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KLANG - Klang's future urban landscape could soon be influenced by ideas from young architects around the world after the Royal Klang City Council (MBDK) pledged to consider winning proposals from an international design competition in planning the future development of Bandar Baru Klang.
The commitment came as Klang hosted the 2026 Belt and Road International Student Competition on Digital Architectural Design, bringing together 115 submissions from 31 universities across six countries. This is also the first time the competition has been held outside China.
Speaking at the award presentation ceremony at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Klang Mayor Datuk Abd Hamid Hussain said the competition marked a historic milestone for the royal town and signalled its growing international profile.
"This is a historical event because it is the very first time Klang has hosted an architectural competition on an international scale. It brings together thinkers, designers and visionaries from around the world who have placed Klang on the global stage.
"The Royal Klang City Council promises that the best ideas presented by participants will not be kept in a closet. If Acmar Group brings them forward for the future development of Bandar Baru Klang, we will bring them to the planning table, present them to investors and use them as key references for our city's growth," he said.
Co-organised by the Belt and Road Architectural University International Consortium (BRAUIC) and the Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (BUCEA), the competition challenged students to develop digital master plans and sustainable urban design concepts for Bandar Baru Klang.
The event concluded with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between BUCEA and Acmar Group to establish long-term cooperation in student training, internships, research and academic exchanges.
BUCEA vice-president Chen Hongbing described the agreement as a model of university-industry collaboration, while Acmar Group executive director Johnson Tee said it reflected the company's philosophy of "building cities, nurturing talent."
He said Bandar Baru Klang's development as a smart township, supported by high-speed digital infrastructure, made it an ideal platform for international collaboration in sustainable urban planning.
UTAR council chairman Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh said the partnership demonstrated how universities and industry could work together to generate practical solutions for future city development.
China's Xiamen University won the competition with its proposal, Royal Port Reborn: Vibrant Funan City, receiving the US$3,000 grand prize.
Joint first runner-up honours went to UTAR for Project Reklang: The Thirsty River and BUCEA for KLANG PULSE, while Shandong Jianzhu University, Anhui Jianzhu University and Tongji University shared the second runner-up awards.
Organisers also presented Best Organization Awards and Outstanding Supervisor Awards to recognise institutions and academics that contributed to architectural education and cross-border collaboration.