Honouring Heritage, Embrace Modernity
Rising boldly within Terengganu's developing administrative hub, the Jabatan Audit Negara (JAN) building stands as a proud celebration of the state's distinct cultural identity and historical heritage. The design vision elevates traditional, under glorified craftsmanship into a monumental civic landmark, bridging history with civic pride to serve as the "financial arteries" of the state while remaining deeply rooted in the identity of its people.
The architectural concept creatively reinterprets classical Terengganu residential traditions into a grand institutional form. Its most striking feature is the classic sharp roofline inspired by the traditional "Pemeleh" method, protruding to the sky like a queen's crown to give the building instant, recognizable character. Upon entering, visitors are ushered in by eight prominent posts inspired by the iconic "Rumah Tiang 12" typology, where columns rise directly from the foundation to the roof structure. From an aerial perspective, the entire layout beautifully mimics the "Rumah Tele" a historic extended main building unique to Terengganu anchoring the entire structure in the region's royal architectural history.
To bring this complex, intricate geometry to life, advanced manufacturing technologies were deployed. The architects utilized the specialized LYSAGHT® 360 SEAM® roofing profile, which provided the immersive design flexibility required to cleanly shape the intricate grooves and sharp edges on the gables. Furthermore, a mobile, on-site rollforming system bypassed traditional transport constraints, enabling seamless, long-length panels that dramatically minimize potential leakage points.
This technological innovation directly addresses the building's biggest environmental challenge, Positioned on the monsoon driven, highly corrosive Malaysian peninsula coast, the design prioritizes passive sustainability and extreme material longevity. Constructed with COLORBOND® steel, the roof offers exceptional anti-corrosive properties engineered to withstand harsh coastal winds, heavy downpours, and salty marine air for decades to come.
Beyond resilience, the building embraces passive energy and human-centric design. An innovative internal yard features a large central skylight that floods the core with natural illumination, vastly reducing reliance on artificial lighting while optimizing natural ventilation. By deliberately integrating regional typologies, the architecture serves as a physical reflection of the community's shared cultural memory. It strips away the sterile,detached feeling typical of government institutions, making the building feel instantly recognizable and deeply close to the local community. Inside, this connection to nature continues, as the abundance of natural sunlight and fresh air flow creates a bright, visually spacious interior that actively fosters a healthier, more conducive, and highly productive environment for the staff working within.
Located at the Bukit Minyak Halal Hub Industrial Park, Penang, Federal Oats Mills (FOM) was constructed in 2020 and awarded the PAM Award for Excellence in 2020. The new factory became the new manufacturing base of which previously operated at the Mak Mandin Industrial Park at Butterworth since the 50’s. The new factory serves as a new vision and symbol for the 57 years old company to reach a greater milestone with the three-fold increase in production capacity. Sleek, industrial surfaces and clean volumetric edges give the facade a “perfectionist” restraint, one that allows the building to expand or evolve without compromising its overall composition. The use of COLORBOND® steel allows for an interplay between clean cut steel and crude concrete textured walls to arise providing a tactilely rich experience.
Rooted in a brutalist “form follows function” approach, FOM’s predominant volumetric expression is shaped directly by the manufacturing process itself. From the storage silos through the manufacturing plant, packing department, administration center, and finally the warehouse, each volume reads as an honest articulation of its role within this production sequence. This creates a legible building that reads the same from the inside and outside. FOM balances the industrial rigour with human comfort through passive daylight strategies and communal spaces
The building primarily uses textured concrete walls and COLORBOND® steel where the clean cut precision of the steel plays against the crude, textured surface of the concrete to create a striking material dialogue across the facade. This dialogue echoes the industrial nature of the building, pairing the machine-finished, industrial quality of steel with the textured concrete.Moreover, the COLORBOND® steel provides a material rhythm to the building, catching and reflecting light opposing the dullness from the concrete, creating a shifting rhythm throughout the day. Together, the materials reinforce the building’s industrial characteristics whilst grounding the large industrialness of the site in a tactile and human-scaled architecture.
