- by Jeanette Yeo, PCS Year 2 student

“What’s the link between psychology and buildings?” – this was a common question I was asked when I tell people about my 7-week attachment with the Building & Construction Authority (BCA) from March to April 2010.

Psychology is ‘the study of the mind and behavior’ of individuals, while a building is ‘a structure constructed for a range of purposes, such as human habituation, and industries’. After my attachment, I have made the connection between the two: a building must be designed to consider the needs, safety, and purpose of the people using it.

At the start of the attachment, I had to familiarise myself with the Barrier-Free Accessibility (BFA) Code before I could audit the buildings. The BFA code was only introduced in 1990 with increased awareness on the need for accessible, barrier-free buildings.

After the initial training, I was tasked to audit a few office buildings in Shenton Way, as well as churches, mosques, and temples in Aljunied and Bedok. For each audit, I used a checklist to look for key items and took photographs. When I returned to the office, I drew the building profile including the floor plan with details on the entrance and external routes, and uploaded the information and photographs onto the Friendly Buildings portal, where the information would be accessible to the public.

During the auditing process, I had to approach the managing agents of the buildings for approval to enter the building. Although I felt disheartened whenever I was rejected, I learnt to regain my composure and motivate myself to carry on. However, there were other agents or staff of building who made my day with a good conversation or offer of drinks which was very much appreciated in the sweltering heat.

So, what’s the link between psychology and buildings? These 7 weeks have made me realised that there is a lot in fact. The purpose of a building is for human use, and if a building is not designed to meet the needs of the people using it, it would be a waste and the building will not be fulfilling its full purpose.

This attachment taught me more than just BFA, buildings and auditing. It is the connections with the people that I take away. I am thankful for all the conversations I had with the people I met when I audited the buildings as they have helped me to grow as a person and learn how to deal with rejection.