馬拉的木製故事─專訪Kraken House創意總監Rahiman Rahizar

在馬來西亞MDX模型展的喧鬧中，我們被一個極具特色的展位深深吸引——那些以原木製作、細節入微的1:64比例微縮建築，無論是日式町屋、昭和老店，還是馬來西亞傳統高腳屋，都令人愛不釋手。這些作品的背後，是Kraken House的創意總監Rahiman Rahizar，一位將個人情感、文化記憶與工藝精神融合於微縮世界的設計師。

Rahiman出身於木製品行業，過去公司主要生產高質家具、餐飲用木砧板，以及企業禮品。2018年起業績穩定，但他總覺得重複性太高、缺乏突破。「我本身熱愛收藏合金車仔，也喜歡組裝模型，於是想做點結合自己興趣，又能帶動市場創新的產品。」Rahiman回憶。2023年，他把這個念頭付諸實行，說服公司高層跨界創立Kraken House，專注開發1:64木製微縮場景套件。

品牌名稱「Kraken House」帶有雙重意義——既是對海怪傳說的致敬，也寓意打開（crack open）玩具車包裝，讓收藏不只停留在盒中，而能與場景互動，展現更多故事。「我希望每一位收藏家都能親手組裝、擺設屬於自己的故事。」

日本建築與馬來回憶
現場展品中，日式町屋、昭和小店尤其吸睛。Rahiman解釋，品牌初期以日本建築為主，是因為JDM（日本經典車款）風潮席捲亞洲，大家都愛用日式場景搭配車仔拍照，而他本人更曾於京都修讀工程碩士三年，對當地建築文化有深厚情感。「品牌色彩和故事靈感，其實來自一幅古老浮世繪：《贊岐院遣眷屬救為朝圖》——講述英雄被大海巨獸困住、最後獲救的故事，正好對應我們『打開』盒裝，把車仔『救出』來，安放在屬於它們的世界。」

但Rahiman從不滿足於只複製日本場景。「最令我感動的，是馬來西亞傳統建築。」他指著一座微縮高腳屋模型，語氣溫柔：「這就是我祖母在彭亨州淡馬魯的舊居。我祖母已經離世，能用模型保留她的房子和我們的回憶，意義非凡。更開心的是，很多馬來西亞人看到這個場景，都會憶起自己童年的家。」這款MYC-RK高腳屋模型一推出即被搶購一空，成為品牌最受歡迎產品之一。

精準比例與觸感細節
Kraken House對細節的追求，令人讚嘆。Rahiman強調，團隊設計每一款建築時，都會參考真實建築圖則，包括立面、平面圖及剖面，確保比例準確。木材表面透過激光雕刻，呈現瓦片、木板、磚石紋理，讓用家能以指尖感受不同材質。「質感很重要，因為我們希望模型不只好看、拍照好看，更要有溫度。很多粉絲會跟我們分享，他們為自己的車仔搭配場景時，也同時重溫了自己的往事。」

設計流程上，Kraken House團隊會先蒐集第一手資料、歷史照片、建築圖、甚至當地居民的口述故事，再由設計師繪製CAD圖、進行3D渲染、反覆討論與投票，選出最有共鳴的場景。「我們的設計不只是我一個人的想法，還有團隊、甚至粉絲的共同參與。他們會在社交平台留言、投票，推薦想要復刻的建築。最終方案會經過多次打樣、組裝測試，直至所有細節和結構都達標。」

打造屬於每個人的微縮世界
Rahiman期望，Kraken House不僅是模型品牌，更是一個可以收藏、懷緬、交流的平台。「我們設計的不只是建築，而是大家共同的城市記憶。」他透露，未來會陸續推出道路、配件、公仔，甚至自家設計的合金車款，讓用家能夠自由組裝、拼湊心目中的理想世界。

香港，是Rahiman最期待進軍的下一站。「香港有太多精彩的老建築和社區故事，很值得我們用微縮方式記錄。」他希望，有朝一日能與香港本地收藏家、設計師合作，重現那些快被遺忘的經典街景和社區地標。

場景裡的日常，微縮中的溫度
在MDX展現場，不少參觀者駐足欣賞，細心摸索每一件建築細節，甚至與Rahiman交流自己的童年回憶。有人感嘆：「這不只是模型，更像是把過去的生活搬回現實。」Rahiman相信，正是這份「懷舊」與「共鳴」，讓Kraken House的木製場景有別於一般工業產品。

「每一座場景，都是一段故事的延伸。」Rahiman的願景，是讓每個人都能在微縮世界裡，找到屬於自己的片段。透過手作、收藏與分享，把日常的溫度與回憶，細細保存下來。

Preserving Memories Through Miniature Scenes: 

Kraken House’s Rahiman Rahizar Reimagines Nostalgia at MDX

At this year’s MDX exhibition in Malaysia, the HKTOYCAR team encountered something truly special—a booth where memory, artistry, and play converged. Among the endless rows of diecast cars and scale models, one display stood out: a collection of wooden diorama kits that didn’t just decorate a desk, but seemed to open a window to another time.