The building’s volumetric expression is tectonically honest, expressing its volumes through its functions from the storage silos to the manufacturing plant. It articulates the production process through the building’s form. The concrete contrasts with COLORBOND® steel to heighten the building’s brutalist characteristics and highlight the volumes of the building to create a sculptural and industrial quality.
FOM provides spaces for community and gathering, notably the sky garden which is placed centrally within the site acting as a communal space for staff. It acts as a place to gather and socialise to take a break from work, encouraging interaction between workers. Beyond everyday use, the sky garden also doubles as a venue for office functions and events, reinforcing its role as the social heart of the facility
As the building ages and expands, the materials continue to express themselves as intended. The durability of the COLORBOND® steel keeps the appearance sleek, being resistant to corrosion, fading, and general weathering in the harsh industrial environment. This allows the building to remain functional while maintaining the building’s crisp industrial aesthetic. The material choices allow for long-term resilience and for the overall facade to age gracefully with minimal maintenance.
The building uses passive daylighting as a sustainability strategy for the proposal, reducing dependency on artificial lighting, lowering the building’s overall energy consumption. Skylights flood the double volume central void spilling diffused natural light into workspaces, and circulation areas. With strategic placements of openings, the building stays well lit whilst providing views outwards and creating a healthy work environment with natural light.
In November 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for expanded community facilities at St. Ann Catholic Church in Kota Padawan. Serving more than 2,500 congregants from the Borneo Highland community and surrounding residential areas, the church required additional spaces to support religious, educational, and social activities. Although an extension was included in the original master plan by another architect, the project remained on hold until the pandemic emphasised the importance of flexible and adequate communal spaces.
Inspired by the architectural heritage of the predominantly Dayak community, the design reinterprets the traditional Bidayuh Longhouse as a contemporary gathering environment. The extension introduces two new buildings - the Classroom Block and the Administration Block arranged in an L-shaped configuration along the southern edge of the existing church complex. This arrangement forms a central courtyard that serves as an open-air event and celebration space, encouraging interaction, connection, and community engagement.
Classroom Block: Reinventing the Communal Corridor
Stretching 108 metres in length, the Classroom Block adopts a tropical design approach that prioritises environmental comfort. Its north-facing, single-loaded corridor reduces solar heat gain while improving natural ventilation and daylight access. Perforated façade screens provide protection from sun and rain while adding texture, rhythm, and identity to the building.
The corridor is designed as more than a circulation route. Drawing inspiration from the ruai, the communal corridor of the traditional Bidayuh Longhouse, it becomes a semi-outdoor social space that supports informal learning, interaction, and gathering. Extended and lowered window sills create informal seating areas, allowing users to pause, communicate, and engage with the surrounding environment.
Administration Block: Complementary and Functional
Complementing the Classroom Block, the Administration Block accommodates essential church operations and support facilities. The ground floor includes the reception area, priests’ offices, waiting lounge, and a retail shop with a mezzanine level serving visitors and congregants. The upper floor provides meeting rooms, an audio studio, resource centre, pantry, and additional office spaces.
Following the same tropical design principles, screened corridors provide climatic protection while maintaining visual connections to the central courtyard. A distinctive feature of the building is the bright yellow external staircase that projects outward, creating a playful and welcoming architectural element. Inspired by the symbolic entry ramps of Noah’s Ark, the staircase represents openness, invitation, and community connection.
A Collaborative Community Project
As a community-driven initiative, the project required close collaboration, transparent communication, and careful financial management. With a limited charitable budget, every design and construction decision was carefully considered to achieve practicality, durability, and value.
The project also created an opportunity for a young architectural assistant, who began as an intern and was a parish member, to take on a leading role with support from experienced professionals. The team included a senior inspector of works and a project committee led by a retired civil servant with extensive project management experience.
