I seriously need to sort out my own transport, I thought.
That was the one thought that swam through my mind as Andrew Choksy raced his Lexus in Sport Mode around tuks, buses, cars, trees, and dogs as I was trying to command my stomach with Jedi-like intent to not barf.
Next thing you know I’m in the middle of nowhere in what was Murad Ismail’s office.
Who in the world is Murad Ismail? That was the one question that hung in the air (almost like a humongous elephant in the room that just refused to shift its weight) as we sat around waiting.
Waiting apparently for me to ask something profound. Luckily, he spoke first, and I was quite content to keep my mouth shut. Just as a needle and thread starts out with simple intent, and has the power to create a rich cloth resplendent with sequins and whorls of artistry, so too did this particular conversation.
Murad Ismail threaded a story that was rich with achievement and the need to live life to the fullest. Having played 10 sports, he jumps from one hobby to the next with a sense of urgency that seems tiresome. His latest endeavor is motor racing where he’s investing in finding new talent to help put Sri Lanka on the map (refer Hellibees Racing on Facebook).
We spoke about everything except architecture, and when we did it was with reluctance. No one is born with talent, he quipped. What we are born with is ability, and we need to use this ability to do good work, he opined. As the conversation progressed, I realized that he had problems with everything.
He had a problem with how architecture was perceived (it’s not an art form, it’s a science!); a problem with clients who demand a huge and flamboyant house (they need to think about their lifestyle, and build a habitat based on it; cater to needs not wants!); a problem with parents who think their children are talented because they can draw (it’s ability and work ethic that makes you do well; no one is born with talent!); a problem with not understanding grassroot level problems and not giving a proper solution (how can you expect to preserve trees when people have no employment hence they will cut trees to eke out a living for their families?).
The conversation lasted close to two hours, and it’s impossible to write down a lifetime of achievement here. But it certainly was a conversation filled with a great deal of learning for those who listened. There’s more to Murad Ismail than just architecture and his love for minimalism. As a student of Geoffrey Bawa, he had embellished his own individual style of architecture, which he calls an elitist profession, into something that’s more invested with the social needs and lifestyle requirements of the people.
I finally understood that it’s his stubborn desire to see architecture as a science than an art form, which had led his creations to be realistic and functional yet stylistically inimitable. With his phone constantly ringing yet staying unaffected by the humdrum around him, Murad Ismail chugged along with verbal dexterity highlighting the fact that spatial progression is something that he likes; he talked about how Lankan architecture is the best tropical architecture around; and that a good architect is indispensable, but what is even more important is an architect who is honest with you and tells you what exactly you should invest in.
Just like how life is temporary, so too was this interview. Done and dusted, I endured another stomach-churning ride home in a Lexus that loved speed. Safely home, I began the arduous task of writing about someone I didn’t know much about.
Last night I was at Quik Thai digging into Red Curry Chicken and Green Curry Pork when I casually mentioned to my friend — an architect friend — that I interviewed Murad Ismail. He was impressed. You know why? Because Murad doesn’t like interviews. But it’s also because achievement speaks louder than a person’s name.
So next time if someone asks you who Murad Ismail is, just say that he’s the one who designed Jetwing Yala, Water’s Edge, Dutch Hospital, The Four Seasons Resort Landaa, and Centara Bentota.
Chances are they are sure to whisper in a respectful undertone — Oh. That Murad Ismail.
