A Malaysian who made his name designing Mecca’s iconic Abraj Al-Bait clock tower aims to leave another legacy by training the nation’s next generation of engineers.

Wan Nazri Wan Aria, 36, became a source of pride for Malaysia when it was reported that he helped design the upper level of the clock tower.

He was studying engineering in Stuttgart University in Germany, with plans to do his doctorate, when he heard that German engineering firm SL-Rasch was hiring engineers to work on the Abraj Al-Bait in Saudi Arabia, also known as the Mecca Royal Hotel Clock Tower.

The 601m-high clock tower, which faces the Masjidil Haram or Grand Mosque, is the tallest and largest in the world, three times larger than London’s Big Ben.

“Such an iconic project comes around once in a hundred years, so of course I applied for it,” he said when met at his office here.

Working for the German firm was an eye-opening experience for Wan Nazri, who learned their meticulous methods and picked up their work ethic and passion.

“They never assume, never say ‘I think’. Everything is backed by theory, which is why they can be so confident,” he said.

He had to travel between Saudi Arabia and Germany for eight years while working on the project. After the clock tower was completed in 2011, Wan Nazri decided to teach engineering in order to make valuable use of his experience.

He said Malaysian students and engineering firms needed to reach a higher standard and develop the capacity to model, analyse, implement, and supervise projects from beginning to end.

Not one to only complain, Wan Nazri became a fellow at University Malaysia Pahang (UMP).

“In university, they learn a subject from A-Z, but it’s like being given a bullet and having no idea how to fire it. They have the theory and I want to teach them the application,” he said.

He also connected UMP’s lecturers and students with engineering firms working on projects where they could experience the “reality of work” first hand.

To do this, Wan Nazri founded his own firm Gruppe Consultant three years ago and now leads a staff of eight engineers.

The firm provided technical engineering advice for Malaysia Mining Corporation Berhad and a series of projects, including KLIA2, the Senai airport and the Tanjung Bin coal power plant, the last two in Johor.

Asked if he considered taking on more mega projects, Wan Nazri said SL-Rasch had approached him to take part in the expansion of the Masjidil Haram, a landmark for pilgrims to Mecca.

With his firm and with his family taking up most of this time, Wan Nazri ultimately decided to turn down the offer.

Source:
courtesy of THE STAR

by QISHIN TARIQ

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