Awarded in January 2023, the project faced several challenges, including unforeseen underground conditions, adverse weather, and subcontractor coordination issues. Despite these obstacles, the project achieved its Certificate of Practical Completion in November 2024, followed by regulatory approvals in early 2025.
Celebrating Community Through Architecture
The Blessing and Opening Ceremony held on 8 March 2025, officiated by the Archbishop, reflected the success of the project’s vision. Congregants naturally gathered along the corridors, occupied the window seats, and activated the central courtyard, transforming the architecture into a vibrant space for fellowship and community life.
More than a building extension, St. Ann’s Church Extension represents community-centred architecture that supports learning, caring, sharing, and connection. Through thoughtful design and collective effort, the project strengthens the identity of the church while providing an inclusive environment that will continue serving future generations.
UNIFOR Complex is built on a 3.19 acre site, strategically located 5 kilometres away from Kuching City Centre. Surrounded by institutional facilities and residential area, this development comprises of an eight-storey office block on top of a two-storey commercial and convention facilities podium with surface car parking bays at the eastern and western ends. The building is wholly owned and managed by the UNIT FOR OTHER RELIGIONS CHARITABLE TRUST. Other than being used to house their offices, the remaining office spaces, Commercial and event spaces will be rented out to generate revenue for the Charitable Trust.
Metal roofing crafted in COLORBOND® steel is used to cover over the most significant component (Main Hall) of the building. The neutral Armour Grey colour was chosen as part of the overall colour pallate strategy. This light grey also contributes to deflect heat minimising thermal gain into the building. The vast roofing coverage over the Main Hall provides a excellent catchment area for rainwater harvesting, collected to use as landscape irrigation and for general cleaning.
SIMPLE ICONIC BUILDING, HUMBLE & NOBLE CONCEPT
Like a beautifully wrapped present, this innovative architectural design symbolizes a divine gift of unity among religious communities. Its bold building form attracts attention from outside while its internal spaces promote a sense of unity on the inside. The contrast in building heights gives the UNIFOR office block a tall order expressing its significance. As a whole, the development portrays a unique built form which is expressed by its continuous ONE WRAP cladding (aluminum composite panel) embracing the architectural envelope together with a distinctive architectural sunscreen resulting in a simple yet elegant building showcasing a new timeless contemporary iconic building. The architectural sunscreen is designed with repetitive star motives as a representation of the “Universe” to signify the Divine Power and Hope.
THE CONCOURSE
At the foreground is a multi-functional landscaped open Concourse designed as a public Civic space for outdoor events such as religious parades, festivals and youth programs. It can also be rented out for car shows and weekend flea market etc. At non-event days, it is used for car parking.
THE ROOF GARDEN
The form shaping 7m high volumetric semi-enclosed space designed as a Thermal Buffer between the top office floor and the topmost roof evolved into a very pleasant and serene Roof Garden. The through openings facing the North and South ends offer a true cross natural ventilation while the side openings below the skylights bleed all the hot air out by way of natural stack ventilation. The water features at both ends offer evaporative cooling to the ambient air.
ARCHITECTURALLY GREEN
Architecturally, the design of UNIFOR Complex focused on Passive Design principles, Design Efficiency and Space Sufficiency. With a good and balance combination, the overall outcome is a building with good energy efficiency and good indoor environmental quality.
This building has achieved a Provisional Green Building Index (GBI) ‘Certified’ rating certification.
PASSIVE FEATURES
The main elongated building façades are orientated towards the North and South while the narrow side facades are facing the East and West with very minimal openings. The overall building envelope is protected from the harsh sun by the continuous light colour aluminum composite panel cladding with extended overhangs.
