Malaysian Interior Industry Partners (MIIP) I Vol 9 No 1 2023 I Nicholas Gan

– Curating Unique Concepts, Delivering Superior Experiences Goodwinds Interior Design

Nicholas Gan, Managing Director of GoodWinds Interior Design Sdn Bhd speaks to Christina Thomas about the company’s inception and its dynamic approach towards market needs.

GoodWinds is a one-stop interior design company that provides complete design and built solutions for commercial and corporate spaces. Established in 2016, GoodWinds has been trailblazing the interior design and built industry with its unique and contemporary design concepts. As captain of the ship, Nicholas Gan says that his motto in running the organisation is to stay humble, maintain integrity and uphold transparency. Comprising a stable of high-energy entrepreneurs and dedicated professionals, GoodWinds has been delivering top quality, innovative and

market-relevant products and services.

Driven by its vision to be recognised as a leading provider of exceptional interior design solutions that inspire and transform spaces, GoodWinds has been continuously striving to enhance the lives of its clients, reflect their unique style and personality, and foster a sense of harmony and well-being.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN….

Reminiscing about his entry into entrepreneurship, Nicholas shares that upon his graduation in 1999, he embarked on his career with a small design

consultancy. After 2 years, he moved on to a larger built and design firm – Axis Interior Contract under the Axis Identity Group – where he learnt the entire spectrum of design, built, architecture and branding.

“My first project at Axis was to handle their new office project at Wisma Selangor Dredging,” he adds. Nicholas pointed out that lessons learnt at Axis under his first mentor Mr Jonathan Ng, were invaluable and shaped his outlook on how to run a successful business. “I believe that this business is successful because of stringent systems set in place,” he reflects.

He also realised that in achieving success, team spirit is very important, which he has duly emulated at GoodWinds. Having spent 7 years at Axis, he moved on to SW1 Solutions.

“I followed my mentor Mr Swami and joined SW1 Solutions. Here I continued to learn tremendous insights from my mentor, especially on how to handle problems,” Nicholas highlighted.

As an invaluable member of SW1 Solutions, Nicholas was involved in all their projects as Senior Project Manager where he continued to learn the “ins and outs” of interior design and built. After 7 years in SW1 Solutions, he decided that it was time to embark on his very own entrepreneurial journey. That saw the birth of GoodWinds in 2016.

DELIVERING SUPERIOR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES

Focusing mainly on corporate and commercial projects, Nicholas ensured that GoodWinds has a strong system in place which is able to control the quality of projects from beginning to end.

“Our 20 years of experience in the interior design line has taught us many valuable lessons. We know where hiccups in the project are most likely to develop, and we are able to foresee problems in certain designs, thus we are able to offer our customers practical and proactive solutions, recommendations and even alternatives,” explained Nicholas.

“We are able to identify issues before our customers even spot them and provide innovative solutions, however, the ultimate decision is theirs to make,” he stresses.

Nicholas pointed out that one very important element to consider when undertaking design work is to understand how the customer’s business operates. “The interior design concept has to be practical and drive effective working dynamics,” he points out.

“I always emphasise to customers that they need to consider the needs of the users of the office space for practicality purposes. For instance, HR and Accounts departments usually prefer their own rooms to maintain

confidentiality, while an open office concept may suit other teams better for better collaboration,” Nicholas adds.To-date, GoodWinds serves prominent brands such as British American Tobacco (BAT), Petron International corporate offices, Hap Seng Group, Leader Energy and Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM), among others. BAT is one of GoodWinds’ prominent projects whereby the company was awarded a contract in 2021 for interior design and built for 10 branch offices in Peninsular Malaysia.

BUSINESS GROWTH AND THE PANDEMIC

Speaking about the growth of GoodWinds, Nicholas shares that in the beginning, he operated alone. After 6 months, he hired an intern and gradually started to hire employees as the business picked up pace.

During the pandemic and the Movement Control Orders (MCO) periods, times were challenging. “We still had design jobs that we could undertake online, so we managed to sustain,” he recalled.

