MLA Options Studio Field Report: LA5701 | MLA Studio Country: Living Currents: Reclaiming River Landscapes through Regenerative Tourism and Community Memory in Kuching, Sarawak

The Living Currents field trip to Kuching, Sarawak, served as an integral component of the Master of Landscape Architecture option design studio led by tutor Casey Nai Huei Wang. The studio is focused on river regeneration, community memory, and regenerative tourism. Over the course of one week, from September 22-27, 2025, the students explored how the Sarawak River can act as a living cultural and ecological infrastructure for the city.

The trip, supported by Wendy Teo from Think & Tink (a creative hub in Kuching), was structured as an immersive research and co-learning experience rather than a conventional fieldwork project. It combined urban exploration, site documentation, and participatory engagement with local institutions and residents. Through collaborations with Think & Tink and Tanoti Crafts, the fieldwork program emphasised the intersection of local knowledge, craft-based practices, and design thinking. For instance, the students attended a soundscape documentation workshop led by Dr. Hasnizam(UNIMAS), about sensory mapping and acoustic ecology as tools for urban interpretation. This encouraged students to interpret the city’s atmosphere and rhythms beyond its visual form.

The field work program culminated in a public presentation and community exhibition, where students shared preliminary ideas through sketches, models, and multimedia documentation. The event successfully fostered dialogue among residents, academics, and professionals, strengthening the Living Currents studio as a platform for design-led community discourse.