
friendly, helpful and unassuming, unlike people in Sydney.
At the University of Melbourne I made many new friends from all over
the world, some of whom have became very close and dear to me. I met
people from France, Australia, Norway, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan,
Ireland, Thailand and India sitting together in the studio or at the
Student Union having coffee and a chat. Little moments like this where
I made a connection with people mean so much to me.
Do you have any advice about life after study to pass on to
current students?
Being proactive is the key. I got my current job from sending
out resumes to 11 landscape architect companies in Sydney - not just
looking and waiting for ads in the papers. Professional memberships
are also useful and I qualified for my associate membership with the
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA).
All my jobs have made me who I am. I have done a variety of jobs in
my life and they have all contributed to who I am today. As a laboratory
technician in Singapore General Hospital, I learnt how to be meticulous
with my job. As a flight attendant, I got to see various open spaces,
urban spaces and gardens all over the world to enrich my vocabulary
and knowledge which has helped tremendously. I also got to see spaces
with historical significance to the profession. As a horticulturist,
I learnt about plants and horticultural techniques which help in the
plant selection and establishment aspects of my work.
Don't wait too long to start something because opportunities may go
by without you realizing it. This does not mean that you are too old
to start a new career. If you want it very much, go for it!
Do try and find something you enjoy doing because it helps in your outlook
on life and your self esteem. If you don't like something, don't whinge,
just do something to address the situation, even if it means looking
for another job.
Don't be afraid to try something new just because you don't know what
it is like but find out everything you can first so that you make an
informed decision.
If you are not happy about office politics or how you are treated, bring it up with your director/boss either in writing or face to face. You have the right to be comfortable and happy at work.
