Curriculum Vitae

DR. NAJAH BINTI MD ALWI

Senior Lecturer
  • Department of Architecture
    Faculty of Built Environment
  • najah.alwi
  • 0379676899

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Najah Md Alwi is a Senior Lecturer with extensive education and training in New Zealand, Malaysia, and the UK. Her academic and professional journey is deeply rooted in sustainability, green building, and exploring social spaces within the built environment. With a keen interest in how architecture can serve as an agent of inclusivity within urban contexts, Najah has dedicated her career to understanding and advancing the role of sustainable design in fostering equitable and harmonious urban environments.

Her international education and diverse experiences as a designer and project architect in architecture firms across different countries gave her a broad perspective on sustainable building design. This exposure has also earned her several certifications in various sustainable design methodologies, further enhancing her expertise in creating eco-friendly and socially responsive architectural solutions.

Dr. Najah’s work is driven by a strong belief in the transformative power of architecture. She is committed to shaping environments that promote a balanced relationship between people, nature, and the built environment, advocating for designs that meet functional needs and contribute to the overall well-being of communities.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • URBAN STUDIES
    Public Space, Social Space
  • BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION
  • BUILDING DESIGN
  • URBAN SOCIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY STUDIES

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

  • Dip.Arch(LAM +RIBA Part 1), (Architecture)
    Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
  • B.Arch (LAM +RIBA Part II), (Architecture)
    Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
  • DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, (Architecture)
    University of Nottingham
  • M.Arch (Sustainable Design), (Architecture)
    University of Auckland

MEMBERSHIPS

  • EASTERN REGIONAL ORGANISATION FOR PLANNING AND HOUSING, BOARD MEMBER
    2024 to present (International)
  • CERTIFIED GREEN BUILDING INDEX FACILITATOR, MEMBER
    2024 to 2024 (National)
  • GRADUATE ARCHITECT, MEMBER
    2024 to 2024 (National)
  • ACADEMIC MEMBER MALAYSIAN GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL, COMMITTEE MEMBER
    2024 to 2024 (National)
  • ESG COMMITEE, MEMBER
    2024 to 2024 (National)
  • GRADUATE ARCHITECT, MEMBER
    2024 to present (National)
  • GRADUATE TECHNOLOGIST, MEMBER
    Since 2023 (National)
  • GRADUATE ARCHITECT (LAM PART II), MEMBER
    2023 to 2023 (National)
  • GRADUATE ARCHITECT (PAM), COMMITTEE MEMBER
    2023 to 2023 (National)

AWARD AND STEWARDSHIP

  • Architect Fellowship as Speaker for Manifesto Relay Copenhagen Architecture Festival 2023
    Union of International Architects, 2023 (International)
  • Education Innovation Award 2022 : A SPACE TO GROW OLD
    Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, 2022 (International)
  • Best Presenter of Paper
    Taylor's University, 2022 (International)
  • EDUCATION INNOVATION 2021: LEMBAH SIREH WEB APP
    CARNIVAL RESEARCH & INNOVATION, 2021 (National)
  • EDUCATION INNOVATION AWARD 2021: SONATA : MOBILISED ARCHITECTONIC STREET FURNITURE WITH MULTI- TRANSFORMATION
    CARNIVAL RESEARCH & INNOVATION, UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA KELANTAN, 2021 (National)

