Wong completed his studies in architecture, progressing from foundation, degree, and master’s at Taylor's. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star
FROM towering skyscrapers that grace urban skylines to the intimate spaces we call home, architecture permeates every facet of our lives.
In a world defined by innovation and design, the role of architectural education serves as a linchpin in shaping the future professionals of this dynamic field.
Recognising this pivotal role, Taylor’s University’s School of Architecture, Building and Design (SABD) has established a range of comprehensive architecture programmes tailored to meet the demands of the industry.
From foundation programmes to undergraduate and postgraduate studies, the university offers a spectrum of educational avenues for students, ensuring that every aspiring architect finds their path to excellence.
For Taylor’s alumnus Wong Chee Fon – who completed his foundation, degree and master’s programmes at the institution – this turned out to be the perfect pathway as he was keen on diving right into architecture, enrolling himself in the Foundation in Natural & Built Environments (FNBE).
Wong shares that Taylor's actively integrates theory and practice into its architectural courses, so that students can apply principles and concepts to real-world applications.
“Ever since I was a young boy, I have always had a particular interest in buildings. I figured that I would go through the conventional way of studying by enrolling in a general foundation programme, but one of my friends advised me to take courses that are more focused on my interests, which is when I stumbled upon the FNBE programme,” says Wong.
“In FNBE, the subjects are more tailored towards architecture and its principles, so I was able to avoid taking subjects that are immaterial to my interests and save valuable time in doing so.”
Streamlined educational progression
Wong adds that his educational progression at Taylor’s assisted him in fortifying his craft and knowledge as an aspiring architect.
“The knowledge gained from each level of study is progressive and carried forward. FNBE shows you what an architect should be and introduces you to the basics of architecture, such as learning architectural terms and design principles, and developing architectural drawings.
“In the degree programmes, you’ll learn to apply these basics to architectural solutions and interventions, while the master’s programme teaches you how to conduct and apply research into architecture curations, in which the output relies on the basics learnt from foundation and degree studies.
“Thanks to this, the transition from foundation to degree to my master’s was a lot smoother and easier because of the foundations set early on,” says Wong.
The 25-year-old adds that most of the architectural facilities were also shared across all programmes under SABD, allowing students to familiarise themselves with the equipment and amenities, forming a tight-knit community to help one another.
These facilities include a library with an extensive archive, an architecture master studio, a 3D printing and laser cut studio for model-making, a carpentry workshop, the VORTEX XR (Virtual Online Future Technology and Extended Reality) Lab and various IT facilities.
Application of theory
Wong shares that SABD actively integrates theory and practice into its courses, so that students can apply architectural principles and concepts to real-world applications.
“This is why we are always encouraged to read more so that we can support and justify what we are doing by applying theories to our concepts and designs, which develops our confidence in designing and encourages us to be more analytical and technical in our approach,” he says.
“Our lecturers also motivate us to go out for more site visits for our projects, instead of just looking at what’s in our textbooks or on the internet, so that we get a better understanding of how buildings and designs are constructed. This is an integral part of education, especially in the field of architecture.”
Wong says that Taylor’s actively integrates theory and practice into its courses for students to apply architectural principles and concepts to real-world applications.
Wong adds that the lecturers and faculty members at Taylor’s are experienced industry professionals, and are always ready to use their expertise to assist students.
He advises aspiring architects to ‘know what they are getting into and to be brave, idealistic and experiential’ before beginning their educational journeys.
“People always assume that to be an architect, you have to be really good at drawing, but that’s not the case. Drawings are only a small part of the actual design process, as there are many more aspects to it and you’ll have to balance many other things like how to convey your ideas to a client, plan a construction timeline and use various software,” he says.
“Architecture is a very demanding and time-consuming profession, but you will thrive if you have a lot of passion and dedication for this field.”
Architectural facilities are shared across all programmes under SABD, allowing students to familiarise themselves with the equipment and amenities, forming a tight-knit community to help one another.
Architecture at Taylor's
Wong opines that SABD at Taylor’s stands at the forefront of shaping future architects, distinguished by its visionary education, comprehensive programmes, seamless industry integration and student-centic approach.
Under SABD, Taylor’s offers numerous architectural programmes and courses such as Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Interior Architecture, Bachelor of Quantity Surveying (Honours), Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sustainable Digital Construction Management, Master of Architecture, Master of Science in Virtual Design and Construction, as well as a PhD in Architecture.
According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023, the institution is the top private university in Malaysia for Architecture and Built Environment.
Its programmes are professionally accredited by esteemed organisations such as the Board of Architects Malaysia, Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors, ensuring that the architectural education offered meets the highest standards of quality and industry relevance.
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