A BYD showroom in George Town has just been judged one of the best-designed interior spaces in the country. BYD Mansion Macalister in Penang won Gold in the Interior Builders: Medium Projects category at the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers REKA Awards 2026, the industry's main recognition for interior design work in Malaysia.
The showroom sits inside a restored century-old landmark, and that is the point of the award. Rather than knock the building down for a glass box, the team wrapped a modern automotive space around the original heritage facade, keeping the arched windows and ornate stonework while adding a contemporary glass shell and the familiar BYD signage above it.
A heritage building reworked for electric cars
Inside, the space is built around how buyers actually spend time at a dealership. There are dedicated consultation lounges, integrated digital touchpoints, and personalised customer areas, all meant to make a showroom visit feel less like a sales floor and more like a hosted experience. It is the kind of detail that separates a car shop from a brand home.
What the judges rewarded
The REKA Awards are presented by MIID and decided by a panel of senior Malaysian designers. The Interior Builders categories recognise the firms that deliver a design to a high standard on site, not just the concept on paper. For BYD Mansion Macalister, the citation singled out the blend of local heritage and modern architecture, and the care taken to preserve a piece of George Town's built history while giving it a new use.
Why it matters
Malaysia's electric vehicle market is still young, and brands are competing on showrooms as much as on cars. A Gold at a national design award gives BYD a marker that its retail spaces are being taken seriously on their own terms, and it sets a benchmark other marques in Penang will be measured against. The project was delivered by Eddex Concept Sdn Bhd for Sime Motors, BYD's retail partner in Malaysia.
Quick facts
- What: BYD Mansion Macalister, Penang
- Award: Gold, Interior Builders (Medium Projects), REKA Awards 2026
- Presented by: Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID)
- Design and build: Eddex Concept Sdn Bhd for Sime Motors
More on BYD in Malaysia: the brand recently opened its largest 3S centre in Sarawak, brought the 2026 ATTO 3 Performance to local roads, and added a new SEALION 7 variant to its line-up.
