What I Like About Designing Infrastructure
By: Mary Rose Chan
Mabuhay! I’m Rose, SYSTRA Philippine’s Architect. I’ve been an architectural designer for 11 years, involved in concept design, production of drawings, and construction — and I love what I do. I have been designing habitual spaces for years and designing infrastructure is quite new for me. It’s the constant reinvention and willingness to try new ideas that made me love the field of design. Here are some of the reasons that I like designing infrastructure:
It is a privilege.
It is a privilege, as you get the chance to contribute your knowledge and creative thoughts to the planning of sustainable infrastructure. Given that the infrastructure industry is continuously evolving, there is a large number of new materials, state of the art technology and exceptional infrastructure systems that keep on growing. With these innovations, new ideas develop. It is like being involved in a consistent learning environment. You share your knowledge and at the same time you acquire new concepts – the learning never ends!
It is a responsibility.
It is a responsibility since most infrastructure projects are long-term. They must benefit the coming generation and make a positive contribution to the future. The Philippines, as one of the developing countries in Asia, knows that infrastructure design is essential because it connects different communities in rural and urban areas. It is a vital part of progress and being part of the design process is a great responsibility because developing a well-designed infrastructure today is an investment for tomorrow.
It is inspiring.
Infrastructure is everywhere and so is inspiration. Designers can discover creativity from the environment or with the things that surround them, whether it is a trip down the market, a stroll in the mall or even a 5-minute walk in the park. There is beauty in colors, shapes and textures, just like how lovely we visualize our society. This ability to experience the world and draw it into our work is a product of being inspired. Infrastructure design keeps us enthused because we envision our community as a beautiful place with a sustainable infrastructure that supports it.
It is rewarding.
Other jobs make you feel as if every day is the same. For designers like me, each day brings new challenges, new problems to solve, and new projects to get creative with. The regular source of requirements makes it an interesting job. Being able to come up with productive ideas to improve something or make something new is motivating and turning a mere thought into reality is rewarding.
SYSTRA Philippines gives me the chance to practice my license for creativity. Working with them makes me recognize the value of working with professionals with exceptional skills. It is a wonderful feeling to experience the beauty of infrastructure design, and I feel so honored to be part of this awesome team!
File: Photo by Nikita Kachanovsky on Unsplash
