DURING the construction period of Nga Moe Yeik San Pya Market Project, one day I was asked by boss to draw for canteen bldg that is located infront of main 3 storey RC bldg seperately. Also asked me to draft for public car parks around the bldg within its compound. After getting order, I started to survey for actual plot available and draft in my notebook for scale shop drawing. Being a one year experience junior engineer, I really don't know how to start it but I wanted to show my potential to respond boss's faith in me.
I rush collecting architectural and landscape books and learn how others doing similar jobs. They, books, became a teacher of mine quickly and I built my confident by reading them and asking senior engineers who are willing to teach me when I am needed them. I was so lucky to be around such a kind of engineers and boss who believe in me. My boss has another several business in town and he usually sit the downtown office that is located in the central yangon. He is doing famous restaurant attached with night club there and also open sport centre on the 5th floor of Thein Gyi Bazzar Market. He own the whole floor of 5th level if I am not mistaken. So he asked me to come and draw the canteen and carpark at his prime office. Since he is also Architect, he has a drawing room at his office and he gave me the chance to use that room. During my drawing time, he used to advise me when I found some difficulties and asked him for approval. It took me few days to finish it and finally I could draw a permanent drawing for site construction. At that time, we don't use auto CAD widely and we used to draw by hand. It was first time for me to use tracing paper and it's stationery mates.
After getting endorsement by Ygn municipal authorities, we started to construct it on site and boss gave me to supervise that bldg. It's quite simple as it is one story brick nogging bldg that span 20ft x 100ft if I am not wrong. When the actual construction start, the major problem encounter was water supply system for individual shop holders. We chose a suspension system rather than conventional system of concealing pvc pipe under floor. Boss wanted to have something special in that bldg and switched green to make it hanging system that is also used on the permanent building's fish section. The problem is how to calculate water pressure and design pvc water tank properly. I significantly don't have that experience at that time. To be honest, I never seen before such system to be used pvc wedding for water supply. I think very high-end private property use this kind of method in Yangon construction industry. Nevertheless I started to learn how to do it from water supply contractor.
Contractor leader is an engineer and he is also friend of my boss and currently working in water department of construction ministery. Boss gave him water supply contract for permanent bldg's fish market section. It's quite challenge for us because it's testing time for us. This contractor engineer is so kind and also willing to teach me as a junior engineer who always eager to learn. I'm lucky to work together with such an engineer. He made further study at oversea for water supply subject. So he know well about his job and he's very much confident. He is always funny and ever joke to his workers at all time. So ppl are happy when he is on site and work happily.
The system works by using gravity force for water distribution. The major water tank is put on the roof of 3 storey main bldg. So water come down from that height and spread to shops via respective taps. Before water arrive tap, there is a big diameter (4") water storage tank with about 12 inches length. The problem is to close both end by pvc wedding rather than sockets. We need to calculate water pressure and design pcv temporary storage tanks to resist that 3 sty height pressure. Then water go down at the middle of 4" dia tanks to basin via 1/2" pvc pipe. One 4" pvc tanks distribute to 4 outlets and need to cut at all faces for outgoing water. And make sure stick together by using pvc wedding.
The first day we test for water supply, some of these 4" temp water tanks cover are opened by high speed pressure. We close main tap and repaired them and make trial and error work. Finally we could able to hand over to govt authorities. Light fixing wasn't prob as it's follow to conventional method. Boss added in sun-shad louvre to cover shop owners from sun shine. Finally I am pleased to see my first ever design become actual on site and gain a bit confident more.
Next month boss went oversea for business and I got ideas to make another design to make boss wow. It's to design and built for guard post and pedestrain bridge at the main gate. So I made it rush by selecting a good mason and few workers to finish it before boss come back. I draft and command mason how to do that on site. There was no drawing for that as it's quite small project. Luckily accountant didn't refuse to give me budget what I need to do it. They know that I am favoured by boss and they don't stand on my way to do something always. So I took that advantage and create another my signal bldg. The guard house was shape as hexigonal layout with pavillion like roof. The superstructure is semi-circle wall and only half height so that guard cannot hide from incoming ppl. I remember boss saying that don't allow guard sleeping inside guard post by giving them so much cover house. So I build half height wall guard post with attractive roof with attached ceiling. I was happy to see my own design building and at the same time I made a pedestrain bridge that can go directly to canteen.
The bridge was arc-shape floor with arc hand-rail. All were done by RC and brick and luckily the moson is also interested in working new items and has creative skill. So we both could do them well in time and boss was amaze to see my additional projects on site by the time he come back from oversea trip. He keep quiet and never scolded me for spending money without his consent. I was more than happy and felt like I am walking on the moon. No matter how long it had been in past, I am very satisfy and happy when I see these 3 bldg from outside when I travel by. I always see that bldgs if they are still remaining or not whenever I arrive that place. Thanks for all teachers who make me able engineers.
I hope these 3 bldgs, canteen, guard post and pedestrian bridge are still remaining to its full life span and nobody will know who is behind these bldg despite they pass by them. Anyway I am rewarded as long as they are being used by people and they are doing part of their jobs. It's all designer's hope I purely expect and my expectation won't be changed in this world whoever and wherever they are involving. I never get the same chance since then and I'm willing to get such a kind of days in my future sooner or later.
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