By Yvonne Tuah
KUCHING, Sept 27: Architecture is more than an aesthetic pursuit. In the context of a home or property, it is not simply about what pleases the eye, but about creating value that extends beyond visual impressions.
Good architecture shapes the way we live. It influences how we feel, how we think, and even how we behave. It channels light to lift moods, encourages air to flow for comfort, harnesses water to cool spaces, and carries the imprint of human touch that makes design feel deeply personal.
This was the key message at Hock Seng Lee’s “Architecture Talk: More Than Aesthetics,” held during the weekend at La Promenade Mall where renowned architects Wee Hii Min and Choong Wei Li shared their perspectives on transforming houses and properties into spaces that are not merely functional, but living environments. To them, a well-designed home and property fosters a sense of belonging, creates ambiance that draws people together, and turns a property into something that feels truly ‘lived in.’
Wee, a PAM Gold Award winner and head of the prestigious MWAA, has worked on landmark projects across Malaysia including the Sibu Heritage Centre and Masjid Wan Alwi.
He spoke about elevating design through thoughtful details, for instance by reimagining thresholds to make an entryway more welcoming. Such gestures, he explained, may seem subtle but hold the power to transform how people experience a home.
He also suggested that roofs, for instance, could serve as more than just shelter. They could be reimagined as courtyards for social activities with panoramic views, as features that channel natural light into a property, or as ‘green elements’ that integrate sustainability into a building.
“This is about sufficiency, about using resources,” Kuching-born Wee shared during the talk.
“We do the basics well and improve, make it better. Because it’s not all about appearance. It’s about adding value to the design,” he added.
The human touch
A particular aspect that could further elevate the design of a home or property, Wee highlighted, is introducing a more “human touch” to it by “leaving a trace of hands”.
Inspired by his grandfather, who enjoyed constructing things by hand, he said incorporating a personal touch gives design deeper meaning.
“You could participate in that idea where you could do things with your own hands, you can make it, it’s not perfect, but because you do it with your own hands, I think it carries a strong meaning,” he said.
He gave an example of a steel 3D mural artwork installed at an industrial factory project’s new administrative office building. Wee and the team decided to repurposed scrap metal from the factory to create a new mural for the space.
“If you leave a physical legacy that you built, I think that makes it even more meaningful. This idea about leaving a trace of our hands, we continue that with many of the projects,” Wee said.
He noted that this may well be the “Sarawakian way of doing things,” one that allows architects to leave traces of their work within projects, while also embedding something uniquely Sarawakian into the design.
On that note, Wee encouraged more architects, especially those from Sarawak, to travel and learn from architectural practices around the world. At the same time, he urged them to return and contribute meaningfully to the local community.
Incorporating elements
Taking a page from Sarawak’s ancestors, who built homes with proper ventilation, light and access to water, Choong emphasised the importance of incorporating vernacular design that respects natural elements.
Kuching-born and Miri-raised, Choong, who ranks among PAM’s 40 Under 40: Top Malaysian Emerging Architects, emphasised how light, wind and water should guide modern design while keeping the state’s tropical climate in mind.
“We should look back on our ancestors, who actually built their houses in response to the climate and the weather,” said Choong, who is also a founder of Futurground Architects in Kuala Lumpur.
“In Sarawak, this is how houses should respond to the climates. You have the log overhangs, the pitch roof to drain the water, and then you have these long verandas to keep all the activities inside and outside,” he added.
On airflow, he stressed the need for cross ventilation, while for light, he advised that homes in Malaysia should provide shade yet still allow for circulation and sufficient natural brightness.
As for water, Choong said incorporating the element into modern design is more complex. “For the Chinese, water also means good fortune. We try to channel in water while being careful with it,” he said, noting the importance of ensuring structural safety around such features.
The concept of incorporating light, wind and water elements into a house/property design are present in HSL’s project, of which Choong is involved in.
HSL’s emphasis on green designs
For HSL’s projects, emphasis are given to more than just aesthetics to the design of a house or property. HSL is working together with leading architects, interior designers, town-planners, landscapers and engineers to enable projects to come to fruition.
Design elements like linear parks between houses are carried through from masterplans to finished product. HSL’s also aims to be a greenery-forward developer.
For HSL’s upcoming common facilities at HSL’s townhouses, which will be launched next year, it will include clubhouses that incorporate expansive cross ventilation, large shades to protect from tropical heat and rain, and is surrounded by lots of landscaping.
In other HSL projects like Citadines Langit Kuching, a joint condo-hotel development, open spaces are always given priority. At Langit, the signature element is a public grand staircase, with landscaping, and spaces to encourage community engagement.
The talk is part of HSL’s Property Expo 2025 at La Promenade Mall. The expo, which started on September 18 and will run until October 5, is HSL’s first property expo and features promotions and discounts across all its projects including the established gated residences of La Promenade to Jigsaw, the developer’s first condominium project. The expo also runs concurrently with the La Promenade Oktoberfest and will culminate with the opening of a new resort-style duplex on October 4. – DayakDaily
