RE・ VIS・ IT Authors : Prince Favis Isip Norhayati Hussain Editors : Robert Powell & Tony Liew Voon Fun Illustrations : Students- Jan 2016 Measured Drawing and Documentation Layout : Lai Jia Yi Design Tan Chiew Nee Kelvin Fong Tan Ling Rong Philia Chua Yi Sian Chia Sue Hwa The Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia (MASSA) focuses on the documentation of the intellectual and physical heritage of modern architecture in Southeast Asia. The documentation shall cover buildings, architects, firms, policies, organizations and laws developed in Southeast Asia during the modern era from 1920 onwards. MASSA will provide information to aid the process of planning settlements and the design of buildings which are more suited to the context and continuity of the cultures of Southeast Asia. RE.VI.SIT Copyright @ 2017 by Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia (MASSA) All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. School of Architecture, Building and Design, Taylor’s University, Lakeside Campus, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. ISBN 978-967-0173-49-8 RE・ VIS・ IT Delineating History, Culture, Tradition and Architectural Heritage of the Finest Cities Contents CONTENTS Contents Preface PREFACE This book on Malaysian architecture is a joint effort by staff and students of the School of Architecture, Building and Design at Taylor’s University for the Centre for Modern Architecture Studies in Southeast Asia (MASSA). The Centre, founded in 2005, is actively involved in research publications and undertaking live research which focuses on the documentation of the intellectual and physical heritage of modern architecture in Southeast Asia. The doc- umentation covers buildings, architects, firms, policies, organizations and laws developed in Southeast Asia during the modern era, especially from 1920 to the present time. At present, there is a need for publications on Malaysian architecture. The lack of such publications contributes to persistent misunderstanding of the development and significance of Malaysian architecture. It is the vision of MASSA to become the centre of modern architecture studies in Southeast Asia that reaches out to all levels of soci- ety, disseminating knowledge on the value and importance of architectural heritage. The objective of MASSA is to ensure that the intellectual and physical heritage of architecture in Southeast Asia continues to be in existence for the benefit of the present and future generations. Architecture encompasses ways of life. Through the study of past and present architecture, one is able to understand architectural development in accommodating changes according to various events and experiences. It is hoped that this book will inspire architects to re-evaluate Malaysian architecture and generate new design models. “The past is intelligible to us only in the light of the present; and we can fully understand the present only in the light of the past” (E.H.Carr, 1961) Dr Nor Hayati Hussain Author Introduction INTRODUCTION Appreciation of culture, tradition and architectural heritage has always been an issue for today’s generation. Sev- eral reasons may contribute to this: the young tend to be more interested in looking into the future state of art and technological advancement rather than tracing and appreciating their past. Likewise, there is not enough historical documentation to engage with. This documentation is crucial in redirecting their interest to look into the country’s history, traditions, culture and architectural heritage, both to value and pay homage. The book dubbed: Re-vis-it: Delineating History, Culture, Tradition and Architectural Heritage of Malaysia’s Finest Cities, encapsulates a group of young student’s memorable journey to three of Malaysia’s cities: Penang, Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur, in addition to Xi’an, Sha Anxi Province in China in an attempt to capture, narrate and document traces of the past and its transformation over time. Experiences captured in models, sketches and measured draw- ings give the reader a pleasurable journey, revisiting places and their memories. This publication is the culmination of the January 2016 Measured Drawing and Documentation work by a group of students. Likewise it is a product of the very successful exhibition held in April 2016 at the CODA Gallery, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus. Prince Favis Isip Author Foreword FOREWORD The purpose of the measured drawing exercise is to enable students to develop expertise in recording the built heritage and in the process to gain insights into building conservation and adaptive reuse. The exercise includes written documentation, photographs and models in addition to measured drawings. The students were required to document historically and architecturally significant buildings in Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Xi’an, China. At one level the task of completing the measured drawings exercised the students in the use of a theodolite, tape measures, cameras and sketchbooks to record the