Dalat The Marina is anchored in creating a harmonious architectural dialogue with its natural surroundings, seamlessly blending form and function to foster an inspiring environment. Conceived as a fluid sanctuary, the design concept draws inspiration from undulating coastal waves, translating this natural rhythm into curved terraces, layered volumes, and an organic architectural expression. To preserve the panoramic view of the natural horizon from the surrounding neighbourhood, the three-storey building incorporates a strategic sunken configuration, sitting partially below the main road level. This sensitive approach to massing ensures that the public realm retains its connection to the scenic landscape while creating a safe, welcoming, and deeply contextual atmosphere for the building's users.
Central to the project's spatial quality and community-focused intent is a recessed central core that serves as a multi-purpose concourse, welcoming entrance, and gathering space. This area is activated by a grand statement staircase featuring concrete and warm timber treads integrated with lush vertical planting, offering pocket spaces for relaxation and social interaction. To mitigate the intense tropical climate, wide corridors provide effective solar shading, while the building's sweeping curves promote natural ventilation and a sense of continuity. A striking feature of this central gathering zone is the timber-patterned strip ceiling punctuated by large circular skylights, creating a rhythmic play of light and shadow that enhances the internal volume and establishes an immersive connection with the sky.
The roofing system utilises high-performance Zincalume and Colorbond Ultra steel, selected for their exceptional durability and corrosion resistance in the project's coastal industrial environment. A sophisticated roof build-up comprising double-sided reflective woven reinforced foil, fibre insulation wool, and Z-spacers significantly reduces heat gain, improves indoor thermal comfort, and enhances overall energy efficiency in support of passive environmental design. Beyond the roof, Colorbond Ultra steel is innovatively extended to the architectural fascia, replacing the conventional aluminium composite panel (ACP) system. Custom-formed steel panels were carefully fabricated to create a bold, flowing fascia with elegant continuous curves. Through precise detailing and installation, the panels achieve an almost seamless appearance with no visible cover caps or joints, resulting in a clean and uninterrupted architectural expression. This innovative application not only reinforces the building's distinctive identity but also delivers superior durability, lower maintenance, and a cohesive design language.
Adjacent to the main structure, the rooftop pavilion showcases a creative material composition that balances durability with light management. This zone incorporates translucent fibreglass-reinforced polyester roofing sheets in a clear jade tone, perfectly matched to weather-resistant profiles to introduce soft, filtered daylight. This is complemented by powder-coated aluminium box louvres spaced precisely to provide structural shade, solid clear polycarbonate sheets, and aluminium flat sheets. By responsibly deploying long-lasting materials alongside advanced insulation systems, Dalat The Marina delivers an exceptional lifecycle performance that minimises waste and carbon footprint, setting a benchmark for sustainable, innovative, and human-centric commercial architecture.
Pusat Rehabilitasi PERKESO Sultan Nazrin Shah located at (Meru) Ipoh, Perak exemplifies a nuanced model of healthcare infrastructure. Built on a 38.47-acre land with total GFA of 76,554 sqm, the centre provide for a healing journey that harmonizes large-scale clinical infrastructure with an architectural curated therapeutic, nature-integrated spaces and landscape.
The 13 blocks planning draws deep inspiration from the delicate royal weave art of Bunga Tekat Emas, with building forms radiating outward to foster connectivity. The architecture is inspired by the state’s traditional dwelling (Rumah Kutai), with its column bases mimicking tree roots clad in wood-finished steel and intentionally tilted angle, these columns create a rhythmic interplay of light and shadow across the landscape.
Each blocks are filtered from sunlight with perforated screens featuring local floral motifs, producing a lighter contemporary structure. Emphasis on environmental integration is central. Every space prioritizes natural light, fresh air and views to nature. Courtyard spaces are strategically placed to serve as outdoor extensions of the rehabilitation program, providing safe environments for mobility training and physical therapy amidst nature.
