In this second issue of Architecture Malaysia for 2025, we continue our tradition of celebrating the best of Malaysian architecture through the PAM Awards. This year saw a robust 165 entries — a notable rise from 107 in 2024 and 120 in 2023. Of these, 66 projects were shortlisted, and the jury conferred 8 Gold Awards, 14 Silver Awards, and 16 Commendations.
These figures reflect a vibrant environment of architectural practice and an encouraging sign that more architects are stepping forward to showcase their work on a national platform. More importantly, they demonstrate that Malaysian architects are actively pushing the envelope — experimenting with new materials, reinterpreting local contexts, and rising to meet increasingly complex social, economic, and environmental challenges.
LESSONS FROM OUR EMERGING ARCHITECTS
At a recent forum titled Future Inspirations: Visions for Tomorrow, held during Malaysian Architecture Week (MAW) at The Toffee¹, one could sense the pulse of the profession’s future. The robust discussions underscored that the future of architecture in Malaysia is being shaped not just by the buildings we create, but by the bold ideas and values that guide us.
A recurring theme was the call to lead with vision, empathy, and innovation — criteria that perfectly capture where architecture must be headed. As cities evolve and society grows more complex, architects are asked to respond not only with technical mastery, but with clarity of purpose and social insight.
In this spirit,I believe that any architectural critique must take into account the bigger picture. We must ask: Is the result of what we design going to be a force for good for the next 50 years? Will it contribute to the happiness of its users and society in general? Does it elevate the practice of architec- ture, serving to inspire other architects to do better?
Critique, then, is not about tearing down — it is about building up. It is about upholding standards, sharpening intention, and ensuring that what we celebrate today will still be relevant, responsible, and resonant for decades to come.
RETHINKING THE AWARDS PROCESS
The PAM Awards, in their current form, provide a structured and peer-reviewed process of evaluation. Each entry is reviewed through multiple lenses — design clarity, social impact, technical rigour — and includes site assessments, jury discussions, and final citations.
Perhaps it is time to take the process one step further. A proposal worth exploring is the introduction of a roadshow of public forums — with panel speakers comprising not just of architects, but also their clients, policymakers, and the general public. Such forums could foster a deeper understanding between those who shape the built environment and those who live with its consequences. They could help shift the culture toward one where good design is not only appreciated, but expected.
Architects must be encouraged to write — not just about their projects, but about the importance of design and its far-reaching impact on people and place. At the same time, there is a need to promote architectural journalism by non-architects — writers, thinkers, and commentators who can broaden the public’s understanding of design.
Architecture thrives when it is interpreted, critiqued, and challenged from both within and beyond the profession. Architecture Malaysia is open to these voices — to reviews, essays, and provocations that deepen the public’s appreciation for the built environment.
It is in this spirit that we are currently developing a new online portal for Architecture Malaysia — envisioned as a Malaysian response to Dezeen or ArchDaily. With more frequent content cycles and a diversity of contributors, the aim is to cultivate a vibrant, multilingual design discourse that reaches both the profession and the public.
There are certainly other ways where we can work collectively to broaden our public-facing programs and extend the reach of architectural engagement.
To win a PAM Award is both an honour and a responsibility. It signifies that a project has set a benchmark — not just for its year, but for our collective standards going forward. These buildings should provoke admiration, yes, but also introspection. They should inspire us all to ask: What are we truly designing for? What kind of legacy are we leaving behind?
On behalf of the team at AM, I would like to congratulate all the winners featured in this issue. For the architects among our readers, may the following pages inspire us all to craft better outcomes for the communities we serve.
Ar. David Teoh
Editor-in-Chief, Architecture Malaysia
