Written by Mervyn Wong Hsin Jyi
Held on 8th & 9th October at Kuching’s newly opened VOCO Hotel, the PAMSC (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia Sarawak Chapter) Design Festival 2026 challenged participants to address Sarawak’s rapid evolution through the theme “Edges and Transitions: Designing Between Worlds.” Positioned at a critical crossroads between heritage and progress, ecology and infrastructure, and tradition and modernity, the competition requires teams to design and build a large-scale, modular sculptural installation that serves as an urban micro-intervention or spatial prototype and, rather than an abstract art piece, meaningfully responds to the cultural, social, and environmental realities of Sarawak.
Participants gathered on beanbags during the opening briefing, an informal setting that preceded the timed design and build
UNIMAS Team setting out and measuring kraft board on the cutting mat, establishing the base components of the installation
UNIMAS Team engaged in the design and fabrication process, measuring and cutting cardboard sheets according to their structural layout
At the workstations, team members carefully laid out materials, tested structural joints, and integrated intricate patterned screens and triangulated geometries. Beyond the intense pressure of the clock, the atmosphere was charged with shared enthusiasm, camaraderie, and creative energy. Working side by side with peers from other universities provided invaluable opportunities to exchange ideas, witness diverse design methodologies, and experience the broader regional architectural community.
UNIMAS Team assembling the modular components and testing dry-joint tectonics during the 24-hour sprint
Testing of shadow interaction under light to verify whether the cast silhouette successfully formed the distinct shape of the hornbill
The final assembly of UNIMAS Team’s modular model on display at the exhibition foyer
Exhibition panel for Nexus Residences: Urban Microliving Pods, Architecture Studio 6, 2025/2026, Foo Rui En, UNIMAS, displayed alongside the competition works
For UNIMAS students, this 24-hour marathon was an unforgettable test of endurance, teamwork, and spatial thinking. From the opening briefing at TexHouse on the morning of 8th October to the final assembly and installation setup at the VOCO Hotel Kuching on 9th October, the journey was filled with intense brainstorming, precise cutting, trial assemblies, and late-night problem-solving.
More than a competition, the PAMSC Design Festival 2026 was a celebration of design passion, collective learning, and creative enjoyment. Above all, FBE students thoroughly enjoyed the event, returning to the studio enriched with new perspectives, stronger technical confidence, and a reinvigorated passion to keep exploring the edges and transitions of built environment.