Hijjas Kasturi

Hijjas bin Kasturi (born 1936) is a Kuala Lumpur-based architect. Active for more than fifty years, he has been responsible for some of the most significant buildings in South East Asia, in the modern, postmodern, and deconstructivist styles. He is considered the father of Malaysian architecture of the second half of the twentieth century.

Early life

Hijjas was born in Singapore in 1936. His Chinese mother was raised in Indonesia and then married a Singaporean Javanese. He and went to Raffles Institute to continue his secondary education, and he was then granted a scholarship by the Australian Government to study at the University of Adelaide; he eventually graduated from the University of Melbourne. He moved to Malaysia in 1967 and founded the first professional degree program in Malaysia, The School of Art and Architecture at MARA Institute of Technology. In 1977, he founded his own practice, Hijjas Kasturi Associates Sdn (HKAS).

Awards

Telekom Tower, by Hijjas Kasturi Associates

• J. Brett Plywood Award, Australia
• Johan Bintang Sarawak, 1988
• Award for Kuching Civic Centre, Association of Engineers, California, USA, 1989
• Asean Award 1990, in recognition of his work in the visual arts (Architecture)
• Nominated to the World Arts Council under the auspices of the World Economic Forum, Davos,Switzerland,1994
• 12th Tokyo Creation Award by Tokyo Fashion Association, Japan, Dec 98
• PAM 2000 Excellence Awards in Recognition of Design Excellence in Commercial Building
• Category on The Securities Commission Headquarters Building, July 2001
• Asean Energy Efficiency Award for Securities Commission Headquarters, Bukit Kiara
• Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia’s Gold Medal Award, Sept 2001 for outstanding works and invaluable contribution in architecture.
• Award in Urban Redevelopment, Conservation and Restoration for Kampung Glam, Singapore by Pertubuhan Perancang Malaysia, Oct, 2001
• Vocational Excellence Award for the recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of Architecture by the Rotary Club of Metro Kuala Lumpur, Oct 2002
• Anjung Seri Creative Council Award for the recognition of outstanding achievements in the field of arts and designs by Berita Publishing SdnBhd, Nov 2002
• BCIA (Building Construction Interchange Asia) Top Ten 2005 Award, February 2005

Notable buildings

Hijjas was the architect of Wisma Equity one of the most prominent brutalist buildings constructed in Malaysia. Located at 150, Jalan Ampang, 50450, Kuala Lumpur, it is on a prominent site and was completed in 1982. It was officially opened in 1983 by Dato Elyasbin Omar. Wisma Equity is an 11 floors office building including a lower ground. It is made of exposed concrete, and the building appears to defy gravity and structure by becoming larger as it rises. In this regard, it bears a formal similarity to Marcel Breuer’s Whitney Museum in New York City.

Major buildings designed by Hijjas Kasturi Associates include the Menara Maybank (1989), Tabung Haji (1986), Telekom Tower (2001), Putrajaya International Convention Centre (2003) and the 4G11 Tower in Putrajaya (2008).

Timeline

1956 - 1959

Draughtsman with Singapore Housing Trust preparing the Master Plan for Queenstown, and lowcost flats for Singapore.

1959 - 1961

Draughtsman with South Australian Housing Trust preparing the Master Plan for Elizabeth Town,South Australia, and various housing schemes.

1961 - 1963

Architectural Assistant with Brown & Davis, South Australia, working on hospital planning, commercialand religious buildings and housing.

1965 - 1965

Architect with Hume Proprietary Ltd., Melbourne, Australia planning the construction of factories, warehouses and district offices.

1966 - 1967

Architect/Planner with Urban Renewal Department of the Singapore Housing and Development Board, in charge of the central transportation terminus study, planning for Ministry of Internal Defence Headquarters and City Development.

1967 - 1969

Team leader for feasibility study for the establishment of InstitutTeknoloji MARA. Founding Head, School of Art and Architecture, Institut Teknologi MARA. Master Planner for ITM Complex at Shah Alam. Architect for MARA Vocational Institute, Malacca.

1969 - 1977

Founding principal partner of AkitekBersekutu, subsequently AkitekBersekutu Malaysia.

1977

Founding principal of Hijjas Kasturi Associates Sdn., Architects and Planners. The following list covers principal projects (excluding housing) completed since 1977.

Personal life

Hijjas married an Australian woman from Melbourne, Elizabeth Fay Wilson, and the couple had three children who were born in Australia, including daughter Serina Hijjas. Serina Hijjas now serves as director of Hijjas Kasturi Associates Sdn. Hijjas is now married to Angela Jane Longworth, with whom he has two daughters.