Nicholas shared that, as much as possible, he tried to avoid pay cuts for his employees, however it was a struggle. GoodWinds promptly bounced back into business in 2022. Come 2023, business has been very good.

“We have the highest revenue this year compared to the previous year. We also have a more stable team now and we are now focusing on getting more projects and participating in design competitions,” says Nicholas.

THE PATH TO SUCCESS

The path to success has never been an easy one, however, GoodWinds has mastered this path. “We believe that ultimately the client is the one to utilise the office space, hence we always listen to what they want and their requirements. Firstly, it is important to understand how they operate, then we provide suggestions to create a more efficient working environment,” Nicholas highlights.

“Ultimately, practicality is key to successful design work,” he stresses.

DIGITALISATION

Recognising the importance of digitalisation, Nicholas shares that GoodWinds has been investing in

social media and SEO optimisation to ensure that the company has a strong digital presence.

“We have been actively posting social media updates over the last 2 years so that we can reach out to customers and build a strong brand presence,” he adds.

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK

As an experienced player in the interior design industry, Nicholas shares that the industry has been rapidly growing with many new players entering the market. This has created a highly competitive environment. The only concern now is that the new generation of industry players are embarking on entrepreneurship without experience, which can be a bit risky.

Nicholas explains that it is very important for interior design and built organisations to have experience so that they are able to guide their customers along the journey while meeting regulatory requirements. “Experience is crucial,” he retorts.

GoodWinds is highly experienced in navigating regulatory requirements of local authorities as well as submissions for approvals. This will ease the journey for our customers, thus giving them peace of mind. His

advice to customers is to hire consultants that comply with regulatory requirements and are familiar with all the necessary submissions to avoid penalties, roadblocks and disruptions.

FUTURE DIRECTION

In taking the company to the next level, Nicholas says that the plan is to move into hotel upgrading works and F&B chain stores which can deliver repeated business.

BuildXpo 2023 aims to be Asia’s top expo for construction sector

The exhibition aims to attract over 10,000 industry professionals and is expected to draw participants from more than 10 countries, including China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan

exhibition in Malaysia, the region, and globally,” said Datuk Ir Ahmad Asri Bin Abdul Hamid, the Chief Executive of CIDB Malaysia.

“This commitment to excellence, coupled with the construction industry’s significant contribution to Malaysia’s GDP, shows the importance of BuildXpo 2023 as a catalyst for sustainable growth and innovation in the sector.

The Malaysia International Building and Construction Industry Showcase 2023, better known as BuildXpo, is a platform for local and international builders and contractors to find solutions and forward-looking ideas for the industry.

This is especially needed as the country moves towards its 2050 carbon-neutral target, and as the industry comes face-toface with the many ecological and social challenges.

Themed ‘Leading ESG in Construction’, the exhibition will feature five segments, namely,

Construction Technology and IBS, Construction Materials, Construction Equipment, Construction Machinery, Systems and Services, and Start-ups in the Construction Industry.

Hosted by the Construction Industry Development Board

(CIDB) Malaysia and managed by Qube Integrated Sdn Bhd (QUBE), BuildXpo 2023 aims to be Asia’s premier business platform for the construction and building industry, anticipating RM1 billion worth of business transactions.

“The vision for BuildXpo 2023 is to make it a premier construction

QUBE and CIDB Malaysia have forged a strategic collaboration to co-organise this inaugural event. This public-private partnership, will drive Malaysia’s construction industry to new heights by championing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices.

In recent months, the construction sector in Malaysia has been seeing rapid recovery, with an increase in the number and value of construction projects. In the first quarter of 2023, the value of completed projects rose significantly by 9.4% to RM32.2 billion, demonstrating the industry’s robust growth and potential for further development.

BuildXpo 2023 will feature 500 booths in 10,000sq m of exhibition space, accommodating 200 local

and international companies across various sectors.

The exhibition aims to attract over 10,000 industry professionals, including architects, engineers, property developers, contractors, and government bodies. It is expected to draw participants from more than 10 countries, including China, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Japan.

