A MICROSITE BY THE INSTITUTE OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS MALAYSIA (ILAM)
The NBS Asia Conference, organised by the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM), brings together experts, policymakers, and practitioners from across Asia to explore Nature-based Solutions for resilient cities, thriving communities, and sustainable futures. This regional platform fosters collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovative approaches to address shared environmental challenges.
Date: 25 OCTOBER 2025 (Sat)
Venue: Auditorium Bandaraya, Menara DBKL 1
Time: 8:30am until 6:00pm
CPD: 08​​
OPENING SESSION
8:30am
Registration & Light Breakfast
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9:00am - 9:20am
Arrival of Guest of Honour:
YB Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad
Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa
Former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability
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• National Anthem: Negaraku
• Doa Recitation
• Moment of Silence in Honour of Prof. Kongjian
• Video Showcase: My Nature-based Solution
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Catalogue
of NBS
for Urban Resilience
Merbau's Faber
9:20am - 9:45am
Breakfast Talk with Dr Khayla
& Julien Hodson-Walker
Start the day with an engaging breakfast talk that introduces the fundamentals of Nature-based Solutions through interactive sharing. This session provides an accessible overview of NBS concepts, real-world examples, and their relevance to Asia’s urban and environmental challenges, setting the stage for deeper discussions throughout the conference.
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9:45am - 10:20am
Feature: NBS in Focus
Michiel Van Driessche
Felixx Landscape, Rotterdam, Netherlands
A co-author of the World Bank/GFDRR Catalogue of Nature-based Solutions for Urban Resilience, Michiel shares actionable frameworks—from urban forests to sponge-city retrofits—covering site selection, co-benefit valuation, and implementation pathways drawn from projects across Europe and Asia.
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10:20am-10:30am
Welcoming Remarks
Assoc Prof LAr Dr Nor Atiah Ismail
President, Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM)
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10:30am-10:40am
Opening Remarks
YB Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad
Member of Parliament for Setiawangsa
Former Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability
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10:40am-10:45am
Book Launch: MyNBS Digest 2025
Malaysia’s 20 Leading Nature-based Solutions in Landscape Architecture celebrates twenty exemplary projects that embody the nation’s commitment to designing with nature. Curated by the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM), this publication highlights how Malaysian landscape architects are advancing climate resilience, biodiversity restoration, and community well-being through innovative Nature-based Solutions. Each featured project showcases a unique integration of ecology and design reflecting Malaysia’s leadership in shaping sustainable, living landscapes for
the future.
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10:45am-10:50am
Opening Video: Merbau's Faber
Merbau’s Fable is an inspiring shadow play by LAr. Dr.
Mustafa Kamal Mohd Shariff, Fellow Landscape Architect
and storyteller, in collaboration with the Plasticity Theatre
Troupe. Using powerful words and evocative visuals, it gives voice to Mother Nature’s plea, transforming discarded materials into art. Created during the 2021 pandemic lockdown, this Penang–Kuala Lumpur collaboration celebrates creativity, resilience, and the beauty of renewal through reuse.
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BLOCK 1
CLIMATE ADAPTATION DESIGN
Nature
Climbs
The Skyline
Urban
Water
Resilience
BIG IDEAS
10:50am-11:30am
Nature Climbs the Skyline
LAr. Phua Chin Eng, Landart Design
Nature Climbs the Skyline explores the transformative role of roof gardens in advancing Nature-based Solutions within dense urban environments. As cities grapple with rising temperatures, stormwater challenges, and limited ground space, roof gardens emerge as living infrastructures—cooling microclimates, retaining rainwater, enhancing biodiversity, and offering restorative spaces that reconnect people with nature above the skyline.
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11:30am -12:10pm
Urban Water Resilience
Liu Huei Lyn, PUB, Singapore
The ABC Waters Programme is an example of Singapore’s commitment to sustainable development and stormwater management. Launched nearly two decades ago in 2006, projects like Kallang River Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park and most recently, Alkaff Lake incorporate blue-green infrastructure that function as recreational community space and enhance flood protection in the area.
This talk showcases multifunctional water infrastructure projects that seamlessly integrate urban liveability with resilient design.
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Benchakitti Park
Bangkok
Pinji River
Sponge
Basin
Tebet
Eco
Park
SHOWCASE
12:10pm - 12:25pm
Designing Bangkok Sponge Park
K. Chatchanin Sung,
Arsomsilp Community & Environmental Architect Company, Thailand
Benjakitti Park in Bangkok showcases the sponge city principle at scale. Once a tobacco factory site, it was transformed into wetlands, retention ponds, and green corridors that hold stormwater during monsoon floods while offering recreational space in the dry season. This talk shares its design journey and Nature-based Solutions.
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12:25pm - 12:40pm
Pinji River Sponge Basin, Ipoh, Malaysia
LAr. Meor Abdullah Zaidi, Ipoh City Council
The Pinji River Sponge Basin in Tanjung Rambutan, Perak, reimagines a former mining site into a multifunctional floodable park. Anchored by dual retention and detention ponds, the design applies Nature-based Solutions to restore ecology, enhance stormwater management, and provide inclusive recreational amenities for community health and resilience.