buildings. These are invaluable skills that will serve them well if they encounter similar building types when they enter practice. But at another level it immersed the students in the history of the buildings, the myriad cultures that produced them, the construc- tion techniques that were employed, and the ornamentation that was applied. In several cases they also recorded the successful adap- tive reuse of the historic buildings to serve contemporary needs. Rapid urbanisation and intensive development accompanied by increased vehicle ownership is placing enormous stress on the his- toric fabric of cities. Increased pollution damages the fabric of old buildings so that the recording and subsequent protection of the nation’s heritage is vitally important. Malaysia is making great advances in this area. The listing by UNESCO of Melaka and George Town in Penang on 7th July 2008 as World Heritage Sites was a significant event. To paraphrase Ar. Dato’ Dr. Ken Yeang, “Any analysis of the existing architectural stock reveals an underlying sophisticated set of typologies. These typologies consist of elements such as covered verandahs, open terraces and serambis, raised floor construction to facilitate ventilation, extended roof overhangs, sun-shading devices, courtyards, colonnaded walkways etc. These traditional elements are often an unselfconscious design response to local climate and life style and in the contemporary Malaysian context can be reinter- preted. Historic buildings provide a ready resource for reinvention and production of contemporary vernacular architecture.” Creating an inventory of historic buildings is a major step in the conservation of culturally important artifacts. In this publication Taylor’s University ensures its dissemination to a wider audience. The work that Taylor’s University students have done to record 11 buildings in three Malaysian cities and another in China is a substantial contribution to heritage protection and the students and the members of staff of the School of Architecture, Building and Design are to be warmly applauded. Professor Robert Powell Editor Acknowledgements acknowledgements This publication would not have been possible without the group of individuals named below and their persever- ance and hard work. Thanks are due to the hardworking and passionate students who spent countless days to accurately measure and document their respective assigned buildings. To the Lecturers of the Measured Drawing and Documentation Module, who patiently supervised their respec- tive group, Dr. Nor Hayati Hussain (Module Coordinator), Ar. Chin Tuck Heng, Ar. Zahari Zubir, Ar. Sateerah Hassan, Ar. Ian Ng, Dr. Norhayati Ramli, Dr. Sucharita Srirangam, Dr. Nikhil Joshi, Mr. Koh Jing Hao, Mr. Mohd Adib Ramli, Ms. Siti Balkish, Ms. Alia Ahamad, Ms. Zahra Namavar, Mr. Sanjeh Kumar Raman, Mr. Mohamed Rizal and Mr. Prince Favis Isip. To the layout artists and designers for making this publication concept possible, Lai Jia Yi, Tan Chiew Nee, Tan Ling Rong, Kelvin Fong, Philia Chua Yi Sian, and Chia Sue Hwa. Most especially to those people and agencies who assisted and helped the students and lecturers to acquire valu- able information, insights, and opinions our sincerest gratitude. The Royal Museum The Royal Museum THE ROYAL MUSEUM BALAIRUNG SERI BACKGROUND OF SITE kuala lumpur In the 1887, the Malay rulers of Selangor - Raja Abdullah and Raja Juma’at hired a group of Chinese miners to prospect for tin in the Ampang area. The miners made their way by boat from Klang to the highest navigable point on the Klang river, KEY PLAN being its confluence with Sungei Gombak. Kuala Lumpur was established as a town in 1880. In 1881, a fire and flood destroyed the entire settlement and Yap Ah Loy, the third Kapitan China is credited with rebuilding the town along with Frank Swettenham, the British Resident. LOCATION PLAN The Royal Museum history AND background of balairung seri, istana negara A temporary Balairong was built in 1957 after the mansion was converted to a palace to hold the coronation of SPB Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tunku Abdul Rahman. The construction of the temporary throne hall cost RM170,000 and it was later demolished at the end in the same year. Later in 1980, a massive renovation was carried out at the palace to add an annex building which is the current throne hall. The construction was led by senior architect, David Wee from the Public Work Deparment with the purpose of holding the coronation of Agong, and other official and customary ceremonies. Local designers as well as designers from France were hired to design the interior of the building. The ground floor accommodates the double volume Balairung Seri (Throne Hall) waiting halls and meeting rooms, whereas the first floor contains Their Majesty’s suites. GROUND FLOOR PLAN One of the astonishing feats achieved by the renovation team was the swift completion of intricate carvings for the Throne room. It took just seven months to complete the work, including the carvings which would have taken three years, according to David Wee.