Kengo Kuma is, for all intents and purposes, the archetype of a role model—someone aspiring architects should look up to, someone budding artists should learn from, and someone all of us should strive to be. It is no exaggeration to say that the 71-year-old from Tokyo has a veritable laundry list of architectural projects, exhibitions, publications, awards, and professorships, among many other accomplishments and achievements that are too numerous to document on the Kengo Kuma & Associates website. So, sit up straight and pay attention, as Kuma-san would like to share his very best advice to young architects, architecture students, and everyone in creative and artisanal industries everywhere: “Don’t follow me.” Pardon?
“In Japan, there are many important architects from many different generations. Tadao Ando-san uses concrete in a very good way. Arata Isozaki-san creates very beautiful sculptures. Kisho Kurokawa-san, who designed KLIA, is famous for his simple shapes. But I didn’t want to follow them. I wanted to find my own method,” Kuma said during the recent festivities related to the launch of the Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur At KL Midtown hotel. “This is important for the younger generation. Find our own voice, your own inspiration. Don’t follow senpai (senior; superior; elder).”
The Hyatt Regency in Kuala Lumpur is Kuma’s second project in Malaysia, after the Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu. It is located a literal stone’s throw away from the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), and features 410 accommodation options spread over 32 stories. These include 306 guestrooms and suites, and 104 fully serviced residences, as well as five F&B establishments and 16 function rooms. The five-star hotel—a partnership between Hap Seng Consolidated and Naza TTDI—integrates natural elements such as wood, stone, and paper all throughout, creating an inviting, serene, and harmonious retreat that bears all the hallmarks of a Kuma-designed building. The hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur is right outside but, inside the Hyatt Regency KL Midtown, guests are in a contemporary sanctuary filled with light and nature.
“In Malaysia, we always try to use natural materials and local craftsmanship. I feel that the quality of local craftsmanship is very high, so we tried to work with them for as many details of the hotel as possible,” Kuma explains. “For example, the facade uses aluminium panels that are inspired by pewter. The facade was also inspired by the beauty of Malaysian forests. I tried to bring the diversity of the forest into the facade—the columns aren’t straight; they shift and rotate a bit.
“I hope guests will feel like they’re living in a forest in this big city,” the university professor and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo adds. “And I hope each space in the hotel will bring back memories of guests’ childhood. When I was a kid, our generation didn’t have video games. We played outside and in the forest. It was an amazing experience, so I want to give that kind of experience to hotel guests.”
What’s something about Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur At KL Midtown that you’re proudest of?
I like the main lobby, where the Midtown Lounge is located. Other hotel lobbies are very formal places, filled with shiny materials like marble or granite. But here, the main lobby has a warmth that’s different from other hotels. It’s made with warm materials, such as wood, rice papers, and special lighting fixtures. People can feel intimacy in this space, like you’re walking in a forest. Kuala Lumpur is a huge city, and intimate spaces like this are very rare and disappearing. So, I wanted to create a kind of natural, intimate space in the big city.
Natural light, aesthetics, and materials are all key elements of your design philosophies. Why?
Malaysia’s urbanisation and technological development are reaching very special, cutting-edge levels. These urban, artificial spaces cause huge stress on people. It’s very unnatural for humanity, and a common problem all over the world. So, in this age of IT and AI, people should experience nature more, and feel nature in their own spaces. This hotel can be a good example of this kind of renaissance of nature.
Now that you’ve worked on two projects in Malaysia, have you gained any inspiration from traditional Malaysian art, design, and architecture?
I love the lifestyle in kampung houses. Actually, kampungs are very popular in Japan. Many Japanese students are interested in them. Bringing that kind of natural ventilation into skyscrapers is not easy, but we can learn a lot from kampung houses’ materiality and textures. I’m also very interested in Peranakan culture in Malaysia. One of my staff members is from Penang. I’ve visited his hometown and I was inspired by many things there. I want to do more research on the countryside in Malaysia and to find the uniqueness of each place.
In your career, was there any significant failure or setback that forced you to rethink your architecture philosophy? How did that experience change the way you design?
In the 1990s, the so-called bubble economy of Japan burst. In 1991, every project in the city was cancelled. There were no projects at all in Tokyo. From 1991 to 2001, I didn’t do any projects in the city. I only worked on small projects in the countryside. It was a tough period, but I enjoyed that decade. I could find enough time to work with craftsmen for small projects, and I learnt many things from them. It was a fruitful period for me. After this period, I tried to bring the wisdom of the countryside to the big city. It was a big turning point in my career.
What is a dream project you’d love to work on?
The dream project is always unexpected. If I can expect something, then it cannot be a dream. And I always encounter unexpected projects when I travel. I want to keep travelling to many places—I don’t need to stop. I can get new inspirations from these new encounters. They’re the basis of my creations.
What does success mean to you?
Happiness. Enjoying the time.
If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
I’m always interested in learning new skills. We don’t want to deny AI. In fact, we often use AI to find new solutions. But reality itself is the most important thing. There are many skills being developed every day. I want to find the reality beyond these skills.
What is always in your hand luggage?
It’s always a small shoulder bag. Even for a two-week trip to Europe or America, it’s always the same bag. It’s usually some T-shirts and underwear. I wash them myself.
