ABOUT RDW
REKA Design Week (RDW), established in 2017 by the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID), began as an annual platform for interior design professionals. While RDW had previously been known mainly for its interior design focus, this new direction expanded the platform to embrace a broader spectrum of creative fields, including arts, crafts, graphics and culture, making the event more inclusive and dynamic.
It not only creates opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing among professionals, students, and industry players but also opens the door for the public to experience and appreciate the richness of the creative ecosystem. With this broader scope, REKA Design Week continues to grow as an inclusive platform that reflects the diversity and vibrancy of Malaysia’s creative landscape, while steadily building connections with regional and overseas design community.
2025 FEATURED ARTIST
Jefr Studio
REKA Design Week 2025 is proud to feature Jefr Studio as the featured artist of the year. Jefr is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Kuala Lumpur (and partly in Warsaw), known for his evolving abstract-experimental style that traces its roots back to graffiti. His large-scale murals decorate city landmarks like Hyatt Centric City Centre KL, LANE 23, and REXKL, while his work also spans digital content, limited-edition merch, and brand collaborations — always with a recognisable signature style, as witnessed on the .
His art is deeply informed by context, with colour palettes, shapes, and surroundings shaping how his pieces connect with their spaces. Motivated by authenticity and creativity, he continues to expand his practice through diverse projects while advocating for more public spaces where art can be shared and experienced.
THE COMMITTEE
IDr Patrick Chin
RDW Organising Chairman
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
Dr. Tennyson Chia
RDW Co-Chair
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
IDr Christine Rowland
RDW Committee
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
IDr Wong Pei San
RDW Committee
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
IDr Fakhul Zaman Mohd Yusoff
RDW Committee
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
Ar. IDr Nur Safuraa Abdul Razak
RDW Committee
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
IDr Yassir Jamain
RDW Committee
MIID Council Member 2024-2026
Mike Saw
RDW Committee
MIID Associate Member
WHOS AND WHATS
We'd like to take the opportunity to address the talented individuals for their contribution to the celebration of REKA Design Week 2025. From artists to designers and specialists from different industries and geographic location, they have each in their own way, contributed to the creative field and sharing their experience with us through their involvement in this event.
Abdul Shakir (also known as ‘Grasshopper’) is a multidisciplinary multimedia digital artist focused on projection mapping, new media art and audio visual art installation and also known as one of the co-founders of Filamen, a new media art collective,
Shakir exhibited his work in several renowned platforms such as the Urbanscapes Art Festival, Rainforest in the City, George Town Festival, Jakarta Light Fest and Singapore Night Festival.Title 01
Esmonde Yap is an award-winning Malaysian architect, PAM Council Member, and co-founder of Spatial Factors Architects. A graduate of the University of New South Wales, he has led climate-responsive projects including Menara Hap Seng 3 and Gamuda Quayside Mall, with works spanning pavilions, adaptive reuse, civic spaces, and public installations.
His designs have earned the MIID Emerging Designer Award 2024, APSDA Awards, and PAM–Archidex Gold, with features in Design Diffusion (Milan). Esmonde also represents Malaysia in ARCASIA’s Committee of Young Architects, chairs PAM’s Emerging Architects Committee, and lectures on social housing and community at Tunku Abdul Rahman University.
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After graduating from Musashino Art University, Hideyoshi Nagoya worked under designer Per Schmølcher, later joining Takashimaya’s advertising department and MARNA Co., Ltd. as executive director and planning manager, where he oversaw product development, production, marketing, and design strategy.
In 2002, he founded h concept and launched the collaborative brand +d, now connected to over 35 countries and sold in MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Smithsonian, and the London Design Museum. His work spans design consulting, Japan Brand development, and industry promotion, earning IF, Red Dot, and G Mark awards. In 2012, he opened KONCENT stores in Tokyo and abroad, and has published Hello! Design and How to Make Miscellaneous Goods That Sell 20 Million Units.
