President and Founding Director of Veritas Design Group
David Hashim is known as an architect to most, with the designs and projects of Veritas – Malaysia’s first multidisciplinary design firm – dotting the KL skyline to sprawling over some of the most exotic beaches in the world. A combination of a flair for the artistic and chronic trespassing of construction sites as a young boy led him down the building design path, although he tells us that if he didn’t become an architect he would most likely have become a scuba instructor.
On how it all started
There was a key moment in my life that happened when I was about 10. One day I was playing around a site by myself, I was getting pieces of wood and building stuff and suddenly this nice car drew up. I knew it wasn’t the contractor because I knew his car, and this well-dressed guy got out and started walking around with an assistant. I was on an upper floor hiding behind a wall because I wasn’t supposed to be there.
Now to me this was all piles of concrete and bricks, just chaos but this guy was pointing at things and talking to this other person. It suddenly dawned on me that this guy knew what the hell was going on here, it amazed me. I went home and at dinner that night I told my mother what happened and she said just said, “Oh that was the architect.” At that moment I knew I wanted to be whatever that was.
On his favourite buildings
I think what I do really well is high rise buildings, but I love all my projects. I couldn’t tell you which one is my favourite because it’s like saying that you have a favourite child, you can’t do that. As a secondary building type, I love resorts; I visit and stay in them often, when I’m doing that I’m learning about them and seeing what works and what doesn’t.
On work
I’m never away from work. Never, ever, ever. I never switch off. I’m always taking pictures of buildings. I think successful architects are passionate about their work, and when you’re passionate about your work, you don’t separate it from your life. I live, breathe, eat, sleep my work. I’m always thinking about it, I could be on holiday or I could be in a restaurant with friends and I’ll be looking around the room or at the building thinking about how I could have done things differently.
I think this is true not just for my industry but for anything, if you stop learning, you’re finished. I’m always reading something, watching some documentary about my work. Who’s doing what, where and why. I always want to be in touch with the latest trends and ideas. I frequently giving talks, because when I do it makes me reflect on my work. It makes me think about my work and makes me summarise it, condense it in a way to be able to present it. I do that a lot, and I teach occasionally. Guest lecturing at Taylors for example, and at other universities.
On the late Zaha Hadid
Zaha hadid is an icon, and she pushed the envelope of architecture in a certain direction. It challenged our way of thinking about architecture from the fairly orthogonal to something a little bit more fluid and poetic. So now when we think of certain buildings types that lend themselves to that type of expression you think “ah, maybe this could be a Zaha type design”; usually one more suited for civil and cultural activities, like libraries and museums.
On holidays
I love the beach, the beach will always be close. I love to scuba dive. And when I do, right behind me will be a beautiful resort, an Aman or a Banyan Tree for example. I tend to design city hotels but if I’m on holiday I would rather be on a beach with one of these more eccentric resorts. We’re doing a Banyan Tree now in Teluk Bahang, Penang, which will be very nice.
We also like to ski, as a family. Switzerland, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, America, just anywhere with nice slopes. My favourite ski destination has got to be the Swiss-Italian border, it’s just absolutely gorgeous, Zermatt in particular.
On wines and whisky
If I’m in the snow somewhere, I must have some good wines. If I was in Australia I would go for a shiraz, in New Zealand I would go for a Marlborough sauvignon blanc. In the States, I would have a nice pinot if I’m in Lake Tahoe, which is near Napa Valley, and do some wine tastings and buy some. I like to drink the wine of the place I’m in. I’ve also tried some Thai wine recently, which wasn’t so great, raw and a bit rough; but it was better than my previous experience with Thai wine. Who knows, in the future they might get really good.
I also like my single malts, I always bring some with me whenever I travel. Wines go good with food, but if you have a cigar, a single malt is perfect. You get a good Glenfiddich, a double on the rocks, with a Cohiba and you don’t care where you are anymore. I have a rare 30 year-old Glenfiddich that came in an oak case personally signed by the distiller. I’m scared to touch it.
On life
No matter how good or smart you think you are, there’s always somebody out there who’s better. The lesson here is humility. Also, don’t put off pleasure and having a good time. Make sure you enjoy life and the things it has to offer. Great food, great cigars, great wine, fast cars, beautiful scenery. It’s all there, don’t let it just go by.