It will be held in conjunction with the International Construction Week. Besides the exhibition and booths, visitors can expect business matching and hosted buyer programmes, technical seminars and workshops, career talks in the construction industry, new product launches, students’ robotic and engineering competitions and the CIDB Fellowship Award.

BuildXpo 2023 has gained strong support from prominent organisations such as Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) and the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), underlining the industry’s acknowledgment

of BuildXpo 2023’s significance as a catalyst for the growth and sustainability of the construction sector.

In addition to JKR and Matrade, BuildXpo 2023 has garnered support from various influential associations including the Institution of Engineers Malaysia Training Academy, Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia, Chartered Institute of Building, Malaysia Green Building Council, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Malaysia Heavy Construction Equipment Owners Association, Construction Research Institute of Malaysia and The Electrical and Electronics Association of Malaysia, among others. This widespread endorsement from industry associations demonstrates their recognition of BuildXpo 2023’s objectives and aligns with its mission to drive progress in the construction industry.

BuildXpo 2023 has established partnerships with renowned

international exhibition counterparts, namely Zambia’s ConExpo and Thailand’s BCT Expo.

QUBE’s Executive Chairman, Richard Teo said these collaborations bring in expertise and foster cooperation to enrich the exhibition experience, making it truly global in its reach and impact.

“BuildXpo 2023 has been well received by our stakeholders and partners with close to 50% confirmation rate for its participation thus far. This reflects a strong recovery in the sector of Business Events ultimately contributing to the country’s direction and effort in increasing greater visitors for the MICE market.

“BuildXpo 2023 is a homegrown event and QUBE’s aspiration is to drive this event into a regional and global event,” he said.

BuildXpo 2023 will be held from November 15-17, 2023 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur.

The most beautiful restaurant interiors in the world

The world’s most beautiful restaurants aim to deliver more than just delicious menus. They also seek to inspire lasting memories, offer unforgettable experiences and evoke emotional responses from diners. From Manhattan to Moscow, the team from Veranda.com, an authority on extraordinary design has scoured the globe for inspiring and mindblowing restaurant interiors.

The top 10 named in this list include Sassetta in Texas, the Le

A glimpse into some of the most beautiful restaurants in the world reveals thought-provoking creativity, exquisite style and impeccable combinations of colour and deco.

Bilboquet in New York, the Botanic in Mallorca, Spain, Beauty & Essex in New York, Alchemist in Copenhagen, Denmark, Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Restorante La Sponda in Italy, Al Pescatore in Sardinia, Sketch in London and White Rabbit in Moscow, Russia.

The common elements in these dining havens include chic and charming design concepts that resonate with the food served and the intended ambience that restauranteurs hope to deliver to their clientele.

One of the key elements of the designs is to deliver unforgettable experiences that match the unique menus at these elite dining spots. The designs also reflect cultural and culinary traditions combined with the stunning surroundings for that extra special ambience.

Unleash your design vision at RIX 2023

Malaysia’s leading design exhibition presents a world of design excellence with boundless creativity and innovation.

RiX 2023, Malaysia’s leading design exhibition, is set to open its doors to visitors and industry partners at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 26 to 29 October 2023. Jointly organised by C.I.S and

the Malaysia Institute of Interior Designers (MIID), RiX 2023 will be held concurrently with REKA Design week.

The semi-trade exhibition will feature local and international exhibitors from world-renowned

brands showcasing revolutionary products, cutting-edge materials and visionary design concepts. The exhibition will see the convergence of an international audience of professionals in the architecture, interior design

industry, and industry traders from the HORECA sector. Delegates and visitors are set to experience exceptional thoughtprovoking seminars, workshops and panel discussions on the latest design trends and industry best practices, empowering exhibitors and visitors to keep abreast with innovation and participate in design excellence.

RiX offers exhibitors an international stage to present their offerings and solutions while connecting with industry leaders, potential clients and innovators. The exhibition will also host

with RiX2023, the REKA Conference presents an array of local and international speakers delivering valuable insights on the latest trends and updates in the interior design fraternity.