PUBLICATIONS

Article in Journal
  1. Alwi, N. Story 34. Burns, T., Desire, J., Gordon, J., McDonald, P. and Sinfield, S. (eds.) (2022) Say it with a story. The #creativeHE Annual 2022. Creativity for Learning in Higher Education Community, #creativeHE, DOI: 10.25416/NTR.21806085
  2. N H Anuar, M I Tharazi, Y Mohd Faudzi & N Md. Alwi (2022), The Devil in the Details: Analysing the Ethno-Cultural Blending in Malaysian Museum Buildings, Journal of Urban Culture (Vol.25)101-113. DOI:10.14456/jucr.2022.23
Scopus
  1. Hassan K., Mohamad W.S.N.W., Hasan R., Alwi N.M. (2023). PERCEPTUAL DIFFERENCES OF TREE REMOVAL IN DEVELOPMENT AREAS AMONG LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS, Planning Malaysia. 21(5), 173-187. doi:10.21837/pm.v21i29.1363
Books
  1. Alwi, N. M. (Ed.). (2023). 40 Under 40: Malaysian Emerging Architects. Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia. ISBN: 978-967-5264-37-5. (Paperback)
Chapter in Books
  1. Alwi, N. M. & Mazlan, I. M. (2023). Architecture and the Everyday: Analysing Malaysian Cross-Cultural Coffee Spaces. In N. Peng & U. Sonet (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Inclusive and Innovative Architecture and the Built Environment (pp. 340-353). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8253-7.ch018
  2. Anuar, N. H., Alwi, N. M., Hanafi, N. N., Mohamad, J., & Nasir, S. N. (2023). Re-Imagining Kedai Pati: Local Third Places, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. In N. Peng & U. Sonet (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Inclusive and Innovative Architecture and the Built Environment (pp. 354-367). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8253-7.ch019
  3. Nasir, S. N., Ariffin, N. H., Alwi, N. M., Aziz, S., Amin, N. ., & Maharimi, M. F. (2023). Pragmatic Consideration on Eco-Friendly Building Materials for Healthy Homes. In N. Peng & U. Sonet (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Inclusive and Innovative Architecture and the Built Environment (pp. 319-338). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-8253-7.ch017
Article in Proceeding
  1. Mohamad, J., Hanafi, N. N. H., Anuar, N. H., Alwi, N. M., & Nasir, S. N. C. M. (2023). Reshaping History: Modernising Heritage Timber Buildings through Adaptive Reuse - Lessons from Istana Jahar.
  2. N M Alwi et al 2023 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 1205 012043 DOI 10.1088/1755-1315/1205/1/012043
  3. Nasir, S. N. C. M., Ismail, W. O. A. S. W., Aziz, S., Anuar, N. H., Alwi, N. M., & Razali, N. H. M. (2023). Eco living An effective interior spatial planning as an intervention towards healthy living environment - IOPscience. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1205(1), 012084. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/1205/1/012084/meta.
  4. N. Md Alwi. (2018). Culture and Identity in Public Green Spaces: The Story of Suropati and Menteng Park in Central Jakarta, Indonesia - the IAFOR Research Archive. ISSN: 2432-8642 U2013 the IAFOR International Conference on Sustainability. Energy & the Environment U2013 Hawaii 2018 Official Conference Proceedings. https://papers.iafor.org/submission39085/
Other Publications
  1. Md Alwi, N., Isa, Mariana (2023) The James Robert Vethavanam Inaugural Memorial Lecture + Roundtable, KLAF Official Logbook Vol (2),111-114. - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)
  2. Md. Alwi, Najah. (2023, December). 40 Under 40 FEATURE. Architecture Malaysia, Vol 35.4 (Quarterly), 70–82. - Mass Media(Newspaper,Radio,Tv,Popular Magazine)

RESEARCH INTEREST

  • Green Building & Sustainability (Materials, Building Construction, Land Use)
  • Post Occupancy Evaluation (BIPV, automation, smart systems)
  • Social Spaces (Culture, Human experience, Third space, Land Use)
  • Study of sensory spaces (POE, Environmental psychology, the play of light, or the ambient soundscape)

RESEARCH PROJECT

National
  1. 2024 - 2025, RU Geran - UMCares
    "CREATICE CHAOS: DRAW, DESIGN, AND RECYCLE WITH FLAIR!" ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  2. 2024 - 2024, UM Living Labs @ UMSDC
    Green Infrastructure Networks: Designing Interconnected Urban Green Spaces for Enhanced Biodiversity Within Lingkungan Budi, Universiti Malaya ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  3. 2024 - 2024, UM Living Labs @ UMSDC
    Striving for Sustainable Campus : A Focus on Green Building Principles at Universiti Malaya ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  4. 2024 - 2024, UM Living Labs @ UMSDC
    Strategies for Balancing Heritage Authenticity and Sustainability Heritage Buildings in UM Upon Rehabilitation ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  5. 2024 - 2024, UM Living Labs @ UMSDC
    Balancing Heritage Preservation and Modern Architecture Through Design: Case Studies from UM's Historic Buildings ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  6. 2020 - 2022, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS)
    COMPARING POLICY INTERPRETATION OF LIVEABILITY WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN URBAN NEIGHBOURHOOD ( Co-Researcher)
  7. 2020 - 2022, UMK Fundamental Grant
    Toward Resilient School Building: Conceptual Design ( Principal Investigator(PI))

