location
KLCC Convention Center, Hall 8
client
C.I.S. Network
project duration : 1 month
Event: Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) 2023
project team members
1. ar firadaus khazis ismail
2. mastura zaidi
3. fakrul iqbal
4. azri
5. danial
6. kong wei hong
7. iffah raiha
8. aina zain
9. emylia
10. noor akmal danish
other team members/consultant
contractor – space lab design and build sdn bhd
status
completed
Unveiled during the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) 2023, the PAM Pavilion 2023 celebrates 100 years of PAM (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia). Positioned prominently at the heart of the festival grounds in Hall 8, the pavilion follows the legacy of previous installations by Ar. Alice (2022) and Ar. Dr. Tan Loke Mun (2021), offering a minimalist, immersive, and symbolically layered intervention.
The design is a spatial translation of PAM’s institutional purity and professional diversity. A central tunnel composed of white frosted tempered glass represents PAM’s enduring values—clarity, transparency, and integrity. Surrounding this are modular Perspex panels in vibrant colours, symbolising the wide-ranging expertise, culture, and creative voices that make up PAM’s evolving architectural community.
Inside the tunnel lies the Time Tunnel, a curated corridor displaying the projects and profiles of 40 Malaysian architects and studios. Acting as a collective portrait, this interior gallery guides visitors through the visual DNA of local architecture—past, present, and future—offering both recognition and reflection.
In plan view, the pavilion operates as a single linear axis, organizing spatial experience as a procession. This direct, unwavering line reinforces the idea of architectural continuity and forward motion, aligning with the centennial celebration of PAM.
However, in elevation, the pavilion reveals a dramatic gesture: the structure rises in height from 3 meters at the entrance to 4.5 meters at the exit, which aligns with the KLAF open stage beyond. This gradual vertical lift creates a subtle crescendo—both literally and metaphorically—drawing visitors from an introspective beginning into an open, public-facing conclusion. The rising section transforms the linear tunnel into a symbolic journey from inward reflection to outward engagement.
Completed within four weeks, the pavilion was executed by Spacelab Design and Build Sdn Bhd, whose attention to detail enabled the precise alignment of frameless glass panels, concealed steel framework, and coloured acrylic modules. Key material sponsorship came from Innoglass, Topline, Ajiya, Nam Heng, and GP Glass, ensuring the high transparency and refined finish central to the concept.
Throughout KLAF 2023, the pavilion served not just as a landmark, but as a forum for conversation. It hosted informal discussions, design critiques, and photo moments, blurring the line between installation and public space. Its transparency invited curiosity, while the Time Tunnel encouraged lingering and discovery.