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12:40pm - 12:55pm
Tebet Eco Park, Jakarta, Indonesia
Anton Siura, SIURA Studio, Singapore
Tebet Eco Park, Indonesia, is a model of urban regeneration guided by Nature-based Solutions. Once a degraded green space, it has been transformed into a resilient park that restores biodiversity, manages flooding, and reconnects communities with nature. The talk explores its design strategies, ecological functions, and community-driven outcomes.
12:55pm - 1:00pm
End of Block 1
1:00pm - 2:10pm
Lunch Break
Kuala Lumpur
Green
Connectors
BLOCK 2
ECO-SOCIAL WELLBEING DESIGN
NBS
in The City
Urban X
Biodiversity
BIG IDEAS
2:10pm - 2:50pm
NBS in the City
LAr. Teng Pe Yang, Permata Green
This session explores how Nature-based Solutions can be woven into George Town’s UNESCO heritage fabric to address urban climate challenges. By integrating green infrastructure, stormwater management, and biodiversity strategies with heritage conservation, the project aims to safeguard cultural identity while enhancing resilience, liveability, and sustainability in dense urban settings.
2:50pm - 3:30pm
Urban X Biodiversity
Matthew Mackay, ASPECT Studios, Australia
​Urban x Biodiversity examines how cities can be designed to coexist with and enrich nature. This session discusses strategies to weave biodiversity into urban landscapes—through native planting, ecological corridors, and sensitive planning—while balancing growth and conservation to create healthier, more resilient, and life-supporting environments.
Discover
Pulai
Trail
PTT
Metro
Forest
NBS in Urban
Green
Connectors
Gamuda
Gardens
Park
SHOWCASE
3:30pm - 3:45pm
Discover Pulai Trail
LAr. Carolyn Lau, Free Tree Society, Malaysia
The Pulai Trail represents a powerful example of urban conservation in action—a regenerating forest, a wildlife sanctuary, a wellness refuge, and a community hub all rolled into one. It’s a living example of how well-planned urban nature initiatives can deliver rich ecological, social, and environmental benefits.
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​3:45pm - 4:00pm
PTT Metro Forest Bangkok
Tawatchai Kobkaikit, TK Studio, Thailand
Bangkok’s Metro Forest is a dense urban Miyawaki forest established on formerly abandoned, dump-filled marshland. With 60,000 native saplings planted across bermed terrain, it rapidly develops canopy and biodiversity. Elevated walkways and educational exhibits immerse visitors in a regenerative landscape that restores ecology while inspiring urban resilience and awareness.
4:00pm - 4:15pm
NBS in Urban Green Connectors
Daniel Lim, Think City
This session explores how urban green connectors integrate Nature-based Solutions and placemaking strategies to link parks, streetscapes, and heritage zones. By weaving ecological corridors into dense city fabrics, these connectors enhance stormwater management, cool microclimates, enrich biodiversity, and transform public spaces into vibrant, inclusive places that strengthen community connection and cultural identity.
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4:15pm - 4:30pm
Gamuda Gardens Park
Julien Thomas Hodson-Walker, Walrus Design
Gamuda Gardens Park anchors a new township designed around Nature-based Solutions. The park integrates lakes, wetlands, and green corridors to manage stormwater naturally, cool the microclimate, and enrich biodiversity. As a central recreational hub, it balances ecological functions with community well-being, setting a model for resilient township living.
4:30pm - 4:45pm
Break
BLOCK 3
NBS ASIA ROUNDTABLE
NBS Asia
Roundtable
KL Balcony
Showdown
Mystical
Titiwangsa
Malaysian
Heritage
Garden
4:45pm - 5:45pm
NBS Asia Roundtable
Moderator:
- Assoc Prof LAr Dr Nor Atiah Ismail (ILAM)
Panelist:
- Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)
- Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP)
- Felixx Landscape (Netherlands)
- Landart Design (Malaysia)
5:45pm
End of NBS Asia 2025
Excursion
KL Park Festival 2025 (Optional)
Join an immersive excursion to the biennial KL Park Festival, where Kuala Lumpur’s urban green spaces come alive. The 2025 edition, held during Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship, embraces the theme “ASEAN Unity in Diversity”, showcasing creative garden installations and cultural exhibits from across the region. Expect interactive competitions—including the KL Balcony Showdown and Environmental Arts—alongside “Mystical Titiwangsa,” a multi-sensory plant experience. Discover community gardens, student showcases, an ASEAN sculpture garden, marketplaces, and sessions on urban sustainability, all within a vibrant festival celebrating nature, culture, and collective creativity.
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CLICK HERE FOR FESTIVAL WEBSITE
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KLPF Excursion Programme
6:00pm
Departure from Kuala Lumpur City Hall
6:30pm
Arrival at Hospitality Marquee, KL Park Festival
• Welcome Briefing on KL Park Festival 2025
• Light Refreshments
7:20pm
Free & Easy
8:15pm
Assemble at Mystical Titiwangsa
Malaysia’s First Immersive Trending Plant Showcase
• Briefing on Mystical Titiwangsa Showcase
• Live Performances on Malaysian Folklore
9:00pm
End of Programme
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