At the Beyond Architecture Exhibition.

Viewing the different student architecture projects.

Students at the exhibition booth.

Yusof Gajah having a look at one of the projects.

Yusof Gajah impressed with students’ projects.

One of the unique architecture projects.

A group photo of the event.

On November 14, 2019 UCSI’s Interior Architecture students launched their graduation exhibition ‘Beyond’ which was held at the Lower Ground Foyer of Block G. The whole concept of ‘Beyond’ is doing more than expected and so the students did their very best, making the event a success.

Ginny Tan Ji-Yee, one of the students at the exhibition, displayed some of her unique oil paintings for sale which were priced at RM15, RM10 and RM8.

“My inspiration comes from my mood and feelings. If I feel happy, I usually use orange or yellow. It is a great way to convey one’s emotions and to relieve stress,” she said.

Ginny’s project involved creating a building in Petaling Jaya New Town with both a children’s library and health club. The building design followed geometric and angular forms; with exotic materials and linear decorations characterising modern designs. Bright colours like yellow and pink, accompanied by softer creams and beige softened up the overall look of the space.

Jazzlyn How, another student, had something specific in mind when she thought of the ‘Masak-Masak Cooking Studio & Restaurant’. She wanted it to be a place for tourists and locals to learn traditional cooking skills and enjoy traditional local cuisine. It would also be a platform for people who are interested to know more about Malaysian cooking culture.

According to her, the concept of Masak-Masak is inspired by the rattan webbing which is from the element of a traditional kitchen utensil, Nyiru, a utility tray that is commonly used in Malay houses. Besides that, the linear design provides a sense of simplicity and style. The rattan and linear design gives a modern twist to create a trendy environment.

For Jacklyn Soetjipto, her project named ‘Seed of Hope’ is a hub to accommodate female and child Rohingya refugees in Malaysia for a six-month period. It provides a platform for them to develop their skills through vocational training in cooking and craft. Through the training, their skills are turned into business by selling crafts and food catering to alleviate the hub funding.

The hub also provides the academic programme for kids to ensure they receive a good education for their future. The ultimate goal is to prepare the refugees to be self-reliant after they leave the hub. An earth tone concept is applied for the design to give a warm yet bold feeling just like the main intention of the hub that empowers the refugees to become strong and independent individuals.

Occurring simultaneously at Block G was the ‘Elephant In The Room’ exhibition featuring Yusof Gajah, a well-known Malaysian ‘naive’ artist.

Naive art is recognised for its simplicity and frankness which Yusof gajah incorporates into his paintings as well as a number of children’s picture books which he has written and illustrated. 

Being the second time at UCSI University, Yusof Gajah was delighted to meet the students and discuss their work.

“I love working with students and hope that all of them will be successful one day. I have been painting since I was 7 years old, using my God-given talent and painting in my mind first illustrating what I like to call ‘child-like freedom’, he said.

It was indeed an honour for the students to meet Yusof Gajah and share their ideas with him.

“It was a good experience to meet with him directly. He gave each of us a canvas with his painting as an appreciation gift. Besides that, the exhibition went well with a few people from the industry attending as well. This is also a good opportunity for us in our future careers,” said Jacklyn.

Overall the event portrayed the hard work and effort of the students in coming up with unique and creative projects that were also practical. Many students and staff attended the memorable event.