Sunday, October 12, 2008

DESIGNING AND BUILDING OUR FORTE

Projects, planning, buildings are part of our soul. We have been at this venture for the past fifteen years as a consultative entity, securing works especially from the federal ministries and state governments. Depending on the size and allocation of the fund, a project may spread over a period of months to several years for completion.

Just to digress from the normal write-ups in this blog I thought maybe it is a change to move to a new scenery commensurate with the changing political scenario in the country. There is a breathe of cooling air suddenly pervading the country after 9th October, even managing to cast aside the catastrophic downfall of indexes throughout the world as much as daring to define action against anybody harboring ills against the country.We love our country and fervently look forward to the 2020 developed status, as structured.

We are a part of that entity that play a minuscule role in its development and we wish to continue just like many others towards its enhancement and growth. Nonetheless it is fair to say that our enthusiasm is dampen by the world's economic standing for the moment. Yet there are sun shines and continuing obsessions as we go about our projects. A small domestic renovation job at Bungsar recently saw the completion of a double storey terraced house taking a totally new face. An early 1960's single storey terraced house near the often familiar Jalan Maaroff enclave turned out to be a new home for the owner. Currently up in the north, in Perlis inside the verdant teak forest reserve of FRIM close to the Thailand border, we are working at building a camping site with all its fringes including a treetop walkway. This touristic enclave would be an added attraction to that part of Perlis with its lake and lime stones outcrops dotting the countryside.

There are many other on-going projects throughout the country all enduring for a more beautiful Malaysia and promoting the cliche " Malaysia truly Asia". One dearest to us is hopefully to see an old house taking shape again soon at a new site. We have acquired the abandoned house as you see in the picture, dismantled it piece by piece and ready to set it up again. This will be our personal exercise and hopefully it may encourage us to venture into a new restoration exercise - discovering old home and saving for posterity. At Anak Arshad Architect we enjoy contributing towards a more sustaining community.




At FRIM (Forest Research Institute Malaysia) Mata Ayer Perlis, a small clearing amongst the teak forest reserve will house a campsite with all its facilities including a canopy walkway above the treetops.



A single- storey terraced house of the early 1960's was replaced with a double- storey terraced house with landscaping and interior deco resplendant to the owners's choice.



We bought this old house with its woodworks in good condition, got it dismantled piece by piece and transported to a new site. Soon it will stand again. Check soon to see its new appearance.

4 comments:

Lee said...

Hello Kota Star, really nice of you to pop over my place. And terima kaseh seribu for your warm thoughts.
I enjoyed reading your this posting....as I was long time ago involved with projects all over, lari sini sana macham orang gila.
Chasing planes, staying in hotels more than my own home.....till one day I asked myself, "what the heck am I doing"? Ha ha.

This was one night, it was raining heavily, monsoon time about 1am...almost arriving home from Kota Baru in KL....
Also worked 7/24/360 days....so one day I gave up everything and decided to start a new life here.
If back in Malaysia I would be tempted to continue, ha ha.

Anyway, I used to go to Alor Star, stayed at the Merlin very often...and there's a kedai kopi opposite road, a Malay lady selling nasi lemak.
To this day I will say it was the best nasi lemak I have ever eaten.

In the mornings it will be, one glass iced kopi and, "makcik, tolong bagi saya tiga bungkus". Only 50 cents (1980's).....I polish off all three packets too.
Even brought my, ahemmm girlfriends from Penang to eat that nasi lemak. They love it!

Kota Star....glad to see you still active. Me? Saya da sampai batu enam puluh lima, ha ha...so fool around with my computer and try make some loose change on the stock markets here and US.

Nasib baik saya suda chabut 6 months ago when US housing market started taking a plunge, kalu tidak, habis cherita, ha ha.

You keep well and have a nice day. Bila senang datang buka cherita, ya? Best regards, Lee.

Lee said...

Hi Kotastar, saya lupa tadi....gosh! I love your eloquence in your postings. Beautiful the way you write or post. Good for you, Lee.

KotaStar said...

Dear Lee,
A very fast runner for someone at the enam puluh lima kilometer stone. Within seconds you are here. Thanks. We are at Kilometer 10 Titi Gajah near the new Alor Star airport and in term of long distance running I beat you 6 kilos ahead. Yes it is great to be able to find time putting things on the screen. BTW that pic of the coconut trees in the moonlight, is in KK Sabah? I was there on new year and enjoyed the food and the scenery plus the new hotels by the beaches outside KK. Have a wonderful day/ night ahead.

Lee said...

Hello Kotastar, the profile pic in my blog is in Trengganu, Tanjong Jara.

What? You older than me? Ha ha. I guessed you round 57?
Here in Canada everybody gets a pension called Canada old age pension...provided you a citizen, resident more than ten years.

And you'll be surprised, boleh dapat up too Cdn $1,100.00 a month. (about Rgt 3,200.00)

Plus all medical hospital, operations free for everyone....and the hospitals here macham Hilton hotel, ha ha.

And mothers with small babies will get FREE every month up to $200 for the baby till baby becomes 12.
A well all schooling as well books free till High school....
lots more other benefits, and for senior citizens like me, ada lagi benefits....see movies get special rates too, ha ha.

Apart from our employment pension, we get Canada old age pension and kalu ta'chukup, can dapat 'supplimentry pension'...extra duit...

So apart from the Fall colors, above are reasons we made Canada our home.
But of course I still miss Malaysia...and the times I had....Pantai Cinta Berahi in KB by moonlight, Batu Ferringhi, moonlight drives around Penang Island, not to mention the food too, ha ha.

We are 12 hours BEHIND your local time. We are 9.45AM Sunday now. You are 9.45PM Sunday malam. Lee.