Innovation and new technologies must be for the people

TECHNOLOGY may change the way we work and communicate, but human beings still want that personal touch that only another fellow human being can give. Hence, the ideal city of the future would be an intelligent one that makes life easy yet allows people to step out of their homes to have real connection with other people, said the experts that shared their views at the Future Forward Forum on Sept 29, 2016. The event entitled #Trending: Developing Tomorrow was organised by Rehda Youth (the youth section of the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia) in partnership with Nippon Paint Malaysia.

Japan-based architectural firm Tange Associates president Paul Tange, TA Global (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd CEO Tiah Joo Kim, Thailand-based Sansiri Public Company Ltd vice-president of business development and new business (high-rise) Varangkana Artkarasatapon and Panasonic Malaysia Sdn Bhd general manager and head of strategic B2B development Tan Chee Hon took to the floor in the morning. They also took part in the morning panel discussion entitled “Engaging with the Future of Real Estate” moderated by TheEdgeProperty.com managing director and editor-in-chief Au Foong Yee.

They concurred that innovation ideas or new technology must stem from the desire to fulfil human needs including connectivity, security and comfort of living. Otherwise, they cannot be considered as successful ideas, they said.

The panel also discussed the cost of good design and the implementation of new technologies. Tange emphasised that good architectural design does not need to be expensive as long as the architect or developer understands the real needs of the targeted customers and designs the product to address their needs and culture.

Meanwhile, the afternoon session speakers Arkitek LLA Sdn Bhd director Laurence Loh, CPG Consultant senior vice-president of architecture Jerry Ong and Art Printing Works (APW) Sdn Bhd CEO Ee Soon Wei, who also took part in the second panel discussion entitled “Future Value”, spoke about the importance of having the right mindset and good planning when designing developments and spaces. The session was moderated by KIP Land Sdn Bhd director Alex Chew.

“The real value of a development is not so much about revenue, but its sustainability and placemaking,” said Loh, who is known for his restoration work on the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang.

For Ee, the value from a development or space can be created when it is able to serve the community or an area, citing the APW project where Ee rejuvenated an old printing factory in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur into a co-working space and an event space that the community could use.

Ong who is the senior vice-president of architecture for the healthcare division of CPG Consultants said an awareness of community living is important when developing a project, citing one of his projects, Singapore’s Ng Teng Fong Hospital, which has a pedestrian link to a mall and MRT station.

Earlier, in her welcome remarks Rehda Youth chairperson Carrie Fong noted that as times change, developers need to enhance their projects through innovation ideas or products. “Innovative ideas doesn’t mean it has to be a luxury item, it could be an idea which benefits the developers while creating more value for buyers,” she said.

TheEdgeProperty.com was the official media partner of the forum which attracted about 150 participants from the building and construction, green technology and property development industries.

Key points from speakers at the ‘Future Forward Forum’

This story first appeared in TheEdgeProperty.com pullout on Oct 7, 2016, which comes with The Edge Financial Daily every Friday. Download TheEdgeProperty.com pullout here for free.