Past meets present at Malaysian Architecture Week 2025

The inaugural Malaysian Architecture Week (MAW) 2025 opened its doors with purpose and passion on 23 May at UR-MU @ Toffee, Jalan Raja Chulan. More than a showcase, the event marked a milestone in Malaysia’s design discourse, rallying over 35 architecture and design practices—both prominent and emerging—into a collective grassroots initiative aimed at reimagining the country’s built environment.

Borne out of a desire to democratize architecture and decentralize conversations about the profession, MAW 2025 is the product of self-funding and collaboration among 34 firms. It signals a bold shift towards inclusivity and reflection in Malaysian architecture, positioning itself as a year-long, travelling exhibition that prioritizes dialogue, experimentation, and shared learning.

Half of the participants hail from the “40 Under 40 Emerging Architects” cohort, with five trailblazers—Ar. Beh Ssi Cze, Ar. Firadaus Khazis, Ar. Cheryl Quan, Ar. Yong Leng Chee, and Choong Wei Li—driving the initiative forward.

Soul and sustainability

Officially launched by YB Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Housing and Local Government, MAW 2025 was given a ringing endorsement as a cultural and civic imperative. In his keynote, YB Nga underscored the pivotal role of architects in shaping both national identity and the fabric of everyday life.

“The future of Malaysia’s urban and rural spaces lies in design that understands place, heritage, and humanity.” he said.

The Minister called for deeper investment in homegrown talent and reinforced the government’s commitment to supporting creative industries, noting that Malaysian cities must be “more than smart—they must be soulful.” His remarks set the tone for an event designed to bring architecture back to its cultural and communal roots.

Reclaiming architecture’s civic role

The bottom-up ethos of MAW 2025 was further echoed by Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) President, Ar. Adrianta Aziz. Declaring the event “a movement, not a moment,” he called on the architecture community to step outside insular practices and reconnect with public discourse.

“This isn’t just an exhibition—it’s a movement,” Ar. Adrianta declared. He urged architects to move beyond the confines of their studios and re-engage with society, to “nurture a landscape of critical inquiry and shared values.”

The platform encourages architectural practitioners to re-engage with pressing societal issues such as environmental responsibility, cultural identity, and inclusive urbanism. By fostering public engagement, MAW 2025 positions architecture as a vital medium through which Malaysia’s future can be both imagined and shaped.

Revisiting the past

A notable highlight was the revisitation of the seminal “7 KL Architects” exhibition, held in Tokyo in 2015. Featuring Dato’ Ar. Hajeedar Abdul Majid, Dato’ Dr. Ar. Ken Yeang, Ar. David Teh, Prof. Dr. Ar. Jimmy Lim, Ar. Jim Ting, Ar. Syed Sobri, and the late Ar. Shaharun, the Tokyo showcase marked a defining moment in Malaysia’s architectural global presence.

At the MAW 2025 opening, three of these pioneers—Dato’ Dr. Hajeedar, Ar. Jimmy Lim, and Ar. David Teh—reconvened for the panel “2015: Past Meets Present.” Their insights bridged the early ideologies of post-independence Malaysia with current architectural currents, offering valuable perspectives on how context-driven tropical modernism continues to influence younger generations.

Two thought-provoking panel sessions followed: “1985: Prologue” and “2015: Past Meets Present.” The former explored the foundations laid during the decades after independence, featuring voices like Ar. Beh Ssi Cze in dialogue with architectural veterans. The latter, with panelists such as Ar. Tan Bee Eu, Dr. Ar. Tan Loke Mun, and Ar. Hud Bakar, delved into the evolving challenges of design practice and pedagogy in a rapidly urbanizing society.

A national conversation in the making

As MAW 2025 embarks on its national journey, it aims to become more than a professional showcase—it seeks to anchor architecture within everyday public consciousness. By challenging the notion of architecture as an elite, exclusive field, the initiative positions itself as a catalyst for accessible, collaborative and culturally-grounded design.

In invoking the legacy of the “7 KL Architects” while celebrating the promise of the “40 Under 40,” MAW 2025 forges an intergenerational dialogue—linking heritage with innovation, legacy with experimentation.

More than anything, MAW 2025 calls upon Malaysians—from policymakers to laypeople—to participate in shaping the spaces they inhabit. As Ar. Adrianta aptly put it, the goal is to reclaim architecture “as an act of empathy, memory, and imagination.”

With its sights set on community engagement and national reflection, Malaysian Architecture Week 2025 may well mark the beginning of a new chapter—one where design speaks with and for the people.