PETALING JAYA (July 14): Galeri Petronas is hosting an architecture exhibition titled “MANIFEST: Modernism of Merdeka” to showcase how Malaysian architecture had shaped the transformation of the nation during its pre- and post-independence period of 1950s and 1960s.

The exhibition is a collaboration with the Malaysian Institute of Architects and is part of the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival 2017 (KLAF2017), bringing together international and local experts who are catalysts of change in Malaysia’s architectural industry today.

Visitors to the exhibition will get to view photographs, drawings, models, social documents and new media presentations that showcase the achievements, ideals, ethics and aspirations of the pioneering generation of Malaysian architects during the early years of Merdeka and the formation of Malaysia.

Speaking at the launch of the exhibition yesterday (July 13), KLCC Holdings Sdn Bhd Group chief executive officer Datuk Hashim Wahir said: “PETRONAS has grown with Malaysia through its formative years, and developed diverse communities from bustling cities to some of the most remote areas across the country.

“Vibrant cities and towns such as Kerteh, Bintulu, Tronoh and Pengerang are among some of the examples that have witnessed socio-economic growth resulting from their emergence as oil and gas activity centres.”

Hashim added that the development of the integrated and self-contained Kuala Lumpur City Centre or KLCC changed the architectural landscape of the capital city of KL, giving Malaysia its most recognisable landmark, the Petronas Twin Towers, a building that symbolises the country’s vision and growth towards becoming a developed nation.

“I hope this exhibition and related programmes from the KLAF2017 will promote dialogues and exchanges of novel ideas in developing better cities with sustainable, congruent and lively architecture,” he said.

KLAF2017’s Royal Patron Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who was also present at the launch, added: “I am hopeful that MANIFEST will bring to light the significant relationship between architecture and nation-building, and how far we have come as a nation — from the Malaya period of heroic transformation during the 1950s and 1960s — since Merdeka.”

The exhibition is open for public viewing at Galeri Petronas on Level 3, Suria KLCC from July 11 to 30. Admission is free.