While embracing a contemporary and forward-looking architectural language, its low-rise form respects the surrounding residential neighbourhood by maintaining a modest skyline. Buildings are carefully arranged within generous green landscapes, allowing nature, daylight and fresh air to become integral parts of the rehabilitation journey. Open plazas, shaded walkways and naturally ventilated spaces encourage social interaction while ensuring year-round thermal comfort. Privacy is thoughtfully balanced with observation through landscaped courtyards, screened exercise areas and intimate outdoor pockets, enabling users to rehabilitate with dignity in a safe and monitored environment. The result is an inclusive, welcoming environment that supports recovery, strengthens community connections and contributes positively to the public realm.
Innovation is expressed through the project's integrated approach to architecture, materiality and construction. A refined standing seam roofing system using COLORBOND® steel unifies all 13 buildings and its main canopy, establishing a contemporary architectural identity while delivering outstanding technical performance. Beyond its clean, elegant appearance, the system enables long-span roof forms, seamless junctions and precise detailing that would be difficult to achieve with conventional roofing. Its flexibility accommodates the project's complex roof geometry and interfaces effortlessly with skylights, canopies, screens and rainwater management systems, ensuring both visual continuity and construction efficiency. The durability, corrosion resistance and colour stability of the coated steel provide a low-maintenance solution suited to Malaysia's tropical climate. By aligning architectural ambition with buildability, the roofing system demonstrates how thoughtful material innovation can elevate design quality, simplify construction and deliver a cohesive, high-performance environment across the entire rehabilitation centre.
The centre demonstrates excellence in sustainable development through its achievement of GreenRE Platinum Certification. The architecture optimizes environmental performance by utilizing strategic building orientation, high-performance glazing, and lush landscaping to minimize heat gain. Energy efficiency is strictly managed via a Building Management System (BMS), VRF system air-conditioning, intelligent lighting and others. Furthermore, a solar photovoltaic system over the car park generates renewable energy, while electric buggies promote low-carbon mobility.
The project’s commitment to sustainability extends to responsible procurement, prioritizing locally sourced, recycled, and low-VOC materials to reduce embodied carbon while enhancing indoor environmental quality. Resource management is equally rigorous, incorporating water-efficient fittings and rainwater harvesting for irrigation. Coupled with drought-tolerant landscaping and comprehensive waste segregation, these initiatives ensure the facility remains a resilient, resource-efficient model that significantly lowers operational emissions throughout its lifespan. By synthesizing intelligent building operations with durable, green materials, this rehabilitation centre serves as a benchmark for long-term ecological responsibility in modern healthcare infrastructure.
The Anjung Puteri is a sanctuary where the rhythms of the natural world dictate the pace of life,and the architecture breathes in unison with the tropical climate.
Perched on an undulating four-acre hilltop in Port Dickson, the Anjung Puteri is an exploration in reinterpreting contemporary Malay architectural identity. Rather than resorting to superficial nostalgic historical paste-ups, the project grounds itself in the foundational logic of the traditional Rumah Melayu: spatial adaptability, climate-responsiveness, and an intimate symbiosis and survival with the surrounding land.
Form Follows… Climate and Culture
The overarching architectural form is neither monolithic nor rigid.Instead, it unfolds across the hill in a loose, dynamic, radiating form. By allowing the footprint to step naturally along the site’s topography, the building opens itself up to sweep the coastal breezes of Port Dickson while framing curated view corridors toward the landscape.
The climate shapes the people and its culture.The form is primarily being by shaped by the Malay lifestyle in terms of privacy zoning. The local culture is expressed in the detailing, carvings and the custom designed furniture.
Passive design strategies dictate every structural decision:
Microclimate Optimization: Deep overhangs, elevated pavilions, and permeable facades dramatically drop interior thermal heat gain without relying on energy-intensive mechanical cooling.
Driven by Ventilation: Finger-like forms and porous spatial arrangement maximize cross-ventilation, capturing prevailing winds to flush out heat continuously.
Threshold Spaces: Generous anjung (verandahs) and transitional shaded walkways blur the line between interior sanctuary and the outdoors, creating comfortable microclimate where daily life naturally gravitates.
