The inaugural Kuala Lumpur Architecture Week 2025 (KLAW 2025) officially kicked off yesterday with a vibrant city walkabout led by YB Tuan Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Housing and Local Government. He toured specially curated installations across Petaling Street in Old Kuala Lumpur (once the colonial administrative district west of the Klang and Gombak River confluence) to mark the launch of this week-long celebration of architecture, arts, and heritage.
The inaugural Kuala Lumpur Architecture Week 2025 (KLAW 2025) officially kicked off today until 3 August 2025, with a vibrant city walkabout led by YB Tuan Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Housing and Local Government.
KLAW 2025 — an initiative under ARCHIDEX 2025, Asia’s Leading Architecture Business Event, held under the umbrella of the annual Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) — marks the first time in Malaysia that a major trade exhibition is co-branded with the city to create impact beyond the confines of a convention centre and stimulate the visitor economy. With ARCHIDEX 2025 taking place across two iconic venues — MITEC (21–24 July) and KLCC (23–26 July) — the KLAW 2025 bridges the event experience from business-to-business (B2B) to business-to-consumer (B2C), bringing visitors from the exhibition floor into the streets of the city.
With the theme “Reviving the City’s Heartbeat”, KLAW 2025 sets a new benchmark in ‘festivalising’ architecture — transforming Old KL, Chinatown, and surrounding areas into a living gallery of immersive experiences. Visitors are invited to explore public installations, art, sketching walks, and curated F&B experiences, many of which highlight the often-overlooked charm and stories of the city’s historical core.
YB Tuan Nga explores an installation called ‘ngo-kha-ki’ by Ar. Quan Hwai Teng at Four Points by Sheraton, Chinatown . Drawing inspiration from the traditional five-foot way of shophouses, this installation frames past and present, echoing social interaction, climate response, and cultural continuity.
Connecting Communities, Boosting the Visitor Economy
KLAW 2025 exemplifies how a business event can evolve into a citywide movement that supports
community connection and economic spillover. By drawing a portion of ARCHIDEX’s expected 56,000
international and local visitors into the city, the initiative aims to stimulate economic activity across
sectors — F&B, retail, hotels, transport, and culture — while branding KL’s old quarters as a
rediscovered creative and lifestyle destination.
Laying the Foundation for Future Editions
The KLAW 2025 is part of a long-term vision to create an architecture-driven urban festival that
celebrates Malaysia’s design identity and city story. As ARCHIDEX continues to scale — with over 850
exhibitors across two venues this year — the KLAW 2025 opens a new chapter in how exhibitions can
bring value back to the streets, small businesses, and communities.
Located in the vicinity of key landmarks such as Menara 118, KLAW 2025 positions the Old City as a
bridge between KL’s past and its future. Its success this year sets the foundation for potential future
partnerships with exhibitors, city makers, and creatives to build even larger editions and deeper public
engagement in the years ahead.
