Page 52 - Scholarship Guide Feb 2019

50 MUHAMMAD HAFIZ

ensuring a safe and user-friendly environment. Hafiz
believes in going beyond an architect’s standard re-
sponsibilities by injecting his designs with flair and
aesthetics that tie these aspects together.

DESIGNING FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Hafiz recently completed the design stages of a pro-
ject in Dubai, which has since progressed into the
construction phase. He was responsible for the lay-
out design, coordinating with the engineers and over-
seeing the obtainment of the building permit from the
local governing body, which was required for actual
construction to start.
Part of the approval for construction requires the
architect to incorporate several key sustainable de-
sign principles into the design of the building. So, very
early in its concept stages, several environmental
analyses were done by DPA’s sustainable design spe-
cialist, DP Sustainable Design (DPSD), on the com-
puter model of the building to assess its impact on
the environment. One of it was sun path and shadow
analysis, which studies the amount of direct sunlight
the building experiences and the amount of shadow
it casts onto itself and its neighbours.
Working in collaboration with DPSD, these analy-
ses inform the building design so as to produce a
more comfortable internal living environment for the
users. Besides this, the incorporation of sustainable
design principles and elements in the design help to
reduce constructional and operational costs for the
developer, too.
As a result, some of the canopies around this
building are, for example, 60cm deep while others are
CREATING MEMORABLE DESIGNS 180cm deep. These are the depths that were critically
Since joining DPA in 2013, Hafiz has been involved required, beyond which, it would not make much dif-
in numerous local and international projects of vary- ference to the comfort levels for the users.
ing scales, from urban master-planning to unique and
memorable sites, including a zoo and a Ferris wheel. LOOKING AHEAD
His work also takes him abroad, where he coordinates Hafiz is grateful for the opportunity to witness how
meetings with industry partners and shares his ideas a building starts off from a simple sketch and pro-
through client presentations. Such overseas trips gresses on to the actual construction. He now looks
also help him experience first-hand the environmen- forward to the completion of the building in a few
tal conditions of the building site, giving him a better years’ time.
understanding of the place. Currently, Hafiz is keeping busy with his projects,
A particularly interesting project for Hafiz was designing two prestigious malls and a private resi-
when he had to work with a zoologist for the zoo pro- dential complex in Morocco.
ject. The experience was truly an eye opener as Hafiz Five years on, and Hafiz is still amazed at how ar-
got a behind-the-scenes look at animal enclosures chitecture shapes our lives and how our lives, in turn,
and how his design work would eventually contribute shape architecture. The relationship between hu-
towards the health and comfort of the animals living mans and the built environment is not a monologue;
Muhammad Hafiz there. By being present at the site, Hafiz was able to it is a constantly evolving dialogue. There is much to
Bin Hanip appreciate the operations of a zoo and this aided his discover as we continue to design new buildings and
BCA-DP Architects design thinking process. discover new ways of living.
iBuildSG Undergraduate
Scholarship 2012
(formerly known as BCA-DP EXCITING DESIGN PROCESS
Architects Built Environment The design process involves a lot of imagination – the
Undergraduate Scholarship) rigour of doing, undoing and redoing involves con-
stant innovation and exploration – and an architect
Age: 31 must push the boundaries of human interaction with
Attained: the built environment. It is this pursuit of new spatial
Master of Architecture, experiences that excites and drives Hafiz as he cre-
National University of ates his designs. His designs are recreated across a
Singapore number of media, moving from initial thoughts on pa-
per to scaled cardboard models and computer mod-
Now: els in the virtual world, and finally, transformed into
Architectural Executive,
DP Architects life-sized mock-ups.
At the end of the day, an architect’s challenge
From: lies in crafting a building that addresses the clients’
Anderson Junior College needs while respecting the local building codes and