KUCHING: Results for Langit — Sarawak’s first architecture competition to find the best ideas for a high-rise in Kuching city centre — will be announced this Saturday, 10.00am.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg will be the guest of honour, and he will announce the winners in a ceremony live-streamed across social media platforms.
Architects and members of the public can catch the ceremony live on @hslcn and @unitkomunikasiawamsarawak.
Organisers of the competition are Hock Seng Lee (HSL), collaborating with Next Phase (NP), which is the land owner, and the Malaysian Institute of Architects, Sarawak Chapter (PAMSC).
“It is our great honour the Chief Minister is attending the results ceremony. We received 112 registrations for the competition. The number of architects interested to design a skyscraper in east Malaysia really surprised and motivated us,” said competition jury member Yu Ji, who is the developer representative from HSL-NP.
Cash prizes for the event competition total RM200,000.
The location of Langit is a compact but fantastically located site along Jalan Tabuan, in between Kuching’s historic core and established commercial centres.
The site of Langit, Sarawak's first national architecture contest for a high-rise in Kuching's city centre.
HSL-NP fully intends to build one of the winning entries.
The Langit competition began in March. Entries came from across Malaysia. Some were joint designs with architects practising overseas.
The panel comprised renowned architects from Kuching and Kuala Lumpur, including Malaysian Institute of Architects president Datuk Ezumi Harzani, PAMSC immediate past chairman Ivy Jong, Veritas Architects director Lilian Tay, multi PAM award winner and conservationist Mike Boon, and Yu.
Judging criteria include public spaces, environmental design aspects and building feasibility.
In HSL-NP’s design brief, floor area was capped at 30,000-square-meter, ensuring design entires would be buildable and not unrealistically large for a city of under a million people.
“The scoring and deliberation process was anonymous from start to finish,” explained competition convenor Chai Si Yong, who is PAMSC’s current chairman.
“It was important to the developer-client that the identities of those who submitted was never revealed. The judging was solely ideas based and is merit driven. As the convenor, we did not even indicate how many were by architects inside or outside Sarawak. The results unveiling is going to be quite an excitement for professionals across Malaysia.”
Jong, a Sarawakian architect notable for her eco designs, said the competition was a refreshing development model.
“For the first time ever, architects are given a site by an established and reputed developer with an open brief and an emphasis for community engagement. By starting a dialogue with the wider community on what can be built on the selected site, the developer has demonstrated their desire to be public driven in their buildings, which is welcoming,” Jong said.
The 11 shortlisted entries, selected from a total of 112 registrations from architects nationwide.
The results ceremony will be at HSL Tower of La Promenade, the developer’s flagship 200acre gated community.
For more info, visit langitkch.com, hsl.com.my or search #LangitKch and @hslcn on social media.