The subtle infusion of Malaysian identity permeates various facets of life in Malaysia, often without widespread acknowledgement. This influence manifests in architectural designs, ornate town entrances, statues, street lighting, and consumer goods, including traditional crafts such as pewterware and gold and silver jewellery. For instance, the MARA building on Raja Laut Road in Kuala Lumpur embodies Malaysian design, with its podium block resembling a Malay boat and exterior murals featuring bamboo shoot motifs and moving clouds reminiscent of songket cloth borders, a traditional Malay art form. Similarly, the National Library on Tun Razak Road in Kuala Lumpur incorporates Malaysian identity through design inspired by traditional Malay headgear.

However, integrating Malaysian identity into furniture design has seen limited progress despite former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's proposal twenty-nine years ago. At the Malaysian International Furniture Fair in 1995, he urged local manufacturers to draw upon the nation's diverse ethnic heritage to create unique Malaysian designs, emphasising the importance of innovative and appealing furniture for Malaysia's industrial development. Encouraging creativity and awareness among designers is crucial to maintaining the freshness of Malaysian identity in product design. Hosting design competitions can be an effective strategy, providing a platform for Malaysians to showcase their ideas and highlight the significance of Malaysian identity in furniture design.

Many firms prioritise designs for Western markets, often overlooking Malaysian cultural heritage. The CEO of the Malaysian Furniture Promotion Council stressed the need for a clear vision, strategy, and direction to enhance the design capabilities of the Malaysian furniture industry. Experts note Malaysia's lack of design expertise, research and development capabilities, and distinct brand identity compared to countries like Italy and Thailand. To compete with Italy in furniture design, Malaysia must establish a robust framework for unique design innovation, often relying on tacit knowledge and informal networks.

The widespread application of identity characterises anything with individual character, reflecting the social dimension of identity-related terminology across various domains. These elements collectively form part of the nation's heritage, deserving respect and preservation.

Transformation Design involves altering existing states through reconfiguring conventional design methodologies. It blends heuristic principles with practical application, aiming to influence ecological, economic, social, and cultural facets. Transformation Design confronts the challenge of shaping the environment through purposeful artefacts and mindsets.

Exploring the impact of the Transformation-Biomimicry Theoretical Framework on sustainability and national identity necessitates an understanding of the intricate ties between cultural dynamics and national self-perception. While research indicates a significant correlation between cultural milieu and national identification, a gap exists between theoretical postulations and practical manifestations, highlighting an area for further inquiry.

The Transformation-Biomimicry Theoretical Framework (T-BTF) offers valuable guidance for furniture design, leveraging the morphological features of Malaysian endemic plants and the concept of transformation. By applying transformation principles such as expand/collapse, expose/cover, and fuse/divide, furniture can become highly portable and flexible while reflecting Malaysian identity. This approach not only aids in reducing production costs but also optimises furniture effectiveness in meeting desired functions within a Malaysian context.

The true strength of T-BTF lies in its application as a process rather than simply mimicking Malaysian endemic plants. This shift in mindset enables the development of a sustainable design thinking process for furniture design, focusing on how transformation principles can be applied, their functions, user needs, and integration possibilities. Furthermore, T-BTF can be expanded by drawing inspiration from natural plant mechanisms like the withering process and petal arrangement patterns. Incorporating these patterns and mechanisms enhances diversity and multifunctionality in furniture designs, reflecting a new pragmatic approach that embodies Malaysian identity.

By utilizing T-BTF as a design framework, furniture design becomes more intentional, facilitating the transformation of Malaysian endemic plant structures. The resulting designs vividly portray Malaysian identity while improving furniture efficiency. This innovative approach holds great promise for the future of the furniture industry, offering exciting possibilities for sustainable, culturally resonant designs. 

Dr Nicole Fu Chew Xiang
School of Arts
Email: [email protected]