KLAF 2026 Returns With "Future Culture" Theme For Year-Long Programme
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (Bernama) -- The Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) 2026, organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), will return with a year-long programme under the theme "Future Culture".
In a statement today, KLAF said the festival, to be launched on Jan 17, 2026 at REXKL continues to serve as Malaysia’s foremost platform for architecture, design, creativity and public engagement.
According to the statement, KLAF 2026’s partnerships with government agencies, industry players and universities will enhance Malaysia’s cultural, creative and tourism landscape while supporting national efforts leading up to Visit Malaysia 2026.
“KLAF 2026 places strong emphasis on sustainability and climate-responsive design including adaptive reuse, brown-build strategies and tropical design principles supported by materials innovation and environmentally responsible methods. These approaches aim to preserve heritage while integrating contemporary practices,” the statement read.
The festival will also spotlight innovation and digital tools, showcasing AI-assisted design, digital fabrication and immersive technologies to encourage more efficient and creative workflows, supported by hands-on workshops that build future-ready skills.
“Urban development and placemaking will form another focus, exploring renewal, transit-orientated communities, liveability and resilient city planning to create inclusive and sustainable public spaces,” the statement read.
KLAF 2026 will continue to support professional development through discourses, masterclasses and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-accredited sessions covering design trends, technical advancements, sustainability and emerging practices.
The design competitions will offer practical platforms for talent development and will be open to members, designers and the public.
Public participation will play a major role through city activations and collaborative programmes across neighbourhoods, parks, transit nodes and public spaces. Free and accessible activities such as exhibitions, pop-ups, city trails, festival celebrations and community workshops will be introduced throughout the year.
KLAF director Lim Gim Huang, in the same statement, said the main objective of KLAF 2026 is to uplift Malaysian architecture through the exchange of ideas not only on architecture but also across other disciplinary creatives that involve built environments, space creation, cities, design, art, culture and community.
“The festival seeks to make good architecture visible, relatable and accessible beyond professional audiences.
“Its core objectives are to bring good architecture down to earth and into public life through its concept and context, to foster community participation, to collaborate with residents, businesses and city spaces, and to catalyse art, cultural and economic growth through urban activation and creative tourism.
“The collaborating partners include Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), government bodies like Tourism Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), as well as art and culture venues, F&B owners, artists, and designers. By bringing together diverse disciplines and communities, KLAF 2026 aims to encourage hands-on participation and make Malaysian architecture more meaningful to the public,” he said.
Meanwhile, KLAF chief curator Rien Tan Kwon Chong said the festival aims to articulate this relationship through programmes that deepen public appreciation for architecture and the built environment.
“KLAF 2026 is anchored by two major events: the Datum: KL Conference, which is expected to gather more than 3,000 industry participants, and ARCHIDEX at MITEC, which in previous editions, has attracted more than 40,000 visitors from over 110 countries,” he added.
-- BERNAMA
