Design Students Explore Spatial Narratives and Heritage Through Field Visit

Students from First City University College’s Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Design (BIAD) and Diploma in Interior Design (DID) programmes participated in a field trip titled “Interpreting History Through Space,” on 3rd June 2025.

The study visit centred on two historically significant sites in Kuala Lumpur; the Kompleks Selangor Building and the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple Museum. At Kompleks Selangor, students explored how modern commercial needs can coexist with historical preservation through adaptive reuse strategies. Meanwhile, the Sin Sze Si Ya Temple offered deep insights into sacred spatial arrangements, cultural symbolism, and the architectural storytelling embedded within traditional temple design.

“Kompleks Selangor showed me how modern functions can exist within historical spaces,” said Carlos Lee Ming Jun from Diploma in Interior Design. “Walking through Petaling Street and the temple grounds reminded me that good design always respects its context,” added Wong Zi Ning from Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Design.

The trip enhanced students’ understanding of architectural heritage and also inspired them to integrate context-aware thinking into their future design projects.