A repost from Reddit as I wasn’t aware of the quick questions rule, apologies!
This is a bit of a long one, but I hope it is meaningful to you in some way and you can help me.
Me and my girlfriend (who is Malaysian) are moving to KL in Jan/Feb next year. She's an architecture graduate from a uni in the UK where we are now and wants to help local communities in Malaysia by creating spaces/buildings/structures that serve them in a meaningful way, but she wants to make sure that these projects use locally sourced materials and waste so they are as environmentally friendly as possible. For example, restoring abandoned buildings or re-purposing them is an area she wants to explore.
So far, most of the architecture firms she is seeing online are building the standard condos or office buildings which we are all accustomed to seeing in most bigger cities around the country. She is finding it hard to find firms who focus on smaller projects which re-use and recycle materials/structures and is getting disheartened that such architecture doesn't exist in Malaysia. I am certain this isn't the case so I wanted to ask if any of you is aware of such architecture firms or places where she can find and network with the right people.
Thank you in advance and wish you all a great day ahead!
+1 on seksan.
Can try to look at the ppl behind REXKL https://architizer.com/projects/rexkl/
Thinkcity isn't an architecture firm but they work in urban history and restoration so they might have good leads.
YTL is a big conglomerate but look for the people responsible for KLPAC and Sentul West (it's no doubt gentrification but it's worth looking at what they did with the Sentul train depot complex - that's now Sentul Depot).
Apparently Studio Bikin is involved with the APW Bangsar site (which part of it was the New Straits Times printer building) but the ppl behind this building nearby might be a good source of info: https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2016/09/11/bangsars-striking-new-landmark-is-an-architects-dream-come-true/1200553
There's a lot of small-time and medium-sized firms imo but I'm not surprised online search doesn't yield a lot, compared to the big players above. You guys may be surprised at the extent of the work already done tbh.
ETA: this entire channel is basically a video lookbook of firms doing what you guys are interested in, I suspect: https://youtube.com/@designseedstudio - I especially like the Denai Sepuloh house (apparently old-timer architect), but there's at least a dozen of projects on that channel that might yield leads for you.
Can't exactly recommend YTL.... They're horrible and cheap. Not a good place to work.
Definitely agree as a workplace, but maybe they can get leads on who did the Sentul Depot work and get a meeting or two just to ask. But yeah - big corpo with so-so work culture
Ah good idea.
Yeah, I used to work for one of their hotels. Toxic work culture. I remember they hosted their annual dinner or something. A woman was given an award because she's the last to leave and the first to be in the office.
While everyone was clapping for her, I could only think WTF is that?
Yikes! BIG YIKES!