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Graduating with a Master’s in Design from Tokyo University of the Arts, with studies at Politecnico di Milano, she began her career at h concept, collaborating with companies and production areas to create innovative products. Her work spans consulting, branding, product planning, design, manufacturing, distribution, and sales.
Since 2016, she has been a part-time lecturer at the Department of Design, Tokyo University of the Arts, and in 2024 launched a project to enhance design education for children.
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Lulu was born in 1987 in Nagoya, Japan. In 2015, after a long journey, she arrived in Mexico with little money left. Instead of paying for a hotel stay, she offered to paint a mural in exchange for a bed. As she continued creating murals this way, she realized how much joy painting brought her.
After returning to Japan, she started career as a painter in 2016. Every year, she paints murals in schools, hospitals, orphanages, and facilities for the handicapped children to make children happy with her paintings all over the world.
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In August 2023, the MIID Sabah Sub-Committee came to life, marking an exciting new chapter for interior design in East Malaysia.
Within just four months, they successfully hosted the very first MIID REKA Sabah Conference on 27 January 2024, officially kicking off the REKA Sabah initiative with great energy and vision.
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Nazura Rahime is a creativepreneur, producer, curator, and placemaker with over two decades of experience. As co-founder of Manggis, she brings expertise in creative management, content production, and leadership, supported by a Bachelor’s in Digital Media from Multimedia University and a Diploma in Producing from the New York Film Academy.
Renowned for her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to nurturing talent, she has led initiatives such as "Jalan Negara Kita," which transformed a Kuala Lumpur alley into a vibrant cultural hub for art and music. Her work reflects a strong dedication to fostering creativity, community engagement, and cultural development.
Jalan Negara Kita
OUTLET is a curated marketplace and creative platform connecting audiences with artists, creatives and makers. Initiated by Elina, Dana and Fareez, what started as a passion project quickly became a hub for discovery, collaboration and community. Through their platform, they aim to make art accessible and to bring everyday art to everyday spaces.
Besides the artisan market during the RDW Art & Design Showcase, OUTLET is also the curator for the 10 PANO featured artists in partnership with MOFO and DULUX.
Dana is also the guest judge for RDW 2025's art competition organised by MOFI.
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Born in Osaka in 1977, he spent nearly two decades at Osaka Designer College (1999–2017), where he contributed to curriculum development, student guidance, and industry collaborations. Though specializing in illustration, he also managed the Special Makeup Department and founded the Figure Sculpture Department in 2015, reflecting his passion for interdisciplinary creativity.
Since 2017, he has been with Skeleton Crew Studio Inc., overseeing management, XR and app development, interactive content, and web projects. He also co-founded the art event UNKNOWN ASIA in 2015, manages the indie game event BitSummit and its student game jam.
Takeshi is a guest judge for RDW 2025's art competition organised by MOFI.
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Dr. Kody Kato is the founder of the Office for Design Evolution (ODE), an architecture studio focused on Zero Carbon buildings through an interdisciplinary framework that he coined as Creative Engineering. His approach reimagines the design process as an evolutionary approach, which combines architecture, material science, biology, engineering, and the environment to enhance the way we live, work, and experience space.
Dr. Kato’s hybrid design philosophy led to a London Design Award for Beyond Surface, the Top 20 International A’ Design Awards by Arch Daily, the Best Prize for the 28th International Space Architecture Competition in Seoul, and the Merit Award for Japan’s Shinkenchiku Residential Design Competition, among others. His work and philosophy have been archived as part of the British Encyclopedia and the permanent collection at the Singapore National Library.
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Adeline Chong is the curator behind Snackfood, a concept store and creative studio. With a background in Advertising and Art History, her storytelling journey spans theatre, film, and curatorial work in the US. Combining curiosity and strategy, she turned Snackfood into a canvas for exploring meaning through design, transforming retail into storytelling and human connection.
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A visual and sound designer based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
As the creative director of Harum Kasturi Studio, iwaz's folio expands from creative endeavours to corporate solution provider.