For more information on space booking and to register as a visitor, log on to www. rixmalaysia.com.

leading designers, state-of-the-art products and trends that are set to transform the design world. A hub that fosters creativity and harnesses the best of innovation in design, RiX 2023 will feature awe-inspiring design genres, from commercial marvels to intimate residential sanctuaries. Held concurrently

– Your trusted tile & sanitarywares provider

Incorporated in 1990, Jubin BMS is a leading supplier of tiles, stones, large format material, mosaic and sanitary wares as well as fittings. With a warehouse capacity of 50,000 m2 nationwide carrying a sizeable inventory, Jubin BMS delivers the best quality products and top-notch services to customers. Headquartered in Tebrau, Johor, Jubin BMS has 15 branches, one fabrication plant and an upcoming plant in Negeri Sembilan. The showroom at the company’s headquarters was awarded “Malaysia’s largest tiles and sanitary wares showroom” in 2021 and “Most tiles design by a retailer” in 2022 by the Malaysia Book of Records for largest single piece porcelain slab 2023.”.

Driven by its vision to be Malaysia’s leading and most trusted tiles, stone and sanitary wares provider at nationwide locations, Jubin BMS constantly curates quality products from across the world to offer customers an extensive range of selections. Having built a strong sourcing and abundant distribution network, Jubin BMS is the exclusive distributor of many world-class brands such as Cotto, Fima Carlo Fratinni, Steinberg and thus enabling the company to offer cutting-edge products at reasonable prices.

Jubin BMS also conducts extensive research and development (R&D) activities and sources for its products globally to produce and deliver its house brands such as BMS Porcelain,

Eurano Bathroom Solutions, Moderica Surface and Marmo Grande. This enables Jubin BMS to provide a wide range of superior quality porcelain tiles, decorative tiles, large format porcelain slabs, sanitary ware, bathroom fittings and accessories for different scales of projects and design requirements.

Over the years, Jubin BMS has developed a state-of-theart showroom at its Tebrau headquarters in Johor, showcasing contemporary designs and mock-ups with the latest trends and concepts. Recognising the vast potential of the market and the extensive business opportunities available, Jubin BMS expanded its retail showroom at its headquarters in Johor to approximately 7,000 m2 and to nearly 2,000 m2 at its Klang and Kepong showrooms. To inspire customers and deliver outstanding customer experiences, Jubin BMS’s showrooms are all equipped with a wide variety of mock-up designs, showcasing the latest design ideas and concepts.

Jubin BMS’ products adorn signature projects by various developers such as IOI D’Summit Residences in Johor, Setia Sky 88, Crescent Bay Suites, Molek Pine 3, Sutera Mall Johor, Holiday Inn, EcoWorld and Hotel Fairfield by Marriott Hotel, among others. As a responsible corporate citizen, Jubin BMS has established stringent corporate policies that include Anti-bribery and Anti-corruption, Occupational Health and Safety, and a Quality Management System. Jubin BMS is

proud to be the recipent of several industry excellence awards such as the Golden Eagle Awards Winner Cotto Global and Top Distributor Award for consecutive years.

Paragon Carpet Distributor Sdn Bhd

Making waves in the carpeting industry.

Equipped with two decades of experience in carpeting, Paragon is a prominent name in the industry delivering excellence in carpeting. The company manufactures and distributes commercial carpets, rugs, automotive carpets and NVH components. As the demands of customers are constantly evolving, Paragon continues to deliver outstanding and innovative carpeting solutions that are versatile, dynamic and contemporary.

Established in 1993, Paragon has 4 production plants, 265 employees and a host of local as well as international clients. The company has achieved a revenue of RM60million per annum, and serves developers, main contractors, designers, architects and residential clients.

The company’s product range includes carpets such as Axminster,

machine tufted, carpet tiles, carpet rugs, mosque carpets and Wilton carpets. Paragon export markets span the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Japan, Brunei, Philippines, Maldives, Singapore, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Paragon has been certified with the MS ISO 1900: 2014 certification by SIRIM QAS, and recognised as Environmentally Preferred Carpet by the Singapore Environmental Council. The company also has the right to use the MyHIJAU mark under the SIRIM Eco-Labelling Scheme by the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation. The Australian Wool Testing Authority has also endorsed Paragon’s Axminster carpets following the AWTA product testing exercise.

