Meet Jason Leong

Name and Surname: Jason Leong

Occupation: Architecture

1. Where were you born?

2. What schools/colleges/universities did you go to?

Marist Brothers School (Linmeyer)
Glenvista High School
University of Johannesburg (B-Tech: Architecture Degree)
Damelin Management School (Project Management Diploma)
University of Witwatersrand (Property Investment & Management)
Modena Design Centre (Revit Accredited Professional)
Green Star Council of South Africa (Green Star New Buildings Accredited Professional)

3. What is your fondest childhood memory, growing up as a Chinese child?

Getting together every Sunday for the family lunch at the Gran’s house
Going on holiday to Hong Kong & China & getting all the latest toys & gadgets (especially when R1 = HK$28)

4. What is your favourite Chinese food?

5. Where do you live?

6. What work do you do?

Full-time Architecture … & when I can & when the opportunity arises, part-time Acting.

7. What do you love about your job?

I work on iconic buildings (Casinos, shopping centres, corporate offices, stadiums, high-rise buildings, etc) which has an impact on society & neighbourhoods

8. What is your proudest achievement?

Visiting the 8 Wonders of the World (The Pyramids of Giza; The Great Wall of China; Petra; Machu Picchu; Chichen Itza; Christ the Redeemer Statue; The Taj Mahal & the Colosseum.) … It was a childhood dream & goal.
In Architecture: Working on the prestigious Madinat Jumeirah Project in Dubai
In Acting: Deal or No Deal

9. Why are you proud to be South African?

South Africa is a beautiful country with its vast diversity of fauna & flora (including the Big 5 animals) & has some of the world’s biggest mineral reserves of gold, diamonds, platinum, tin, copper, steel, etc. On the one side there is the Indian Ocean & on the other side, the Atlantic Ocean & outlined with some of the best golden-sand beaches in the world. SA is also home to the astronomical SKA Project; the Cradle of Humankind, Maropeng; Table Mountain; the Drakensberg Mountain & the largest impact crater, the Vredefort Dome.
SA’s cricket & rugby teams & swimmers (& now what appears to be its track & field athletes) are phenomenal superstars. No matter which tournament they participate in, they are always in it to win it & the world knows it.
Wine, Rooibos & Biltong

10. Why are you proud to be Chinese?

Throughout history, the Chinese have always been at the forefront of civilisation, development & innovation. The world has always wanted to do trade & business with China (Marco Polo; Venice & Suzhou; The Silk Road, the Belt & Road Initiative)
China’s heritage, culture, traditions (Dragon & Lion Dance; Lantern Festival; Fan Dance) & achievements & contribution to the world (What did the world use before the invention of toilet paper?)
China’s World Heritage Sites (The Great Wall of China; The Terracotta Army of Xian; The Forbidden City; The Temple of Heaven; The Three Gorges; etc.)
China’s mighty cities & cutting edge architecture.
No matter where Chinese have migrated to & settled, they are generally successful.
China has miraculously taken 1 billion of its citizens out of poverty & into the middle class. That’s an achievement.