When i was Interviewed by an Architecture Student by Arch. Ma. Elena Lamasan

Creative Design in Architectural Interiors  Class by Arch . Ma. Elena Lamasan 
Department of Architecture, National University, Manila

When I was Interviewed by an Architecture Student

Mentorship is in the soft spot of RCLA MARU Architects. Thus,  one of the Partners in the person of Arch. Ma. Elena Evangelista-Lamasan poured  her heart out when she said:…” When i was interviewed by  Female Graduating  Architecture  Students of MAPUA   on February 2012, my heart poured on to them,  like i see myself  - 32 years ago.  They were my Daughter's Hanna Sophia's Friends.. as part of their Professional Practice Subjects  Requirements.”

1.    What is the most challenging project you ever had?
Challenges in  Architect’s Projects comes in  different forms: 1. A Challenging Client ( his behaviour, strictness and unique requirements ) 2. A Challenging Budget of a Project were you have to be able to project Beauty behind a Tight Budget. 3. A Challenging Construction Method.   ALL entails risks but  the risks of the No. 1 and 2 can be settled over a table... No. 3 is Life Dangerous.

For the Challenging Construction Method, its the Cluster A, Asiana Villas in Boracay. Its challenging due to the location and Topography. Its  a Four Storey Condotel almost hanging in a Lime white rock cliff-like hillside. We were excavating with nervousness.. white rock that seems like LIME are not a stable as Solid Rocks.

Asiana Cluster-A, Boracay...Building a Structure on a Cliff

2.    How do you handle works under pressure and deadlines?
How do we tackle our schedules during student life is quite the same as when we become Professional, though its not just double  but more triple. Because when we become Professionals, we become Parents too.  Its the same method: BE SELF-MOTIVATING.. until now, I stick on my THINGS TO DO LIST .. and  Choose your Priorities.
When it comes to Projects, Prioritize those that are with Heavy Contracts.. I mean the bigger the amount involve the more you give importance.
To  balance yourself.. I introduce Relaxations.. in my case I go to SPA, GYM, driving in Nature Trip out of town  and always make MUSIC a part of my Day.

Graduates of National University, Manila as part of the Office Staff

3.    Where do you usually gather ideas, concepts or designs for your clients?

Our Clients  has the first hand of their requirements as your boundaries, so in each Project, concealed it with a Requirement databank. Then its your turn to get from your stock in mind, researches and travels and Clippings. Subscribe Design Books on line. LIKES Facebook Architectural and Interior Design Pages, Collects Photos and Albums of Design Solutions. And the Best is Travel and seeing in actual these Places.
My advice to Archi students? In every hour you spend your life around, make your eyes a registry of VISUAL IDEAS.. WHAT YOU SEE is what you will DESIGN LATER.

Gardens.. flowers ...water.. sun...open air...my inspirations

4.    Do you find your gender advantageous?
Both Advantageous and Disadvantageous  .. but its more of ADVANTAGEOUS.
The key is: KNOW YOURSELF, your Capacity, type of work you enjoy and your LIMITATIONS. Then find a workplace for yourself. Not all work in the field are ours, we only have to choose where we are comfortable.
When I was still studying 1980-85, women in the Architecture Field are only   more or less 10% of the Population. We receive discouragements always. They say, Lady Architects can’t climb  up the building...and so I said to the Male interviewer: Can you climb that? And he said YES! And so I said.. I can also do so, because I also have feet and arms like you do.
Many female archi students  becomes boyish when they graduate because they feel that they need to compete with MEN. We don’t need to do that. Be Confident and realize that YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN YOU THAT IS NEEDED IN THE FIELD. Find the right workplace that respects your being a Woman. Women Architects should not be a slave of the Profession, being an Archi should not change your personality,  remain FEMININE as you are,  the Profession NEEDS women. By experienced I had proven that Women’s Voice is a COMMAND in the Construction Field. Just do it with tactfulness. Be intelligent, so that MEN will obey You.
By the way, I don’t start a meeting if I have nothing to sit on too. I require  even just a bench and even a plywood top to write on to. I won’t go to the Construction Site that has NO CR.  I REQUIRE Workers to have UNIFORM, NO Smoking and with ID. What I mean is: set your RULES and they will follow.

As Managing Partner of RCLA MARU ARCHITECTS CO.

