This Earth Day, the theme “Our Power, Our Planet” reminds us that individuals, communities, and industries alike hold the power to shape a more sustainable future. It calls for urgent climate action through renewable energy, circular practices, and environmental stewardship.
In line with this year’s theme, we’re shining a light on one of our deeply meaningful initiatives in 2023: our collaboration with Bilberries Blue and the Circular Cities Lab at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) on the Lojing Highlands Regenerative Masterplan.
Bridging Academia and Practice in the Heart of Nature
From May to June 2023, RSP co-led a graduate thesis studio with SUTD’s Master of Architecture (M.Arch) students in a shared mission to explore regenerative design for one of Southeast Asia’s most ecologically rich yet vulnerable regions. Joined by Associate Director Khoo Teik Rong, RSP supported an eight-week graduate thesis studio under SUTD’s Circular Cities Lab, helping students reimagine the future of Malaysia’s Lojing Highlands through architecture, agriculture, and systems thinking.
The project began with an immersive research trip to Sigar Highlands, where eleven M.Arch students engaged in fieldwork to better understand the local environment, communities, and cultural landscapes. Their insights laid the foundation for proposals grounded in regenerative design, biodiversity conservation, and circular economies.
Throughout the studio, Teik Rong provided architectural and agricultural mentorship, while Associate Matthias Alexander joined in as a location guide, taking the students through a hands-on learning journey that bridged real-world practice and academic exploration. Reviews and exhibitions were enriched by the participation of sustainability practitioners from Bilberries Blue, including Khoo Peng Keat, Co-Founder and Director of Food Forest Farm Sdn Bhd and The Kind Grower Pte Ltd, and Billie Tan, Co-Founder and Director of Moonriver Lodge Sdn Bhd, enabling valuable cross-sector dialogue between students, academia, and industry.
This collaboration culminated in the publication of a studio booklet and further Lojing Highlands study by the Circular Cities Lab, contributing to ongoing conversations around regenerative development in the region.
Read the report here: CCL Lojing Highlands Masterplan Report.pdf
Deepening Collaborations
In June 2023, RSP signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bilberries Blue to formalise our shared commitment to advancing sustainability through research, education, and enterprise. This partnership supports global knowledge exchange, expands educational outreach through RSP’s strategic partnership with SUTD, and explores regenerative business models in response to the evolving ESG economy.
We also took part in the Tok Panjang Microsummit on 11 February 2025, where Teik Rong represented RSP in a vibrant conversation around “The Stewardship of Glocal Commons”. A powerful call for systems thinking and collaborative climate action.
Regeneration as Practice, Not Just Principle
Our engagement didn’t stop there. From June to October 2023, we followed the development of Bilberries Blue’s ROSEHut methodology. A regenerative cities framework and model published as a gift-for-all to accelerate sustainable development across the region.
“This is the start of reversing the current growth of cities. We curate the outlying areas/rural areas with a new model. Then we can see the purposeful outflow from economic-driven (creative flight) urban areas and how we can regenerate both spectrum with a balanced distribution of density, so as to better manage the climate risks and other global existential threats facing humanity today.”
RSP’s work with Bilberries Blue and SUTD shows what’s possible when we break down silos and come together to co-create regenerative futures.
This Earth Day and every day, we remain committed to designing with purpose, building with care, and taking one sustainable step at a time. We look forward to participating in more meaningful initiatives like these collaborations that allow us to deepen our impact and contribute to a thriving, resilient planet for generations to come.
