Our monthly gathering, Bites & Bottles, brings together our top clients and distributors at the Roca Experience Centre. It’s the perfect opportunity for attendees to expand their social and business networks, while we show our appreciation for their continued support.

During this evening event, snacks and wine are served, while our guests mingle and relax. This small-scale event gives our guests plenty of time to get to know other attendees and better understand our business and our brands.

It’s also the ideal space to gain inspiration and get fresh business ideas. 

KLAF2020 Beyond Heritage Conservation, a collaboration with Kuala Lumpur Urban Sketchers is launched. The event held at REXKL, Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur. Talks on heritage conservation were conducted by Dr Dalila ElKerdany, Professor of Architecture & Urban Design at the University of Cairo, Egypt and also the 2019 PAM Ar Gold Winner. Laurence Loh Kwong Yu. Other activities include Urban Sketching and walking tours around Petaling Street. Johnson Suisse and Roca is part of the main sponsors for KLAF 2020.

Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), the professional body for Malaysian architects, has launched Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) 2020 at PAM Centre, Kuala Lumpur. The launch was officiated by the Minister of Housing and Local Government, Zuraida Kamaruddin. The star of the event is a talk on this year’s theme, “Beyond Architecture: The Architecture of Celebration” by architects Chong Yan Chuah and Tay Kheng Soon. Johnson Suisse and Roca is part of the main sponsors for KLAF 2020.

MIID is the national institute representing the interior designer profession in Malaysia. MIID conducts various programmes throughout the year to educate, promote & foster better ties between the public and professionals members. REKA Sessions is a series of monthly talks by prominent/leading designers locally and from overseas. Johnson Suisse and Roca Malaysia are the main sponsor for this year's REKA Sessions.

Our annual Chinese New Year celebration is a colourful event that involves our clients and distributors. 

To usher in the Year of the Rat in 2020, our event started with blessings in our Petaling Jaya office and Roca Experience Centre. With about 100 attendees, the event was officiated by Roca Asia’s Senior Manager Mr Raimundo and Managing Director of Roca Malaysia, Mr Diego Jolis.

The lion dance was the highlight of the day. Two lions wowed the crowd with their impressive acrobatics performed atop high poles. As with previous years, the food stalls were also a big hit, with kambing golek, rojak and cendol being the most popular. The Chinese food buffet was also a crowd favourite.

The winners of the 13 editions of the Roca One Day Design Challenge which were held in 12 countries in 2019 were invited to Barcelona to celebrate the first edition of the Roca Master Design Challenge with the support of the BCD (Barcelona Centre de Disseny) and the collaboration of the We Are Water Foundation. The competition was linked to innovation, design which aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals. The winner of Malaysia's One Day Design Challenge were lucky to experience first-hand with the experts.

The event took place from 19th to 22nd January 2020, with all kinds of activities and workshops, specifically conceived to contribute to the education and experience of the young designers and architects.

In addition to cultural visits to the most emblematic spots in Barcelona and to the 22@ district, the participants also joined in specific workshops related to design and architecture and visited the Disseny Hub Barcelona and the Institute for Advanced Architecture. They attended a talk at Materfad on the use of polymers in product design and another one at Fab Lab Barcelona on the Internet of Things. After the talks, they carried out a team project related to what had been explained to them and a workshop of architecture photography.

The finale was also held at the Roca Barcelona Gallery, following the format of the standard editions of the Roca One Day Design Challenge, that is, a given time to present a project that answered to the proposed briefing consisting of the design of a new type of basin with an additional functionality that would provide added value to the product.

The event ended at the spectacular Saló de Cent in Barcelona’s Town Council with the awards ceremony of the final, as well as of all categories and different activities held during these three days of the Master Design Challenge and was presided over by Xavier Marcet, Councilor of Tourism and Creative Industries and Xavier Torras, Roca Brand Communication Director.

Ahmad Alkattan is a 28-year old Syrian. After received the first prize at the 2019 edition in UAE, Ahmad became the winner of the Roca Master Design Challenge, showing his skills and standing out both in the design and the presentation of his project. His design, Exsinka is a basin that can be taken anywhere it is needed. With elegant aesthetics and equipped with wheels, Exsinka has been specifically designed to reduce mobility and can be operated via mobile phone. It has two water tanks, one for fresh water and another to store grey water. When there is no more water left in the system, it emits a warning to be refilled. A clever idea that received the final prize of the jury. Isabel Pintado, Regional Managing Director at Wilson Associates and member of the jury, pointed out that “the project changes the static concept of bathroom products, incorporating a moving piece that can be used even outside the bathroom space."

The consuls of some of the participant countries, such as Poland, Argentina, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria and China, were present at the ceremony, a gesture that reaffirms their interest in supporting the young talent of their different countries. This is a commitment we share in Roca.