PAPER PRESENTED

INVITED SPEAKER
  1. Experiences working in International Practices, Graduate Architects Teh Tarik Session, Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (National) (25 May 2024 - 25 May 2024)
  2. International Manifesto Relay - Towards an Indigenous Guardianship of Resources, World Architecture Congress 2023, Union of Architects (UIA) (International) (02 Jul 2023 - 06 Jul 2023)
  3. What does Climate Justice looks like?, Innovate for Cities, UN Habitat & Eastern Regional Organisation for Human Settlement (EAROPH) (International) (22 Sep 2021 - 24 Sep 2021)
  4. Climatic adaptation: Design and Simulation in the Tropics , Design and Simulations in the Tropics, University of Costa Rica (International) (31 May 2021 - 01 Jun 2021)
ORAL PRESENTER
  1. Energy transitioning school buildings in Peninsula Malaysia: A case study on the potential of photovoltaic power, 4th International Symposium on Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (International) (03 Oct 2022 - 04 Oct 2022)
POSTER PRESENTER
  1. Towards-an-indigenous-guardianship-of-resources, World Architecture Congress, Union of Architecture (International) (04 Jul 2023 - 07 Jul 2023)

ACADEMIC/PROF. SERVICES

Evaluation
  1. (2024) Pembentangan Pra Viva Pelajar Siswazah Fakulti Rekabentuk Inovatif dan Teknologi (Frit), Unidza, University, (External Evaluator)
  2. (2024) Simulation of Nearly Zero Energy Building Implementation On Orthopedic Hospital in Indonesia,, International, (Reviewer)
  3. (2024) Assessment Methdology in Assesing Identity Features of Contemporary Houses, International, (Reviewer)
  4. (2023) Design Studio Semester 5 for Bachelor's of Architecture in Taylor's University, International, (External Assessor)
  5. (2023) Utilisation of Cost-Effective Design Alternatives for Optimal Lecture Rooms Acoustic Performance, International, (Reviewer)
  6. (2023) Adaptation of Machine Learning in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Project Planning: a Bibliometric Analysis Using Bibliometric R-Tool, International, (Reviewer)
  7. (2023) Sustainable Green Building Initiatives in Malaysia: Issues in Implementation, International, (Reviewer)
Contribution to external organisation
  1. (2023) 40 Under 40 Book Editor, National, (Expert Advisor)
Contribution to event
  1. (2024) Working Abroad in Architectural Practices Around The World, National, (Panelist/Moderator)
  2. (2023) Main Rapporteur, International, (Panelist/Moderator)
Media appearance
  1. (2023) Cakap Cakap Graduate Architect in Council Election 2023, National, (Panelist/Moderator)

SUPERVISION

Postgraduate Student
PhD/ Doctoral
  1. (2024) CULTIVATING HEALTHY HOMES: AN IN- DEPTH ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTS IN RESIDENTIAL ENVIRONMENTS, Siti Nuratirah binti Che Mohd Nasir (Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Unisza))
  2. (2024) FOSTERING PEACE THROUGH STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE: IMPLEMENTING FLOOD-RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES FOR FLOOD VICTIMS IN MALAYSIA, SHARIKA TASNIM
  3. (2024) EXPLORING FLEXIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN IN CHINA: INNOVATIONS FOR SMART, GREEN BUILDING AND LOW-CARBON SOLUTIONS, ZHANG JIN
  4. (2024) OPTIMIZING WINDOW AREA TO VERTICAL GREENING SYSTEMS RATIO FOR BIOFACADE APPLICATIONS IN TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTS, MD FAHAD ISLAM
  5. (2024) REVIVING DAMAGED SETTLEMENTS: DEVELOPING RESILIENCE-SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS USING BIM (BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING), HADEEL MAHER MOHAMMAD ARIF JIBRINI
  6. (2024) AI IMPACTS ON OPTIMUM ARCHITECTURE EDUCATION IN KUALA LUMPUR, SEYED ABOUZAR KHAZRAEI AFZALI
  7. (2024) FRAMEWORK FOR DESIGNING LIVABLE OUTDOOR SPACES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE, MUSCAT AS CASE STUDY, KHALOOD SAIF HAMED AL DANQI
  8. (2022) Mediating Impact of Biophilic Architecture in exploring the relationship between Human Nature Development (ND) and Community Interaction, Human Social Resilience (HSR): Empirical Evidence from Urban Sector of Karachi, Quratul Ain (Universiti Malaysia Kelantan)
  9. (2021) Healthy Home using an intelligent system to enhance living, Siti Nuratirah binti Che Mohd Nasir (Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (Unisza))

PATENT/IPR

  • MEASURED DRAWING OF AULA BARAT INSTITUTE TEKNOLOGI BANDUNG (1TB), JALAN GANECA NO.10 LB, SILIWANGI KOTA BANDUNG, JAWA BARAT 40132 INDONESIA
    Copyright (International)