I joined MSA in January 2024 as a lecturer in Architecture and Urbanism. After graduating as a Part II architect from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and spending some time in practice, I pursued a master’s in urban design at the Bartlett, UCL. I completed my PhD at the Technology University of Delft, where I wrote a dissertation on the spaces of protest in post-colonial Kuala Lumpur (2018). Post-PhD, I taught and researched architecture and urban design at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (2018-2022). Prior to joining MSA, I was an NUS Fellow at the Asia Research Institute (ARI), National University of Singapore, under the NUS Southeast Asia Fellows Programme.
My academic focus leans towards the politics of space, where I am predominantly interested in the availability of space for people to participate in public life. As such, I am interested in how and why spaces and infrastructure are produced and governed in relation to politics, the impact of privatisation of public goods, and the contestation of space and territories. I am also interested in how historical processes, particularly colonisation, have shaped the built environment and related spatial practices.
While I was at ARI, my interest in the contestation of space and territories led me to start researching the socio-political impact of land reclamation on marginalised communities, with a focus on Southeast Asia. Through this project, my research trajectory developed to include an interest in speculation, both in terms of financial speculation and the imagination or prediction of urban futures. Specifically, I critically examine the production of urban imaginaries, the narratives of development, and the role of architects and urban planners in producing the plans and renderings that serve a crucial role in capturing the imagination of decision makers, investors, and the public.