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Recognized as a contemporary photographer, Tanes Jitsawart (TJ) is recognised for his event, press coverage, and travel documentary captured in professional and high-quality images. Some of his notable works include the documented northern road trip by Amazing Thailand and he often collaborates with camera brands such as Fujifilm, Sigma and Leica. Through these roles, Jitsawart combines his creative abilities behind the camera with production and editorial skills to deliver content across various media.
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With a heart for storytelling, Winnie began her design journey in 2017 through animation and freelance work after graduating with a Diploma from Saito University College. Her passion for interior design animation earned a full scholarship to pursue a Bachelor in Interior Architecture at Limkokwing University, where they also served as a part-time lecturer at Point College, inspiring young creatives.
She later founded Be-Inner Design, a studio dedicated to narrative-driven spaces, and have received recognitions including the MIID Emerging Designer 2024, ECRL Train Competition winner, and Qanvast Best Commercial Award.
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AACE is an impact-driven NGO empowering disabled and disadvantaged communities through creative education and sustainable enterprise. Through art, training, and platforms like The Vacademy and Goods for Good, it nurtures talent and fosters independence. Its CSR collaborations and recycled innovations promote responsible consumption, with showcases and partnerships including L’Occitane, Matrix Concepts, and the KL Art Book Fair.
About Edmund:
Trained as an interior architect, Edmund Low has worked on F&B and commercial projects before venturing into creative entrepreneurship. He co-founded B’Nottee and contributed to Sama Sama Perak and Pride of Perak. As AACE’s co-founder, he bridges creativity, sustainability, and community through purposeful design.
About Javson:
Founded in 2021 by Javson Lee, Edmund Low, and a group of creatives and parents, AACE was built on the belief that creativity can drive real change. With Javson’s experience in branding, media, and over a decade in Europe as a creative director, and Edmund’s path from interior architecture to cultural and design entrepreneurship, AACE reflects their vision to merge art, charity, and sustainability into lasting impact.Title 01
Sham Abu Bakar, a Master of Arts graduate from UiTM (2004), is a textile artist and educator specializing in batik and Shibori techniques. He began teaching at the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) in 1996 and has exhibited internationally, including in Finland and at Malaysia’s National Art Gallery. His works have been collected by Bank Negara Malaysia and featured in numerous exhibitions. Recognized for his contributions to textile art, he received the ASEAN Selection Award 2016 from SACICT in Bangkok.
His recent works explore blue-and-white Shibori on cotton voile, using Japanese Arashi techniques to create layered wall hangings that evoke calmness and serenity through the use of indigo dyes.
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With a heart for storytelling, Winnie began her design journey in 2017 through animation and freelance work after graduating with a Diploma from Saito University College. Her passion for interior design animation earned a full scholarship to pursue a Bachelor in Interior Architecture at Limkokwing University, where they also served as a part-time lecturer at Point College, inspiring young creatives.
She later founded Be-Inner Design, a studio dedicated to narrative-driven spaces, and have received recognitions including the MIID Emerging Designer 2024, ECRL Train Competition winner, and Qanvast Best Commercial Award.
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AACE is an impact-driven NGO empowering disabled and disadvantaged communities through creative education and sustainable enterprise. Through art, training, and platforms like The Vacademy and Goods for Good, it nurtures talent and fosters independence. Its CSR collaborations and recycled innovations promote responsible consumption, with showcases and partnerships including L’Occitane, Matrix Concepts, and the KL Art Book Fair.
About Edmund:
Trained as an interior architect, Edmund Low has worked on F&B and commercial projects before venturing into creative entrepreneurship. He co-founded B’Nottee and contributed to Sama Sama Perak and Pride of Perak. As AACE’s co-founder, he bridges creativity, sustainability, and community through purposeful design.
About Javson:
Founded in 2021 by Javson Lee, Edmund Low, and a group of creatives and parents, AACE was built on the belief that creativity can drive real change. With Javson’s experience in branding, media, and over a decade in Europe as a creative director, and Edmund’s path from interior architecture to cultural and design entrepreneurship, AACE reflects their vision to merge art, charity, and sustainability into lasting impact.Title 01