ADVENSHARE 05: ESHA

Introducing the ADVENSHARE series. Intimate dialogue sessions to cultivate a culture of creative conversations. Discussions revolve around topics of design, travel, photography and youth activism. Initiated as part of the Canon EOS Youth Ambassador Programme with support from Perbadanan Perpustakaan Awam Selangor.

ADVENSHARE SESSION 05

Esha Hashim

Designer & Photographer, Colours of Pantai Timur

Esha Hashim is currently working as an architectural designer in Malaysia. A graduate of University of Westminster, she also has experiences of practice in UK. Her discovery of the dual cultures within her hometown of Kelantan and her life in London birthed the photography project, Colours of Pantain Timur.

The full video of the live session can be viewed here Advenshare 05: Esha and is embedded at the end of this post.

When we both first started studying dulu, I remember going into degree, a lot of us went into architecture not really knowing the full scope of what we were about to face. Through the years of studying architecture, we've been through so many ups and downs. And I'm glad you've made it through to be working as a graduate architect now. Tell us about your job scope, what's that like?

What I basically do revolves around the architecture project: drawings, 3D, dealing with technical aspects and meeting with local authorities. It's not only designing - there are other aspects to building that I'm involved with. As a graduate architect, we are not considered experts, so we assist with a lot of things. We meet clients with project team leaders. We do drawings with technical assistants. It's like a buddy system. We have supervisors guiding us through the work. But I guess, it also depends on the firm.

That sounds like a huge learning curve..

It is. It's been quite a tough year I must say. I graduated in 2016. I was working in London for 6 months after that. When I got back, I took a break for 5 months before continuing working here.

So you have experience working as an architect in two countries! What's the difference, the baik buruk, of working in a firm in Malaysia versus in UK?

Okay, so this is based on my limited experience. In Malaysia, there's an intensity in terms of technical works. When I was in London, my firm was only 4 people. I was working with and assisting my tutor from Westminster. Our projects were mostly renovation works. As for my job scope, it was very related to academic work - I got to organize talks and exhibitions for my tutor, while also helping with some drawings. Through that, I got to see the relationship of my academia and practice life merge together and how it was relevant to each other.

That's one of the fun parts of studying in London that I recall - that when you get close to your tutors, they try their best to open up avenues for you. Sometimes, you get to work with them. That's a good part. Share with us one bad part...

I guess you end up questing your own brand, and your own journey. In London there's a lot of competition, so you end up wondering how you can pop out of the crowd. To be honest I would call London a 'City of Dreams'. Because there, I met a lot of people with dreams, and they're working on their dreams. When you're in that community, it creates a fire burning in you. Actually that's not such a bad thing.

And in Malaysia? How has it been for you?

Working here... I've been struggling with the first year because I'm trying to adapt to the other side of architecture - the technical parts, especially. But I know it's a necessity for you to learn to become an architect. But once you learn it, and combine it with your previous education, it opens up possibilities for you to create something new, beyond what you have or know now.

I have friends who did not have exposure to study overseas. So they accept the fact that the rigidity of the system is how it is from studying to working. With your international experiences, your mindset is more open to how your career could contribute to your personal growth..

Yes. In Malaysia, it's quite straight to the point. In London, even the educational syllabus was geared towards how you could develop ideas, the way you're thinking, rather than directing you straight to the black and white aspects. They gave you room to figure things out. But when you get to the end of it, you realise where you were heading from point one, and how its shaped your thinking journey, the creative part. You immerse yourself in the process, so your project becomes full of character. So it works on the core, shaping your thought process, and I think thats' crucial. When you get back to Malaysia, you become part of the system. If you become part of the system, the end product (students work) looks quite similar sometimes. For me that was the biggest difference.

Besides the architecture stuff, what was it like studying in the UK?

I think if you're given the chance. Please go. It's not just the education, but about how you live, and leaving your comfortable life behind. No mamak, no Mama. In your home country, it's easy to find your normal comforts, like balik kampung whenever you want to. But when you're far away, you just have to endure. It's also about the people over there - especially in London. All sorts of people from all over the world, all with their dreams.

A different environment definitely forces you to become somebody you didn't know you could be, to step out of your zone. Lagi-lagi for you, you were form Kelantan, you moved to KL, then to UK, what was the most shocking cultural difference you experienced?

I would say the treatment of the people. My first day in UK, I was bringing all of my luggages, about 2-3 big ones, on m own, and people insisted on helping me. From the tube station, to the side of the road, right up to my doorstep. You see how they really engage with you and are really sensitive. I haven't experienced that anywhere else - but this is just me.

You're very in tune to the duality of cultures. I guess it's made you very aware of your identity and your surroundings. Which I supposed inspired you to curate your photography project, Colours of Pantai Timur...

Colours of Pantai Timur started right after I got back from UK. Transitioning from London - gloomy, shades of grey, suddenly I came home, it was like a splash of colours. I start to realise that 'this is so beautiful - kenapa I tak pernah nampak ni?' It became an accidental documentation, because I just started snapping pictures of things. I saw colours in food, clothes, facade buildings, urban greens, and I was so attracted to it subconsciously. After a few months, I began to see patterns and similarities. So I thought, why not curate this? It's a project quite close to my heart because it's home. From there, Malaysia.my came up to me and invited me to share a few articles along with my photographs. This became an opportunity for me to research more about my subjects. Because of the assignments, I got to explore in depth about the meanings behind these practices and design. For example I did an article on satar, and I got to learn the a-z of how to prepare satar. It became a journey of rediscovery.

That's so beautiful- it's like youre relearning your own culture through a different, more worldly lens, but it's still home. Any last words for future architects out there?

One thing that I failed to realise while I was studying was to play a little bit. When you do architecture, you have to know a lot of things, you have to be curious, and you have to explore. I'm exercising that myself.