Lafarge, PAM team up to hold competition on affordable housing

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) and Lafarge Malaysia Bhd launched the inaugural PAM-Lafarge Architecture Student Competition on affordable housing yesterday.

Lafarge, the largest cement producer in Malaysia, said in a statement that it aims to change the perception of affordable housing and inspire aspiring Malaysian architects to play a role in driving affordable housing.

Affordable housing is reducing the cost of building through efficient construction by using the right building methods, materials and solutions without compromising on quality, the company said.

The competition challenges students to come up with innovative and sustainable designs that take advantage of thermal cooling effects, promote energy efficiency and sustainability, and provide for quality communal living.

“Lafarge is extremely proud of its heritage in Malaysia and as we celebrate our 60th anniversary this year, we want to do more to affirm our commitment to the nation as well as Malaysians as a whole. It is therefore in this spirit that we came together with PAM to organise and launch the inaugural PAM-Lafarge architecture student competition,” said Lafarge president and CEO Bradley Mulroney.

The competition supports Lafarge’s global corporate positioning of “Building better cities”, which reflects the company’s contribution to building more houses and cities that are more compact, durable, beautiful and connected in a sustainable manner.

“In order to ensure that this competition is meaningful, we have worked closely with Lafarge to carefully plan the competition’s brief and design criteria, and will be looking for submissions that encompass elements of design excellence, innovation and costs. We hope the students are excited to be part of this competition,” said PAM president Chan Seong Aun.

Architecture students participating in the competition will be encouraged to explore the use of sustainable materials and designs, raising awareness of sustainable construction.

The competition is open to university students who are registered with PAM.  Submissions will close on Nov 29 and the results and award ceremony will be held on Jan 16 next year. — by E Jacqui Chan


This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on September 27, 2013.