Final day in Malaysia

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince participated in a seminar on sustainable forestry and climate today as well.

Architecture and nature

The theme of the exhibition officially opened by Crown Princess Mette-Marit this morning is the relationship between nature and architecture. The exhibition presents works by the architectural firms Jensen & Skodvin and Jarmund/Vigsnæs, both of which have received a number of national and international awards and honours.

“Lost in Nature” presents selected works by Jarmund/Vigsnæs, all of which are uniquely in tune with nature and their surroundings. In “Works”, photos and architectural drawings are used to reveal how Jensen & Skodvin have created innovative architecture in harmony with Norwegian nature.

In her opening remarks, the Crown Princess highlighted the achievements of Malaysian and Norwegian architects and emphasised the importance of looking abroad for inspiration. She said:

“Seeking inspiration from other countries is extremely important. Traditionally, Norwegian architects have travelled widely in order to learn from others. Today, Norwegian architects are also contributing to the international architecture scene through lectures, seminars and exhibitions, and by winning awards and competitions abroad. All the three Norwegian firms I have just mentioned will give presentations at today’s seminar. That will provide an excellent arena for discussions and the exchange of ideas and experiences. I hope it will also contribute to developing a network of Malaysian and Norwegian architects.”

The Norwegian community in Malaysia was also invited to the opening of the exhibition. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess had the opportunity to meet many of the more than 150 Norwegians who were in attendance.

Sustainable forestry seminar

Norway and Malaysia both have extensive forested areas to manage. Crown Prince Haakon attended a luncheon seminar on sustainable forestry management and climate before visiting the facilities of two of Norway’s largest industrial players in Malaysia with the Crown Princess.

Jotun – 25 years in Malaysia

Jotun established a subsidiary in Malaysia in 1983, which is now one of the country’s leading paint manufacturers. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess visited Jotun’s facility in Shah Alam, which is also company headquarters for the Asia-Pacific region. A model of a new production facility under construction in Nilai was unveiled during the visit.

The Crown Prince and Crown Prince were also given a presentation of the innovative product Jotashield. Developed to deflect heat, the paint can help to save energy and reduce heat gain in large cities.

World’s largest one-stop subsea shop

Aker Solutions opened a manufacturing centre for subsea equipment for oil and gas production in Port Klang in 2007. With some 800 employees, the centre has become an important hub for subsea equipment and related services in Asia.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess were given a guided tour of the Aker Solutions facility, which was the last stop on their programme in Malaysia. After a final press conference in Port Klang, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess departed for Norway.