Tatler Weekend Malaysia: Can artisanal craftsmanship and AI work towards the future of architecture together?
Editor’s note
I studied, got my first job, and met my wife in Chandigarh, India—a beautiful city planned and designed by renowned French architect Le Corbusier. With its tree-lined roads, wide open spaces, and small markets in each sector, the city’s architecture profoundly influenced our lives in subtle yet significant ways. In this edition of Tatler Weekend, we explore the intricate relationship between spaces, craftsmanship and culture.
Our journey begins in Macau, where the city’s stunning architecture has inspired Oscar-winning director Edward Berger's latest Netflix film, The Ballad of a Small Player. In an exclusive interview, Berger shares insights on how physical spaces shape cinematic storytelling.
Next, we examine the intersection of tradition and technology in architecture. Goy Zhenru, founder of Goy Architects, offers a compelling perspective: “We see craft as culture, which helps us understand humanity as a whole.”
Finally, we explore the transformative power of art institutions, focusing on how a newly opened museum has revitalised the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) art scene.
The cultural impact of spaces, arts, and creativity gives our lives meaning. They are the essence of our humanity.
Enjoy Tatler Weekend!
Parminder Singh
Parminder Singh
Chief Operating Officer
Edward Berger on what drew him to shoot Netflix film ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ in Macau
The Oscar-winning director, who was in Macau to shoot ‘The Ballad of a Small Player’ with Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton, wants to shed light on the city’s true side for global audiences
Edward Berger is a filmmaker who “wants to do something different from what [he has] done before”. This quest led him to Macau this year to shoot his upcoming Netflix film The Ballad of a Small Player. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Lawrence Osborne, the production stars Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton in leading roles and has been shot in Macau’s casinos and vibrant neighbourhoods.
Ahead of the film’s release on Netflix, which has yet to be announced, Berger, who won an Oscar for his 2022 film All Quiet on the Western Front, spoke to Tatler about his casting process, his favourite Asian directors and why he’s enthralled by Macau.
Read more: ‘Shōgun’ makes history by winning 18 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama
Alia Rahman’s breakthrough non-invasive, affordable and accessible treatments for cervical precancer could revolutionise women’s health
Inspired by her family legacy and driven by personal experiences, the co-founder of Amplexd Therapeutics has developed two treatments to address HPV-induced cervical precancer, a condition that affects 178 million women every year
Alia Rahman was 22 years old and studying engineering at university when a routine Pap screening revealed abnormalities. Diagnosed with CIN3, the most severe grade of HPV-induced cervical precancer—if left untreated, CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, also known as dysplasia or lesions) can transform cervical cells into invasive cancer—she was advised to undergo laser vapourisation, a procedure that essentially burns off abnormal tissue.
The treatment turned out to be particularly uncomfortable, and while it was effective for a few years afterwards, Rahman then began to have consistent abnormalities again, initially at the lowest CIN1 level. When they progressed to CIN2, her gynaecologist suggested loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), where a wire loop heated by an electric current removes abnormal cells.
It was 2016, eight years after the original diagnosis and Rahman was hesitant after the first procedure. She shared with her doctor that she had been reviewing the scientific literature and noted there was promise of a topical therapy to treat her condition. With direct access to the affected tissue, if these abnormal cells could be ablated with heat or freezing, why couldn’t they be treated chemically?
“My doctor was somewhat dismissive of it,” says Rahman. “But he said, ‘Look, I’m comfortable deferring surgery up to six months. You go and do your thing, and then come back for screening. If it’s not resolved within that timeframe then we’ll proceed with the surgery’.”
Artisanal craftsmanship vs AI? The future of architecture may just lie somewhere in the middle
Delve into how architects are bridging the gap between time-honoured craftsmanship and high-tech design to uncover new possibilities for the built environment
From parametric design tools to the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), architecture appears to be moving in a digitised direction. Hand-drafted sketches and other ‘traditional’ design methods are becoming increasingly rare in the face of the convenience and precision of digital tools. On the flip side, many architects and designers find themselves drawn to a more ‘rustic’ approach, leaving these modern design tools untouched in favour of artisanal craftsmanship, raw materials and vernacular construction.
Where contemporary software and architectural innovation can doubtless speed up the design process and reduce human error by improving precision, low-tech architecture is still appreciated for its inherent sustainability, thoughtful localisation, and preservation of craftsmanship and culture.
These two approaches may appear to exist at opposite ends of the spectrum, but there is potential for them to complement and even enhance each other. Renowned architects and designers have been embracing a combination of the low-tech and the high-tech, including Kuala Lumpur-based Tan Loke Mun, principal of DrTanLM Architect, director of ArchiCentre, and founder of DTLM Design Group; Singapore-based Goy Zhenru, founder of Goy Architects; and Bali-based Elora Hardy, founder of Ibuku. Their groundbreaking projects meld tradition and innovation, uncovering new paths towards a more nuanced and sustainable future for the built environment.
Read more: Home tour: A modern net zero energy home in Kuala Lumpur
Is the Greater Bay Area a promising avenue for artists?
The Greater Bay Area is witnessing a vibrant surge in cultural initiatives, thanks to a new generation of gallerists and art museum professionals who are injecting creative possibilities into the region
When the He Art Museum opened in 2020 in Foshan, it caused quite a stir in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) art scene. Not only does it boast an impressive design, by award-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando; it also features world-class exhibitions with a unique perspective: as well as showcasing local historical research and the museum director He Jianfeng’s family collection, the 86,000 sq ft private museum has also been the stage for local and global contemporary artists. On top of this, it houses Pablo Picasso’s 1968 painting Homme et Femme Nus and Bernar Venet’s 1974 sculpture Three Indeterminate Lines.
He Art Museum is one of a slew of state-of-the-art galleries, museums and art centres popping up in the GBA since the 2010s, including Guangzhou’s Bai’etan GBA Art Center in April this year; the Guangdong Times Museum, which reopened in March; Shenzhen Art Museum in 2023; and Guangzhou’s Sea World Culture and Arts Centre in 2017.
