Cover A thoughtfully selected look at Malaysia's most striking spaces, characterised by high-spec chrome, brushed aluminum, and clinical labs.
A thoughtfully selected look at Malaysia's most striking spaces, characterised by high-spec chrome, brushed aluminum, and clinical labs.
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Kuala Lumpur is moving away from cosy woods and warm tones in a shift toward ‘Future Lab’ spaces. Think sharp chrome, clinical lighting, and that sleek, liquid-metal look
The retail landscape in Kuala Lumpur is changing. The security of warm woods and organic textures is giving way to something much sharper, colder, and more evocative. It's a shift into a world of mirror-finish chrome, surgical-grade lighting, and brushed aluminium that can only be called the ‘Future Lab’ aesthetic.
These aren’t just shops; they’re architectural statements that span from the industrial-chic corners of Putrajaya to the high-tech core of TRX. We look at five key locations that are redefining retail through a lens of liquid-metal luxury and polished industrialism.
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The Ordinary, IOI City Mall
Above (Photo: The Ordinary)
(Photo: The Ordinary)
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Trading the typical, cluttered beauty counter for a space that feels like a high-spec research facility, The Ordinary’s flagship is a masterclass in transparency. It’s an environment that doesn’t just sell products; it explains them.
The design is intentionally stripped back to the essentials, creating a store that is every bit as sleek and monochromatic as their iconic product packaging. You’re met with a landscape of brushed aluminium and cool-toned white surfaces that make the bottles—labeled like chemical reagents—feel like vital specimens.
The lighting is the real star here; it’s cold, crystalline, and shadowless, reflecting off the polished floors to give the entire space a "liquid-metal" glow.
Crossover, The Exchange TRX
Above (Photo: Crossover)
(Photo: Crossover)
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If The Ordinary is a spotless laboratory, Crossover is the city’s premier high-spec flagship. More than just a sneaker shop, this space is an intense exercise in tactical materiality—think raw concrete, brushed steel grates, and heavy-gauge aluminium racks that look like they were pulled from a futuristic manufacturing line.
It’s a stark, engineered backdrop that makes the vibrant streetwear from Human Made and Wacko Maria stand out with surgical precision.
While you’re browsing the latest drops, head to the industrial shelving corridors. The repeating lines of the heavy metal racks create a perfect "vanishing point" for your photos.
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Lilanz, Pavilion Bukit Jalil
Above (Photo: Lilanz)
(Photo: Lilanz)
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If Crossover is a raw, high-spec flagship, Lilanz is a sleek departure lounge into the future. As the brand’s first ‘Future Business’ concept store in the world, the space trades traditional retail for the aerodynamic geometry of space capsules and high-speed travel. Spanning 4,350 square feet, it is a masterclass in polished stainless steel, smooth glass terrazzo, and geometric precision.
The design feels incredibly high-tech without being sterile, featuring subtle bamboo-woven details that add a touch of warmth to the metallic structure. It’s a sophisticated environment where sharp tailoring meets the smooth curves of chrome.
Gentle Monster, The Exchange TRX
Above (Photo: Superfuture)
(Photo: Superfuture)
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Gentle Monster is a high-concept gallery where the eyewear is secondary to the spectacle. Stretching across 3,500 square feet, the TRX flagship trades traditional shelves for a speculative, art-driven environment where hyper-realistic installations meet industrial luxury. The interior is a heavy-hitter in terms of materiality, dominated by brushed stainless steel, mirrored metalwork, and raw concrete. It’s a masterclass in ‘Future Retail’—where every corner feels like a clinical, art-driven experiment.
This store is effectively a studio set ‘inhabited’ by lifelike animatronics from their Seoul-based robotics lab. Avant-garde, sophisticated, and slightly surreal. It’s where cold industrialism is brought to life through movement and art.
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Sōfte, Ilham Tower
Located on the ground floor of the Foster + Partners-designed Ilham Tower, Sōfte is a high-spec departure into experimental desserts. This isn't your average ice cream parlour; it’s a revolutionary dessert bar helmed by Michelin-starred pastry chef Elwyn Boyles (formerly of The French Laundry). The space functions as a Tokyo-inspired “ice cream laboratory,” defined by a clinical yet edgy palette of polished chrome, neon-pink accents, and sleek LED ticker displays.
This lab is practically engineered for social media, with every surface designed to bounce light and colour into your frame.