The Launch of Johnson Suisse Circle

Top JohnsonSuisse distributors were treated to an exclusive evening at our showroom in Petaling Jaya in December 2019. During this event, we showcased our new JohnsonSuisse image, including our new logo, colour scheme, packaging, showroom design and more. 

While sharing new advertising ideas, industry happenings and product updates, attendees bonded over plates of freshly cooked paella, hors d’oeuvres and drinks, while being serenaded by a Spanish singer. As part of the JS Circle, these distributors enjoy greater discounts and have the opportunity to meet and bond with fellow distributors from Malaysia and Singapore. 

Friends from different background gather as one

Roca Friends Club was established to further cement our relationship with our clients and distributors. The inaugural event was held at the Roca Experience Centre, featuring a Spanish theme, with paella served and Spanish singers providing entertainment. 

Prominent figures such as Dr Tan Loke Mun and Prof Robert Powell shared their experience and expertise on architecture design and challenges facing the industry. 

Dr Tan, a renowned architect, helped to set up Malaysia’s Green Building Index (GBI), and is best known for having the first GBI Platinum-rated house in Malaysia – the S11 house. 

Prof Powell, the Professor of Architecture at Taylor’s University in Selangor, Malaysia, has authored and edited more than 30 books covering modern architecture in South East Asia. He discussed his popular book, The Tropical Malaysian House, which showcases 25 innovative houses by architects and art designers in Malaysia.

During the event, Dr Tan and Prof Powell hinted at an upcoming collaboration, which will no doubt be a resounding success. 

The first ever Roca One Day Design Challenge in Malaysia

The first edition of the Roca One Day Design Challenge in Malaysia took place at KL Convention Centre on Saturday 6th July 2019. The competition is one of the most thrilling ones in the design sector due to its time-trial nature. With the presence in 15 countries, Roca One Day Design Challenge aims to promote and become a platform for young designers and architects all around the world to have a dip into the professional work and with renowned members of the jury. 

Roca One Day Design Challenge is driven by Roca, a global reference in bathroom products, challenging design and architecture students and young professionals under the age of 30 to create original solutions and innovative products related to the bathroom space in just one day.

With a very good reception among local students and young professionals, the new destination proved to be an edition to be taken into consideration for its quality and the involvement of contestants. The contest offers young students and professionals the experience of challenging themselves to produce and develop their most innovative ideas.

The first prize goes to Syafa Mustaffa and Aresha Suraya Roslan. The project consists of a wholesome solution that works both as a conventional basin and ergonomic baby bath tub. The basin is also sustainable as it reuses filtered rainwater and works with solar panels to heat the hand dryer and the water. All these features convinced the jury to choose this project as the winner. Syafa Mustaffa and Aresha Suraya Roslan, International Islamic University Malaysia graduates were then move to the next round. They will be flying to Spain for Roca Master Design Challenge to compete with contestants from all around the world.

Second place goes to NG Yee Lun and Saw Wai Xiang, where their idea was washbasin that at the same time cultivates a basin garden right on the countertop. Water recycled from draining water into the basin provides irrigation for two built-in plants container. The jury highlighted the sustainable sensibility of this project.

Third prize goes to Lim Joe Yi. This is a washbasin with similar functions as the water tank in the WC unit. The tank in the basin is designed to collect sufficient water for users, reducing the water waste. The jury highlighted the attractive design and materials used, as well as the function to see the water the user is about to consume.

For We are Water Foundation Prize, the winner goes to Tan Lai Zeng and Chua E-Xuan where their proposal is a basin that reacts to the levels of water usage, changing its color according to the intensity of use. The members of the jury decided on this project because of its special focus on sustainability.

The first prize winner will receive RM6,000, followed by RM4,000 for second prize and RM2,000 for third winner. In addition, the jury may award an additional prize of RM1,000 from the We Are Water Foundation to the project with a special focus on sustainability.

Roca’s Annual Distributor Dinner took place at TPC in Kuala Lumpur on 30 April 2019. For the first time, we held the dinner outdoors on a golf course, under a charming transparent canopy. 

The event kicked off with a flawless tango dance performed by Argentinian dancers Fernanda Cajide and Alejandro Segovia. The 420 guests present were also entertained by classically trained singer Izen Kong as they enjoyed a multi-course Chinese dinner. 

Throughout the evening, awards were handed out to top distributors for Johnson Suisse across Malaysia, as well as top distributors for Roca, JohnsonSuisse and Laufen in Singapore. We also handed out awards to top export distributors for Roca and JohnsonSuisse.

The event closed with another outstanding tango performance, followed by drinks and special door gifts for guests.