KUALA KANGSAR, Aug 23 – Ten Landscape Architecture students from the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (FABU), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), took part in a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Knowledge Transfer Programme (KTP) through the Bamboo Pavilion Construction Workshop held in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

The programme was organised by Think City, Hijau Biru Landscape Architecture and the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM), with UTM and Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah (USAS) serving as co-hosts and strategic partners. UTM’s student participation was supervised by Dr. Lee Yoke Lai and Assoc. Prof. LAr. Dr. Sapura Mohamad.

The CSR Bamboo Pavilion initiative forms part of the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) Public Realm & Space Activation project under the Kuala Kangsar Sustainable Community Development initiative. The programme facilitated two-way knowledge transfer among universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), industry, and the Kuala Kangsar Municipal Council (MPKK). Students gained practical construction knowledge and techniques from experienced professionals, while contributing their academic knowledge, design skills and creative ideas to the project.

A highlight of the programme was the successful translation of the competition-winning student designs into a built Bamboo Pavilion. The first-prize-winning design, “Serambi Irama Dabus,” was designed by UTM Landscape Architecture students Adeline Tan Jie En and Lee Hor Qiu. Inspired by the traditional Dabus cultural performance, the design translates its rhythm and spirit into a contemporary bamboo structure, described as one that “transforms cultural rhythm into a space that unites people through heritage, interaction and shared experiences,” connecting cultural heritage, people and place through a contemporary public space.

Another UTM design, “Jalinan Sungai,” won third prize (Nur Fatin Fadhilah Amran, Eirdyna Najihah Erwan Najhan and Ching Bo Xuan). Inspired by the flowing currents of the Perak River and the intricate artistry of Songket weaving, the design reinterprets Kuala Kangsar’s cultural identity through a contemporary pavilion.

The construction of the winning design, carried out by a team of bamboo-building experts from Ipoh City Council (MBI) at Dataran Putra Kuala Kangsar, offered students a valuable opportunity to transfer knowledge from design to implementation. Through the hands-on workshop, students gained practical experience in cutting, splitting and tying bamboo, as well as bamboo type selection, material handling, structural assembly, site coordination and on-site problem-solving.

The programme aims to promote sustainable public realm development through the application of Nature-based Solutions, the use of sustainable materials such as bamboo, the conservation of Kuala Kangsar’s heritage identity, and university participation in design, construction and knowledge sharing. It gave students the opportunity to experience the realities of delivering collaborative projects, while allowing knowledge developed through landscape architecture education to contribute directly to a community-based initiative.

The programme also strengthened students’ experiential learning, particularly in teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving and stakeholder engagement. Working alongside professionals and project partners helped students better understand the multidisciplinary nature of landscape architecture and the importance of collaboration in delivering sustainable public spaces.

The initiative brought together UTM, USAS, Think City, ILAM, and Hijau Biru Landscape Architecture to transform student designs into a tangible public space. The collaboration demonstrates UTM’s commitment to university–industry–community knowledge transfer by integrating student creativity, professional expertise, bamboo as a sustainable material, Nature-based Solutions, and cultural heritage to support a sustainable, resilient, and culturally responsive public realm in Kuala Kangsar.

The UTM student participants involved in the programme were Adeline Tan Jie En, Nadia Muhd. Fadhil, Nor Arina Abdul Rahman, Siti Nur Alisa Huda Mohd Fazli, Nur Fatihah Adnan, Muhammad Farouk Abdul Rahman, Umar Hamzah Hanannan, Mohamad Akmal Rizal Kamsani, Muhammad Nastain Rasyad Rohimi and Nur Fatin Fadhilah Amran.

UTM extends its appreciation to Hijau Biru Landscape Architecture for sponsoring the students’ participation and supporting student development and knowledge transfer.

Overall, the Bamboo Pavilion project demonstrates the transformative potential of knowledge transfer through experiential learning, where academic knowledge is translated into practical action and meaningful outcomes. It highlights the contribution of UTM’s Landscape Architecture education in connecting heritage, sustainability, innovation and practical design.