Craft, Memory, and Honest Materiality
The material palette speaks of grounding, honesty, and endurance. Built using a robust triad of reclaimed Chengal timber, tactile facing bricks, coated steel and exposed structural concrete, the house establishes a tactile dialogue between heritage and modernity.
The structural timber narrative is rooted in an artisanal approach to timber joinery. Using salvaged ancient Chengal, local master carpenters employed traditional techniques—allowing the timber to breathe, settle, and age gracefully over time. These exposed timber connections celebrate human touch and structural transparency, contrasting beautifully against the earthy solidity of raw facing brickwork and the cool, grounding presence of concrete.
The Autonomous Homestead
At its core, The Anjung Puteri expands the definition of residential architecture from a mere shelter to an active, living ecosystem. Designed for multi-generational living with seven distinct bedroom suites, the residence is built around the ethos of self-reliance and autonomous living:
Agricultural Strips: Dedicated plots integrated into the landscape yield paddy, seasonal vegetables, and fruit orchards.
Living Cycles: Integrated poultry rearing and a self-sustaining freshwater fish pond close the loop on household food systems and organic waste management.
By weaving food production and water retention directly into the master plan, the estate acts as a resilient homestead.
Architecture is at its best when it stops trying to dominate its context and instead becomes an instrument for living in balance with it.
The Anjung Puteri strives for authenticity and local identity. It stands as a modern testament to Malay spatial intelligence—where traditional wisdom, artisan timber craft, and modern passive design converge into a timeless, self-sustaining sanctuary on the hill.
Nestled within Sungai Petani's premier golf resort, Cinta Sayang Resort Villas 2 (CSRV2) is a masterclass in organic architecture.
This exclusive enclave of 41 boutique bungalows breaks tradtional molds with signature curved rooflines that mimic the natural horizon. Designed for "resort living," the 2.5-storey homes prioritize wellbeing through double volume ceilings, expansive glass, and seamless indoor-outdoor spaces like private roof terraces and balcony cabanas.
The defining innovation lies in its highly specialized application of coated steel metal deck roofing. Moving beyond standard flat-roof styles, the bungalows feature a distinct pitched profile where advanced steel cladding completely wraps around the upper architectural volumes to resemble a contemporary alpine chalet. Structurally, the primary sloped roofing system utilizes high-performance clip profile crafted in COLORBOND® steel. To achieve the custom curved roof ridges and undulating waves that mirror the mountaintops, the project relies on the advanced flexibility and strength-to-weight optimization of coated steel sheet technology.
This coated steel roof operates as the principal aesthetic identity of the project while streamlining construction, minimizing physical material weight at high elevations, and ensuring reliable weather-tight engineering.
La Concha is a contemporary seaside home that balances solid and void, privacy and openness, while framing uninterrupted ocean views. Cantilevered volumes form deep overhangs that shade and shelter from the tropical climate. A restrained palette of concrete and timber reinforces its sculptural presence within the coastal landscape. Interiors extend onto terraces and an infinity pool, dissolving boundaries between inside and out. With passive cooling, clear spatial organization, and thoughtful materiality, La Concha presents a refined and enduring approach to modern coastal living.
La Concha challenges the typical roof typologies associated with tropical seaside houses, where pitched forms are often adopted as default climatic response. Instead, the house is organised beneath a single oversized roof that consolidates structure, enclosure, and environmental control into an architectural gesture. This monolithic canopy unifies all spaces while framing uninterrupted views of the Port Dickson coastline. Deep cantilevers provide shading from sun and rain, while the hollow roof volume channels coastal winds to promote cross ventilation and reduce reliance on mechanical cooling. All primary spaces are arranged beneath this canopy, allowing indoor-outdoor areas to function as continuous living environment. The outdoor terrace is treated as the main living space, with the infinity pool aligned at floor level to visually extend toward the horizon. Materials are selected for durability in marine environment, with concrete and steel forming the primary structure, moderated by timber elements for scale, warmth, and comfort.