AIR masterplan design competition attracts 125 entries

KUCHING: The AIR Master Plan Design Competition has attracted 125 registrations from architects, town planners and landscapers across Malaysia.

Hock Seng Lee and The Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) in a joint statement said the competition has seen significant interest from renowned Malaysian architects.

“However, PAM will not disclose participant identities, ensuring the initial judging phase remains anonymous to uphold meritocracy.

“Of the total, almost 80 percent of registrants are from outside Sarawak.

“With the registration phase now closed, the competition, focused on a 13-acre site adjacent to Kuching International Airport and Saradise, has entered the ‘Replies to Queries’ stage,” the statement said.

PAM and HSL are diligently reviewing participants’ questions and preparing detailed responses.

“These inquiries cover topics such as maximum building heights, Sarawak’s unique building guidelines and surrounding land use.

“Responses will be provided by three parties: PAM, a co-convenor from PAM Sarawak Chapter and HSL.

“We are committed to providing thorough answers and will publish a comprehensive FAQ by July 26 on airkch.com,” they added

The wide-ranging subjects of queries asked should result in exciting proposals.

“We also express enthusiasm about the number of registered participants.

“Compared to our first competition, Langit, in 2021, which received 112 registrations, AIR has drawn 125.

“This increased participation reflects the growing interest and awareness within the architectural community towards PAM’s initiatives and HSL’s role as a professional-led developer.

“This competition offers a significant platform for architects to showcase their innovative ideas,” they said.

For the record AIR was launched in May and is Malaysia’s sole master plan architecture competition for 2024.

The competition offers a total prize pool of RM245,000 with HSL committed to constructing one of the winning entries.

It follows the precedent set by the 2021 competition, which led to the development of Langit Citadines Kuching, which will begin construction soon.

The judging process involves a seven-member panel which will shortlist the top 10 entries in a two-stage evaluation. To ensure fairness, the initial shortlisting will be anonymous, giving young architects an equal chance against established industry figures.

Shortlisted participants will present their proposals to the jury in November, with final rankings to be determined subsequently. The results are expected by the end of the year.

Jurors will assess entries based on design innovation, eco-sustainability and business feasibility.

For more information, visit airkch.com, hsl.com.my, or search #airkch on social media.