Malaysian Architecture Identity Issue Again: Perpetual identity or perpetual debate?

Send us Fan MailHere we go again after we had that Search for Malaysian Architecture Identity debate in the 1980s, we are flogging the same issue... again. I am all for Malaysian architects being advocates fighting for their rights to get mega-big projects and not having the Government give them to foreign architects, but I don't understand when we talk about 'identity'. It invariably is about the lack of patterns, embellishments, and motifs of design that have old Malay architectural characteristics. In fact, on my last trip to Fosters' building in Tronoh, the UTP auditorium had songket-type patterns on the inside wall.  I don't want to be in the middle of the motifs and patterns debate (not identity, because this is a bigger debate), so I leave it at that. The newspaper article that had several people debating and discussing: https://www.bharian.com.my/hujung-minggu/lain-lain/2023/12/1192854/rekaan-seni-bina-hilang-identitiA podcast that dealt with this issue before Learning from Kisho Kurokawa: Asian public space is the street! (how to originate from past designs)  https://www.buzzsprout.com/1042819/episodes/7207186© 2023 Talk Architecture, Author: Naziaty Mohd YaacobThe image is songket pattern downloaded from the internet.Support the showDo subscribe for premium content and special features which will help to support and sustain Talk Architecture podcast on a more in-depth explanation on design thesis and processes. These special commentaries and ‘how to’ explanations are valuable insights and knowledge not found elsewhere!