Sunway’s DAD student to conceptualise New University Building Concourse area

Sunway University’s Department of Art and Design (DAD) students were recently presented with an opportunity to design the New University Building concourse area as a requirement for their academic project. The “Think to Make a Difference” competition was designed to provide students with a platform to exercise their skills and knowledge through their designs and implement them into a real life setting that will give them added confidence and an enriching work experience. The designs were evaluated based on vision and ideas for effective use of space, conduciveness, comfort, sustainability and represented a strong cultural identity to Sunway University.

At the unveiling of the “Think to Make a Difference” project, Sujithra a/p Kunasakaran emerged winner with her design and walked away with RM 3,000 cash. She thanked the organisers with an impromptu speech, “Being in Sunway and being able to contribute to a building and leave our mark on it is something very valuable to all of us from the DAD”.

Sujithra receiving the mock cheque from Lee Weng Keng for emerging winner of the “Think to make a Difference” competition.

Sujithra’s design included an ultra-modern ceiling design that is inspired from the word ‘S’ which is repeated throughout the design. It also works as a seating area for students and a piece of art on its own. Sujithra decided to incorporate seating areas with the space allocated in the middle for students to work in. Her design includes a wooden round-table discussion layout that will create a café-like ambience as well as benches, incorporating the Sunway logo colours to encapsulate the space within the concourse area.

When asked about her experience working on this project, Sujithra said, “This was something completely out of the classroom context as we had a real client, budget and constraints such as figuring out a design that would complement the other parts of the building. We also had to consider the functionality of the design with the space allocated.”

The finalists and participants of the competition with Prof Pua Eng Chong, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Sunway University; Elizabeth Lee, Senior Executive Director, Sunway Education Group; Lee Weng Ken, Prof Graeme Wilkinson, Vice-Chancellor, Sunway University; Betty Lai, Director of Human Resources, Linda Tan, Head of Facilities Services and DAD lecturers.

The project that kick-started in April 2013 saw students working on the proposals, followed by a presentation that was narrowed down to six finalists. Lee Weng Keng, CEO of the Education and Healthcare Division of The Sunway Group said, “When it comes to a project, we have all the expertise we need to come up with a design. Since we also have the DAD, we figured why not use our students and get them involved in areas in which they can participate and contribute to the design of this building that will be utilised mostly by students and visitors,” adding that a student should best understand students’ needs. He reiterated how he was impressed with the proposals of all the students and their impending creativity in the world of designs, however the ultimate choice boiled down to preference. “You are all winners, but our selection was just a matter of preference and choice according to this context,” said Lee.

Sujithra said it was vital that she studied what she was passionate about. “I used to visit showrooms with my dad and I wondered in amazement how they came up with such brilliant designs,” she quipped. “I believe in finding inspiration in what I see in everyday life and this is what inspires my creativity in design,” she said, adding that Sunway has provided her with an enriching learning experience and many platforms to learn and excel in throughout her course of study. The other five finalists walked away with cash prize worth RM 500 for their contribution in this project.