27 Feb 2023 Monday - setting new targets

Monday morning is when we usually have a short office meeting to plan the work in the next 2 weeks. We tried one week, but I found that some of the targets are quite long and require a fortnight to complete. In any case, the team is quite independent and usually go about their roles without prompting from me. 

We zoomed to talk about the new hotel project and also the design development of the hospital - I wanted to hand the task to George for a while for him to see it with fresh eyes, and for SL to have a short break to think about something different for a while. 

Design strategies should be simple, I like to think that they should be simple enough for everyone in the construction team to understand. 'So we are going to throw everything at George and leave him alone for a few days. And then on Friday, we can have a short meeting to see what he comes up with - he might come up with nothing (but that's ok, because it is only a few days), or he come up with several options (and we select one), or he might say everything works quite well already (and he simply tweaks a few minor elements). 

And with that I leave the meeting. So that they can start talking about me...

 

14 Feb 2023 Tuesday PengHui visits

21 Feb 2022 Monday Telling it like it is

job matrix - dividing responsibilities

 Our client had an interview with some potential consultants, and asked us to sit in. It was an online interview so quite a number of the client's team sat in, as did ours. There were 4 candidates, and after each 15-minute interview - we would re-cap and discuss our observations. For one candidate whom we have worked with before, I made it quite clear that while the director who attended the interview is an excellent Quantity Surveyor, his project QS was NOT useful and gave a few candid examples. My assessment will likely their chances, and I satisfied myself that it was for the good of the project. 

But as the day drew to a close, I thought I would ask GW and PH what they thought of my comments - one said I was a bit blunt, while the other had no such qualms and said 'but it is the truth'. Perhaps my only fault might have been speaking too bluntly in the company of so many people, especially the junior staff members. 

Telling it like it is. It is sure to divide, but ultimately I think the client would expect a honest opinion from us. And if asked by that candidate - I am sure that I would be able to repeat that same assessment. 

15 Jan 2022 Saturday

This image tells me that I am running low on ideas and inspiration - time to read up and go through my digital subscriptions. 

3 Jan 2022 Monday

hospital wards and how their design is reflected in the external facade

Mondays are hectic, I am not sure if staying at home to work helps or not. In any case, it proved to be a long day of listening to people, asking questions and offering opinions. Consultation - that's what it is. 

The morning started with a quick chat to organise our thoughts for this afternoon's meeting with OMS; sorting out our material based on the agenda, and there was the M&E candidates to interview today. The rest of the morning was spent with Tay and  the Year 2 students, all doing their best except for 4, Hfz, Sfn, Az and V - instead of a firm rebuke, this time we kept our doors open and asked them to contact us to discuss, and told them there is still time to do a decent project to pass. 

This continued until 1pm and a little beyond, soon the Segamat meeting would start and there is always a bit of tension in the air when meeting HL (with her staff). It seems that we will have plenty to do in the next three months for the planning submission and that the project will be three years in its construction ending in early 2025 ( I'll be 60!)

learning from our first hospital, the high level windows were omitted from this scheme

These slides were used earlier to explain the design of the ward rooms and its relationship with the building's elevations, we also talked about passive design, about borrowed light, looking out windows and using money efficiently. We also interviewed 3 candidates - I learnt that clients value working bosses, and honesty; I made up my mind about how to recommend the QS for this job that afternoon.

The strip windows from Bagan were especially effective, so we are re-adapting them here for Segamat.

the draft overall south elevation and some case studies