Today, Paragon’s carpets adorn international establishments such as hotels,

offices, convention centres, topnotch restaurants, auditoriums, the Malaysian Parliament, mosques and private residences.

Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) Awards 2023

Presenting exceptional designs and concepts, revolutionising Malaysia’s architectural industry.

The architecture industry applauded innovation, creativity and sustainability at the recent PAM Awards 2023. Various buildings took home top honours under different categories of the awards, held in Kuala Lumpur. This year PAM marks its 100th anniversary which is a major milestone for the association as well as the architecture industry.

“The centennial celebration of Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia this year marks a century of architectural excellence and contributions to the profession in Malaysia,” said Associate Professor Sarly Adre Sarkum, PAM president and head jury for the Awards.

A total of 120 submissions were received by PAM, across 15 categories, namely, Single Residential, Multiple Residential (Low Rise), Multiple

Residential (High Rise), Public & Institutional, Alteration & Addition, Conservation, Overseas, Commercial Low Rise, Commercial High Rise, Showroom, Sports and Recreation, Collaboration, Planning & Master Planning, Hospitality and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

Professor Sarly added that the success factors of the Gold winners were their ability to blend functionality and aesthetics in a seamless manner. He highlighted that it was not only about creating beautiful spaces, but also about creating spaces that inspire and uplift the human spirit.

“Each space has been carefully crafted to evoke emotion and create a sense of harmony with its surroundings,” said Professor Sarly.

The winners were seen to have demonstrated a deep commitment towards sustainability by embracing sustainable practices

as well as using sustainable materials and technologies, showing their commitment towards a greener future.

The projects submitted were largely conceptualised and constructed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the movement control orders. Despite the challenges and restrictions, PAM recognised that the overall quality of submissions had risen significantly. This proved that amidst adversities, the architectural fraternity continued to be resilient, creative and dedicated in the delivery of excellence and professionalism.

Professor Sarly pointed out that the fact that such designs have emerged amidst a global pandemic is testament to the indomitable spirit of the architectural community.

The top winners across the various categories included:

AWARDS CATEGORIES

SINGLE RESIDENTIAL Gold: Oculus House (Architect: Wooi Architect)

MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL

LOW RISE

MULTIPLE RESIDENTIAL

HIGH RISE

PUBLIC & INSTITUTIONAL

ALTERATION AND ADDITION

COMMERCIAL LOW RISE

COMMERCIAL HIGH RISE

SHOWROOM

SPORTS & RECREATION

HOSPITALITY

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL

PAM-INOVAR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD 2023

Silver: Mulia Residence (Architect: Arkitek FAA)

Gold: Lucentia Residences (Architect: GDP Architects)

Gold: Azman Hashim UMS Gallery (Architect: GDP Architects & KEAN Architect)

Gold: Renovation of Park Royal KL Hotel Guestrooms and Public Areas (Architect: DP Architects & FDAT Architects)

Silver: Silverlakes Brands Outlet Village (Architect: Zone Architect)

Gold: TNB Platinum (Architect: Neuformation Architects in collaboration with Woods Bagot)

Commendation: Selindung Daun (Architect: Malek Hassan Architect)

Silver: Azman Hashim Community Sports Centre (Architect: BYG Architecture in collaboration with Kacapuri Architect)

Silver: Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu (Architect: Arkitek Daniel Koh in collaboration with Kengo Kuma & Associates)

Silver: Petronas Leadership Centre New Campus (Architect: Veritas Architects)

In line with the focus on driving a knowledge-economy and a wellequipped workforce in the industry, Inovar Floor Malaysia sponsored the PAM-Inovar Scholarship Award 2023. The scholarship is open to PAM Student Members pursuing Malaysia’s PART 2 architecture programme from several selected universities. Jason Tan, Executive Director of Inovar, was at hand to present the scholarship awards to eligible students at the recent PAM Awards 2023 event.