At the heart of this miniature world was Rahiman Rahizar, Creative Director of **Kraken House**, a brand that’s quietly reinventing how collectors and enthusiasts engage with their passion. Unlike mass-produced scenery, Kraken House’s dioramas invite us to touch, assemble, and remember—reminding us that every toy car has a story, and every scene is a piece of someone’s past.

A New Direction Rooted in Personal Passion

Rahiman’s journey began in a family business making wood products for Malaysia’s hospitality industry. “We were thriving but something was missing,” he told us. As a lifelong collector of diecast cars and model kits, he realized he wanted to create scenes that would let collectors bring their cars—and their stories—out of the packaging and onto the stage.

That moment of inspiration led to the founding of Kraken House in 2023. “At that time, there were no other companies in Malaysia making 1:64 scale wooden diorama model kits.” Kraken House’s name itself is a playful blend of “crack open”—a call for collectors to release their cars from their boxes and display them in a world of their own making.

Malaysian-Made, Globally Inspired

A key tenet for Kraken House is its commitment to keeping design and manufacturing in Malaysia, at least for now. “We prefer to empower our local workforce,” Rahiman said. He believes that Malaysian design talent deserves a global spotlight, even as the brand sets its sights on international expansion. “When we expand to other countries, we will empower the local workforce of the hosting country.”

This philosophy shows in the dioramas themselves. Each kit is made from real wood, intricately engraved with brick, tile, and timber textures—inviting not just the eye, but the hand. “It is important that every tile can be felt and it translates well in pictures because customers can see the 3D effect which adds to the realism of the diorama.”

Stories in Every Scene

One of the most striking things about Kraken House is its focus on **nostalgia**—a theme that resonates with collectors everywhere, including the HKTOYCAR community. At MDX, we saw not only Japanese townhouses and shopfronts (a perfect backdrop for JDM diecasts), but also Malaysian kampung homes, each evoking a specific time and place.

Rahiman’s own background shaped this direction. “From 2018 until 2021, I did my masters in Engineering at Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan.” The brand’s early Japanese dioramas pay homage to scenes he encountered daily in Kyoto, while the colors and narratives are inspired by classic Ukiyo-e art.

But perhaps the most meaningful piece is the MYC-RK—a model of a traditional Malaysian wooden house based on Rahiman’s late grandmother’s home. “It was an honour that I had the opportunity to preserve the house in miniature form and keep the memory of her alive forever.” The response was overwhelming, with the kit selling out instantly and sparking requests for more heritage buildings.

The Art of Selection

What makes a building or scene worthy of becoming a Kraken House kit? Rahiman and his team ask a series of questions: Does it remind you of your past? Is it relatable? Does it pair well with a diecast car? And, importantly, do collectors want it? “Our research team consists of almost everyone involved in the company and involves our followers too. We take our followers’ recommendations very seriously.”

The process is meticulous—gathering stories, architectural drawings, and photographs, then prototyping and refining each design. “We spend more time researching and designing our dioramas than manufacturing them,” Rahiman admits. The result is a product that feels authentic, both culturally and emotionally.

For Collectors, By Collectors

For the HKTOYCAR community, Kraken House represents something more than just good design. These kits are a tool for storytelling—a way to bring cars to life in the context of everyday scenes, whether that’s a Kyoto fish shop or a Malaysian stilt house. As Rahiman puts it, “To evoke a sense of nostalgia is one of the most effective tools to engage with customers.”

And the vision doesn’t stop at buildings. “We plan on designing the world so that our followers can build the world to how they view it. First buildings, then roads, then accessories, followed by figures, and finally, die-cast vehicles. We want to replicate the world in all miniature scales with accuracy and textured details.”

Looking to the Future—And to Hong Kong

Rahiman’s excitement for expansion is palpable. “Hong Kong is a fantastic place for Kraken House to expand to! Home to many heritage and interesting architecture and scenes.” As fellow fans of the city’s unique blend of East and West, we can’t help but imagine classic Hong Kong shopfronts and apartment blocks joining the Kraken House lineup—preserving our own streets in miniature for the next generation of collectors.

Conclusion: The Power of Miniature Memory

At MDX, what struck us most was not just the beauty of Kraken House’s work, but its ability to connect people—to spark conversation, memories, and a shared sense of nostalgia. In a world of mass production, Rahiman’s approach reminds us that our hobbies are ultimately about stories: the ones we remember, the ones we build, and the ones we pass on.

For the HKTOYCAR community, Kraken House offers a new way to celebrate and preserve our passion—one miniature scene at a time.