Award-winning Malaysian architect Lok Wooi: Architects must be optimistic for sustainable design

Tell us more about your background and why you pursued architecture.

I grew up in a small town called Tanah Merah, Pendang in Kedah, among the Malay kampung (village). I used to help my father run a small sundry shop and very often had the opportunity to represent him when attending kenduri (festive feasts) in the villages.

The encounter was a very impactful one where a village could instantly be transformed into a festive space, where huts were built of natural materials like bamboo, rattan, and nipah leaves. From my perspective, it shows that when the environment is looked after, it provides resources in return.

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Why did you decide to start Wooi Architect?

I see architecture as an artistic endeavour, more than just a business, meaning an individual creative act. So naturally, like an artist, you want to be in control of the outcome of your work.

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Do you have a distinctive style, and is there a building you are particularly proud of?

I would say I have not consciously pursued certain styles in terms of how the buildings will look. However, I have a particular approach in that I prioritise using local materials and passive design, creating a comfortable space with natural light and ventilation rather than heavily relying on air conditioning. With the post-COVID era, this seems like a sound approach to design.

Each of the buildings I have created has its own story and challenges, which I am proud to say is what makes a building interesting. Oculus House for example, has different opportunities and challenges being situated on a slope compared to Heng House, which is located on flat land with closer proximity to its neighbours. I am very satisfied with both for different reasons. It is like comparing an apple with an orange, to each its own.

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Most of your projects are private residences—was this deliberate?

In a way, it was by default. When I came back from Australia after staying there for 10 years, I was involved in a panel investigating the collapse of a condominium in 1992, and I was shocked by the poor quality of mass-produced houses here.

I have decided to design buildings where I have control over, and private residences seem to be the best way to go. However, I have designed a visitor centre too. I believe clients appreciate good design.

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Why is sustainability important to you and how does that translate in your work?

Back when I was a student in Australia, we were taught to respect the natural environment and to build things with economy of means. In short, it is common sense to design with sustainability in mind.

The use of local materials and design with natural ventilation for example is not only sustainable but also cheaper to build and operate. It is quite curious why people today see sustainability as a special feature or option. Sustainability is an integral part of good design.

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Is it challenging to convince clients to incorporate sustainable initiatives in their homes?

In a way, it is difficult. Expecting clients to live without air-conditioning is like expecting them to drive cars without air conditioners. Climate change has also added to the challenge.

However, after COVID-19, people learned that air-conditioned rooms are not as healthy when compared to naturally ventilated spaces. Permitting sunlight to enter spaces judiciously during certain times of the day helps kill the virus, and provide a source of Vitamin D. So, my approach is always providing the option for natural ventilation like collapsible doors, while the space can also be supplemented with air conditioners.

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What are your thoughts on how sustainability is addressed in Malaysian architecture?

There is much room for improvement, maybe due to apathy. Building materials, for example, are still mainly using concrete, which means we will further erode our environment with lime, sand, and iron ore, which are non-renewable, and hence not sustainable.

At the same time, we seem to take for granted the 2,650 species of local wood, which are renewable resources that we could learn how to responsibly manage and use.

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You were an Adjunct Professor at the University of Putra Malaysia from 2008 to 2015.  Do you continue to be active in academia?

I have never stopped my work in education. I am an external examiner and reviewer to UKM, UiTM, and UTAR and still teach part-time at UPM to master’s degree students. I believe that sharing ideas with future architects has a better chance of bringing about positive change, while learning from them at the same time.

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What are your thoughts on architects trained locally as opposed to those trained overseas?

In the past, there may have been an advantage to studying architecture overseas as opposed to studying at our local schools, as they were still developing.

Now with the digital age, the gap is practically diminishing. However, I feel that students should travel overseas, not just to learn from other countries, but to come back with a new perspective of our own, and to be aware of what we may have taken for granted.

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What and who inspires you?

Many things as life goes on; I get inspired by little things about nature like the sunrise, sunset, an overcast sky, a tree, etc., mundane things.

The people who inspire me nowadays are my younger clients. They have a very different idea of home with an emphasis on the authenticity of simple living, which is something I align with.

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What are your hopes for the future and yourself?

An architect must be an optimist, believing that tomorrow can be made better. Being a practitioner and educator over the last 30 years gives me good reason to be hopeful, as today's students are generally very discerning and understand the issues of the day. As for me, I want to continue the work that I have been doing, creating better works.

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