5.    Was there a time you experienced discrimination?
We  experienced discrimination when we are still young and starting. I had difficulty in speaking TAGALOG when I first land a Job in Manila having finished college in Iloilo, but,  thanks,  it only took me a year to master the Language.
When I was starting,  1986-89, I felt  im discriminated when our Boss assigns a more challenging  job and  far locations to my MEN Officemates, I felt  my Boss thinks I can’t do it because im a Lady. ....UNTIL, I was assigned to handle a Retreat House in Antipolo and he said in our office meeting: “  I assigned Len in this projects because here,  we will be dealing with all NUNS of the Assumption Convent, and she has to be there, No One of Us can handle this.”  There I realized that all my assignments were not due to  descriminations  but its because that our Superiors are Architects too, and they show us CARE and RESPECT.. and they are careful in giving us work that fits us and SAFE for US.  From then on, im Happy and it started my Enjoyment in the Field.

On-the-Job (OJT) from Mapua Institute of Technilogy Manila, 2015

6.    Have you ever refused a project? Why?
1. Due to Project Cost.   We always Refuse a Project when it doesn’t  fit our Minimum Budgetary Requirements.  We are on a DESIGN-CONSTRUCTION. These years, we require at least a Minimum of  P3Million to do a Design-Construction Project in Metro Manila and at least P5Million  to do a Project outside Metro Manila. That is to cover the Operational Cost. 

2. Due to Unfavorable Client , Sometimes there are clients that are not good to deal with, too old clients that has difficulty in understand or Clients who are representatives or 2nd or 3rd party where you cannot get direct approval to the main client and will just cause delays in decision making.

3. When the Project presented to us is not within our Specialization or Forte. Each Architect has its own taste of what to do and  ART to express. Our Forte is Commercial-Residential Projects preferably High-End. We welcome new challenges but we need to keep a Line of Specialization as we approach New Adventures.

About Distance or Challenges in Design  of our Forte.. we NEVER REFUSE.. as long as the Project Cost compensate and favourable to us.

Aireal view of Boracay Island, where the Company experienced challengimng times.

7.    What problems do you usually encounter in dealing with your clients and contractor?

1. Incompleteness of Drawings and Specifications which leads to Misinterpretations of the Contract. 2. Bad Faith – there are Contractors and Clients who really have a Bad Motive not to finish the Project, you can detect it even at the start. If so,  don’t proceed, or else  it will just create bigger problems at the end. 3. Fixers and Contractors or Suppliers who are getting Commissions... they drag your project and ends up in misunderstanding.  But since these cannot be avoided, set a Standard Procedure in your Office for REFFERAL FEES. Those that are given separately exact amount of money  without following the progress of the project for you to independently run in Focus.

 RCLA MARU ARCHITECTS CO  Gallery and Studio 

8.    How do you manage to segregate personal and business problems as a wife and business partner to your husband?

My Family

My husband who is an Architect too had been my classmate in College. In a way, we had invested enough RAPPORT being classmates until we got married 6 years after Graduation. We are both ACHIEVERS IN School Leadership and  in Scholastic Grades. That is a Great Factor when we got married. We always want to Do the BEST in every Project.
Even until now that our Kids had grown up, we retain a schedule for our Personal Dates, going together, unwinding and it had also  gave our children a unique experience. We deal with every matter on its proper time. But we become flexible as per needed like sleeping a nice time together and the heavy rain came and the construction site adviced a FLOOD placing our jobsite in danger. Or being in a Nice Movie Date and one angry Client calls for his leaking Gutter and wants it to be corrected ASAP.  ITS A BAD TRIP..  if you really  feels for it but  WE HAD ACCEPTED our LIFE AS IT IS. Until everything becomes a Strategical Play.  As we grow older, we become more skilful in dealing with distractions.


9.  Does this type of business set-up (partnership) advantageous or disadvantageous to you? How?

Advantageous because what we earn are all ours.. Disadvantageous because if we don’t   move nobody will. 
We had been in this set up since 1995. And I think we came up with this because of the type of persons we are. My husband and Me  are both self-motivating, we had been employed for almost  ten years in various companies, my husband  also worked abroad before we started our own. We are not the type of person who will just wait for what the Boss will say. We  want to do our own and we always TRY NEW. If there are Problems to common man,, we say.. : Whats the Challenge?  When there is hardship to common man, we say : How shall we approach this?   And if Life seems continuously routinary.. we say: What else we want to try?

The think tank

My advice to Architecture students is to make your PASSING THE BOARD EXAM a continuation of your school endeavor. Should you need to experience OJT and other Trainings, make it solid and with time frame and Get the Board Exam as soon as you can. Because any distraction that may come your way as you prolong your schedule to  get the Exam is detrimental. Getting married before getting Licensed is another RISKY Story.  Make PASSING THE BOARD EXAM your next TARGET after School.