A designer’s journey

Challenges in life have drawn out the best in young architect Winston See, the runner-up in reality design series writes

An architect-turned-artist, See painting what he calls a seduction on the wall — leopard’s spots — which reflect his wife’s femininity and feisty character. INTEREST IN BUILDINGS

Clad in a crisp white shirt and tan trousers, See is a vision of laid-back casual, quite unlike the more formal suit and bow-tie he sported during the filming of the season finale.

The Johor-born See shares that his formative years were spent in Kulai. His father’s work brought the family to Johor and he fondly remembers Jalan Perpaduan, the name of the road where they lived until he was 12. The youngest of five siblings, See has three sisters, two of whom are architects.

When the family moved back to KL, he went to school in Shah Alam where he improved his command of Malay thanks to the company of Malay friends. Just like most youngsters then, See enjoyed playing computer games and his favourite was

a life simulation video game where virtual people are created to live in houses, either pre-constructed or built by them.

It was during these countless hours immersed in this game that it dawned on See that he was largely focused on creating buildings. This interest in buildings eventually led him to seriously consider a career in architecture.

Having two older sisters who are architects probably had some influence in his decision too. But the conviction to pursue the path, shares See, grew stronger when his second sister advised him not to take it up for financial reasons. He grew more determined to pursue this course of studies!

After completing Form Five, See enrolled in a foundation course at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. His family was not wealthy but his father managed to pay for his oneway ticket and gave him just £100 (RM550) pocket money when he left for Robert Gordon University in Scotland.

TRIALS ABROAD

Upon arrival, even before he unpacked, See went out to look for a job. His goal at that time was to earn his keep, find the cheapest way to live, and not be a financial burden to his parents.

The four years abroad were probably the toughest time of his life as See juggled three part-time jobs while he studied. Besides washing dishes, he was a waiter and worked with a small architectural firm. While he worked and saved to pay his own way, he was grateful that his sisters chipped in to help him pay the tuition fees for his first year.

It was indeed a momentous day, confides See, when his oldest sister, an architect who was then based in London, witnessed his graduation. While he had a choice to work in the UK, See decided to return to Malaysia where he joined BEP Arkitek and started his career as an architectural assistant.

Over the span of six years, See was given opportunities to explore his creativity and soon discovered his passion for design. Around this time, he met his soulmate, Amy Ang Yi-Mae, also a designer, and they married last May. BEING A CONTESTANT

Sheepishly, See confesses that he had no idea what was all about until his wife suggested they join the contest as contestants. When they registered, they weren’t aware that this season’s format was for individuals and not for pairs.

After a series of three interviews, See and his wife successfully qualified as contestants. But just before the start of the series, Amy suffered a miscarriage and had to drop out of the show. In spite of this temporary setback, See was encouraged to carry on with the challenge. With his wife as inspiration, he was determined to complete the journey to the best of his ability.

The first thing he had to do was move into a house in Bandar Seri Alam, which he would share with 11contestants. He recalls that at first, it was tough as there were strict rules about communicating with family. Every few days their mobile phones would be returned for about an hour for them to make calls.

Despite having lived abroad, See realised that he lacked social skills and experience for social interaction with his housemates. A lot of this had to do with the fact that when he wasn’t studying, he was working hard at his three part-time jobs. With the exception of Ernest Loh, the other Malaysian contestant, See initially struggled to live together with the others who hailed from various ethnic backgrounds.

Looking back, See concedes that the first two episodes were the most difficult for him because he had to deal not only with