Architecture students win Gold at PAM annual design competition 2025

A bold vision of environmental consciousness and cultural resonance earned a team of UTAR Architecture students the coveted Gold Award at the PAM Annual Architecture Student Works Exhibition 2025 (PAASWE). Held from 8 to 12 October 2025 at the Ground Floor Centre Court of 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya, the event gathered the nation’s brightest emerging talents under the theme Archipelago – shared roots of Malaysian architecture.

The UTAR team, comprising Year One and Year Two students from the Bachelor of Science (Honours) Architecture programme under the Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science, triumphed in the Design Booth category. The winning team included Ooi Shi Yi, Liew Zi Yan, Lee Yen Xuen, Be Xin Yi, Tay Yu Hung, Brandon Tan Teng Woh, Tan Ke Zheng, Lye Hui Yee, Lai Yan Lei, Lim Jing Tian, and Ang Min Xuan. Their award-winning project, Symbiosis, stood out for its compelling integration of environmental advocacy, cultural sensitivity, and innovative use of sustainable materials. The team was guided by Project Advisor, Dr Lim Poh Im from the Department of Architecture and Sustainable Design.

The exhibition, organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), aimed to raise public awareness about architectural education and expose the wider community to the creative output of Malaysia’s architecture schools. This year’s theme, Archipelago, drew on the metaphor of a diverse yet interconnected island chain, symbolising Malaysia’s multicultural architectural heritage and the collective wisdom of regional design. It emphasised sustainability, tropical architecture, and the intrinsic relationship between built environments and cultural identity.

UTAR’s winning booth embodied this theme with striking originality. Symbiosis was inspired by Malaysia’s coral reef ecosystems and marine biodiversity, drawing on forms and patterns from species such as staghorn coral, brain coral, tube sponges, and the endangered leatherback sea turtle. Each marine organism informed key spatial and structural elements of the booth’s design, which featured coral-like sculptural forms and modular, reusable components constructed from repurposed materials including cardboard, wood planks, aluminium, plastic, and fishing nets.

The design conveyed both beauty and urgency. While celebrating the richness of marine life, it also highlighted the dangers of pollution and coral bleaching. A designated ‘pollutants corner’ used waste materials to visualise environmental degradation, offering a stark reminder of humanity’s impact on ocean ecosystems. The team’s sustainable approach further extended to traditional joinery techniques, symbolising a harmonious balance between heritage and innovation.

“Our project is a tribute to the resilience of natural ecosystems,” shared team leader Ooi Shi Yi. “Winning this award reaffirms the importance of creativity, collaboration, and purpose in architectural design. It challenges us to keep pushing boundaries while remaining grounded in environmental and social responsibility,” she added.

Echoing this sentiment, Dr Lim praised the students for their vision and dedication, “This achievement speaks not only of their talent but also of their maturity in tackling real-world issues through design. The project reflects UTAR’s commitment to cultivating architects who can respond creatively and ethically to contemporary challenges.”

Symbiosis impressed judges not only for its aesthetic and thematic coherence, but for its message of hope and regeneration. Every unit of the installation was designed to be disassembled, repaired, and reassembled—mirroring the regenerative processes of coral reefs, and symbolising the possibility of environmental renewal through conscious design.