The world is now competing to build environmentally friendly buildings and minimize carbon emissions. This is a very challenging challenge so not many practitioners are able to implement the Green Building concept properly. Several prominent architects who are famous for their Green Building works are Ken Yeang (Malaysia), Penda China (China), and RAD+ar (Indonesia). These architects will be invited in May to an event held by Gadjah Mada University Architecture Students to share their point of view on Green Architecture in the World. The following is a brief profile of the WEX UGM 2022 performers.

1. Ken Yeang

Ken Yeang is an architect, planner and ecologist who is renowned for his green architecture and ecologically based masterplans through outstanding designs. During his 50 years of practice, Ken Yeang has been named "one of the 50 people who can save the planet". Some of his architectural works are Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Extension (UK), Solaris (Singapore), National Library (Singapore), Machineiaga Tower (Malaysia), Spire Edge Tower (India), Genome Research Building (Hong Kong), Atmosphere Putrajaya (Malaysia).

1. Sun Dayong, Chinese Penda Architecture

Sun Dayong is the founder and principal architect at Penda China, adhering to an eco-friendly design ethos and a “less is love” concept. His project was successfully entered in the Hongkun Art Museum which was named one of the ten best museums in Beijing. He has also won several international awards including the “Emerging Architect of 2016” by the Architizer A+ Awards in the United States.

3. Antonius Richard, Architecture RAD+ar

RAD+ar is one of the best architects and designers of Tropical Architecture in Indonesia who is famous for his expertise, namely Micro Tropicality. Antonius Richard as the founder explored and experimented to redefine the value of architecture both in globalization and localization. In 2020, one of RAD+ar's works was successfully displayed at the 2219: Futures Imagined exhibition at ArtScience Museum Singapore.

Next May may be the month that virtual reality fans have been waiting for, because UGM students will hold an unusual virtual exhibition. Moving on from the concept of the event entitled "The Breath of All Living", visitors will be amazed by the new experience of exploring the virtual world online.

For this year, the WEX exhibition took the theme of synanthrophization. In simple terms, synanthrophization is a phenomenon where animals migrate to human living space because their habitat is decreasing.

"So, the WEX International Architectural Exhibition is an exhibition that shows works from the 2021 UGM Architecture Work Lecture (KKA), the work of WEX contest participants, and the work of students from both UGM and other universities. I openly invite all Indonesian people to participate in this virtual exhibition because it raises an unusual issue, namely the extinction of Flora and Fauna, but is packaged in architectural works of art in it.” said Arfiana Naura, Vice Chair of WEX 2022 Events.

In this exhibition, there are also virtual booths provided for companies/brands that collaborate with WEX. With the target of visitors reaching 4500 people, it is hoped that it can help increase international community awareness regarding the company/brand. Immediately get a virtual booth specially designed for your company and also various other benefits by contacting the WEX UGM 2022 contact below!

Seeing the close competition with Nusantara, makes students more curious to explore and express their creativity with works. The context of the varied natural wealth is certainly interesting to be explored further. Along with the issue of the already high extinction of flora and fauna in Indonesia, the International Architectural Competition WEX 2022 carries the tagline "If Architecture is The Nature".

According to the IUCN Red List 2021, endangered animal species rose by 49% in the last decade. Currently, the number of endangered wildlife species is 147 mammal species, 144 bird species, 28 reptile species, 29 fish species, and 28 invertebrate species. This phenomenon is getting worse due to community urbanization activities that are increasingly widespread and shifting the habitat of flora and fauna in Indonesia.

This competition will invite participants from all over the country to create unique works that can be a solution to protect wildlife. Animals in the wildlife center are expected to receive good treatment and service so that they can reduce extinction, as well as become a means of education to increase human awareness of the importance of flora and fauna habitat in maintaining a balanced ecosystem.

IAC WEX 2022 involves reliable starchitects namely Hwang Yun Hye (Associate Professor, National University of Singapore), Anton Siura (Founder of SIURA Studio, Singapore), and Yori Antar (Director of HAN AWAL & partners, Indonesia). Apart from the architects who have practiced for a long time, this competition also included Wildlife Reproductive Biotechnology Expert and Sumatran Tiger Studbook Keeper Regional Indonesia, Dr. Drh Ligaya ITA Tumbelaka, SpMP, MSc.

The designs of the finalists will be exhibited at the International Architectural Exhibition WEX 2022 which will be attended by international students, academics, practitioners, activists, and architects from 14 to 22 May 2022. Interested in competing internationally at IAC WEX 2021? Registration is open from February 2 to April 25, 2022.