Franklin Roosevelt once said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” – As students of the future, we are honed at school to fit the survival of the world ahead of us. CADBE, a training ground for future architects, produces top-notch professionals in their fields. Ar. Jonas Makiramdam or as his colleagues know him for, Ar. Maki, one of the promising graduates of PUP CADBE (formerly known as PUP CAFA). Finishing his college degree Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 2013, passed the Architect Licensure Exam (ALE) the following year, and then attained his license for Master Plumber the same year – but these are only the beginning of his journey. As a child, being an Architect was already his dream. He grew up in a poor family, but he was more than that, he was a dreamer too. Young Maki took the PUPCET or the entrance exam and he passed. With only 12.00php per unit in the university, the dream was not impossible after all. “My Architecture student days were the best years of my life.”, he said describing his experience and adding that he gave all his efforts and ideas to his design plates. His inspiration was Ar. Jocelyn Lutap, as she was his mentor and his second mother; to strive for the best and think outside the box.
“PUPians are known to be hardworking and patient, and I can say that I can still apply all those perseverance during college days while working in the corporate world.”, he said as he recalls the start of his journey as an Architect. He was titled as the Best in Thesis during his final year in college and he said that his experiences in doing his thesis were very helpful to him when he became professional – He stated, “research, feasibility study, design analysis, working drawings, and renderings are very applicable in private practice and if you are working in the corporate world.”. In the professional field, Ar. Maki treats every project as a milestone. Describing his Architectural Style, he said, “You can have your own Architectural style, but at the end of the day, you need to satisfy your client’s requirements and vision. You cannot insist on your own style if the client prefers other styles.” But when he was given the chance to design their own house, he mentioned that he was more into Modern Contemporary Style. He said that among all the projects he had, his favorite was the one in Zambales since the client had the same preference of style.
Now, after years of professional practice, he returned to his Alma Mater as his way of giving back. Teaching, albeit an uncharted profession for him, makes him excited but at the same time, nervous. It is because aside from being a newcomer to teaching, he is a newcomer as well when it comes to the online class setup. When asked about what makes him different from other Architects and Professors, he said, “All Architects have their own specialization and experiences which make us unique.”
As he watched the tv series, The Crown, he got himself a personal motivational quote from the former Prime Minister of the UK, Margaret Thatcher – “There is a limit to what one can do if people are themselves limited”. Inspired by this quotation, his message to future architects is, “You should not limit yourself to Architecture and make sure that you will also pursue your own specialization in the future.” He said that students should not only focus on the design subjects but also pay attention to other specializations. As he experienced the same, even if he was already an Architect, he still tried other specializations. Now, he is a Master Plumber and he even pursued MS Construction Management.
He is back, still the same old dreamer but with more passion and motivation. Ar. Maki is more than just a new teacher or professor; he is the new beacon of hope for future architects. As Franklin Roosevelt said in his address, “ – we can build our youth for the future.”, Ar. Maki was once the youth being built and now he is starting the journey of building a new generation for the future.
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