When asked why he ventured into botanical research, world-renowned architect and urban designer Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat simply responded that “I did not know enough. I had to repair my ignorance.” Responsible for designing several concert halls, notably Penang Komtar auditoria & Geodesic Dome (Dewan Tunku) and the Singapore Conference Hall, this polymath now spends much of his time researching botanical species at his own expense, and has since travelled across Malaysia and around the region for his botanical research. He owns a private research garden called ‘Suriana Botanic Conservation Gardens’ in Balik Pulau, Penang, and he also publishes the journal Folia Malaysiana. In conjunction with Merdeka, he joins us to discuss his decades of work in preserving and nurturing our local flora and why he believes the underrated field of botany is an important tool for nation building.