PETALING JAYA (Aug 25): Sime Darby Property Bhd and the Malaysian Institute of Architects (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia or PAM) have teamed up to organise a design competition called the Concept Home 2030 Competition.

The competition is open to all PAM-registered corporate architects and registration started from Aug 16. In this competition, participants are encouraged to address upcoming megatrends and future home predictions, while finding new ways of designing, building and innovating homes to close existing gaps in the market. 

Entries will be judged by a distinguished panel of adjudicators consisting of Sime Darby Property and PAM representatives. The results will be announced in January 2022. 

In a press statement, Sime Darby Property group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican noted that the principles of "form follows function" had served the society for generations. 

"To shape the future of how we live, we must discover trailblazing ideas from visionaries of the built realm. The biggest challenge to solve for Malaysian terrace home designs today is for it to be built and function efficiently with versatile space, which allows diverse functions and use. The future is calling for these ideas today," he said.

"The peak is yet to come for the property industry, and our Concept Home 2030 vision will drive us towards bigger things to come. We are pleased to partner with PAM in this competition, as well as open to collaborating with other markets and technology players to bring the best innovation and solutions to infuse future homes with technology and artificial intelligence (AI) for the home to be able to think for itself and its occupants."

PAM president Datuk Ezumi Harzani Ismail added: "Through this design idea competition, we expect to see innovative ideas that will change the future trend, bringing in new interactive technologies that allow people to communicate with their homes and houses that are responsive to the environment based on needs and desires of Malaysian modern living."

The winner will receive RM100,000, on top of the prospective commission of executing a virtual or physical showcase project with Sime Darby Property. Meanwhile, the second- and third-place winners will take home RM75,000 and RM50,000 respectively. The competition will also award two honorary-mention prizes and a "People’s Choice Award" selected by Malaysians through an online voting process.