KL Heritage House
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   1. History Heritage
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100 Cintra Street
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History of 100 Cintra Street

The property was granted in 1801 as part of an alienation south
of Kampong Malabar.  The
building was built around 1881 as the residence of a wealthy Thai Mdm.Myroon Koon Nye Sone, a widow, who was the daughter of Phya Bichit Sone Kuan of Church Street Penang.  It changed hands many times.Immediately, prior to it becoming a Hotel 

owned by the present owners, it was the communal home of the ‘black and white’ servants from China, called ‘Tung-koong’ servants.  It was sold to the present owners by a Mr Chor Bah Say, a notable landowner of the period, in 1949 for a sum of twenty thousand Straits Settlement dollars.

It had been used as a Hotel from 1936.  In 1976 it was extensively renovated and converted to an air-conditioned “modern” supermarket, was destroyed by fire in 1986 when the tenant moved out.  Except for the load bearing part of the structure, nothing of the timber components was left.  The Local Authority with due diligence immediately after the fire issued instructions that whatever structure that was left had to be demolished*.

* A proposed “Adaptive re-use for the Rebuilding and Restoration of 100 Cintra Street, Penang A One-stop Cultural Expose and Heritage Centre”,- A Heritage Bazaar for Penang’s Cultural Past, 24 Sept 1999.
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1. Folk Museum
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2. Pomegranate (shop)
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3. Accommodation
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Teak & Coconut Grove
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1. Accommodation
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2. Local Historic Site
   More content coming soon.
   

and historical identity without compromise was possible. As such the estate was recently opened to the public for visits, overnight stays and school tours. This has proven to be overwhelmingly popular with visits by many local dignitaries.

It is also an example of adaptive reuse taken to another level where the recycling of and using of ‘zero’ energy materials has resulted in a unique design that takes advantage of the fact that the materials are not new. The fact is that recycled materials have many advantages, some of which are that cost of materials is significantly reduced as is the construction period. This is one very attractive aspect of this building. When people hear of the costs incurred, they are often amazed at how little it costs.

It is also considered by many locals that one cannot do without air-conditioning in the tropics. This building is an example where there is absolutely no air-conditioning required at any time. All spaces are naturally ventilated and in the event of a tropical downpour can still maintain excellent cross ventilation without having to close off windows and openings. This naturally reduces the load on the environment with regards to energy cost.

In a multi racial country like Malaysia, it has often been asked that with a country as young as ours, where does one look for a cultural and historical identity in its architecture. Historically it was the British colonials who first brought their colonial influences from the colonies. In modern times, it can be said that Malaysians have looked to the West for their inspiration.

The bane of modern developing countries especially post Colonial communities, still portray a sense of inferiority and harbour the notion that anything from the West is “best” and anything that is “white” is Right. In the final analysis this project has tried to demonstrate that creativity need not be to regurgitate familiar tested icons. It can be a putting together of many differing ideas subscribing towards a common programme. This project embodies many elements from traditional architecture, simple timber window-stops, traditional timber door-latches and related cultural elements,
coconut shells for lamps, timber off-cuts as sill-boards, bamboo wine making sieve for lampshade, reflect the single minded-ness of its intent. Using canvas as an alternative to glass, for operable windows, introduces a different dimension to the architecture when viewed externally at night. The architecture becomes a lighted lantern.

This is as example of one architect’s honest response and solution to this question. It responds to the built and natural environment and establishes a dialogue between old and new, historical and modern, people and architecture. This is the architect’s statement about living in Malaysia today.

Use of Recycled Materials

THE THINKING AND RATIONALISATION IN USING RECYCLED BUILDING COMPONENTS AND MATERIALS.

What we discovered in our analyses of the environment we live in that the use and reuse of building components and materials is a very integral part of our existence. It is sustainable and renewing resources that had consumed considerable energy in its production.

Architecture and what we create ultimately last much longer than their creators. There are many ancient structures still standing to reflect the greatness of the architects or the artists. Their creations outlast them.

In the RITES OF THE TROPIC we highlighted that History can be a Juxta-positioning of memories focus one’s vista on the journey/passage of time and history. It contextualises the visual composition, and that Tropical architecture allows for a Symbiotic relationship between Man-made elements and Nature, is a cerebral relationship laced with emotions and memories, it embraces totally all of one’s senses. The intertwining of Nature with Man-made structure celebrates this symbiotic relationship.

HISTORY CAN BE A JUXTA-POSITIONING OF MEMORIES

The statement “History can be a Juxta-positioning of memories focus one’s vista on the journey/passage of time and history. It contextualises the visual composition” of the contemporary to the past. The use of re-cycled materials and components subscribe to and support this statement. Using materials from old buildings contextualises the new project with its heritage and creates the sense of “the passage of time”. In constructing new structures, the introduction of elements of the heritage not only enriches the design but also provides timelessness to the interior spaces.

In looking at history and understanding the past it forces the architect to assume a position of humility. This we have often referred to as one of the most important guiding principle in the practise of architecture. Architecture begins with humility on the part of the architect. He looks at all elements with a sense of humility and absorbs all into his system where he accepts and understands them. After attaining all the necessary information and understanding these constraints, he then engages himself in the “Tai-Chi” of architecture, and produce the most fantastic architecture that embodies all elements encountered. Good architecture comes from the “Architecture of Humility” followed by the ”Tai-Chi of Architecture”.

Material that matured and aged through time has a patina value unattainable through artificial means. The texturing of wood grains and other embellishments of the natural material through ageing had a mellowness of touch and colour, an indicative manifestation of time. Time takes precedence over Man. Man is only temporal. Our works outlast us. Materials outlast us. Using recycled materials is the architect paying homage and demonstrating humility to the material, passage of time, craft of the time and the craftsmen who executed the works. Pieces of recyclable pieces also represent bits of mosaic from the past. Properly placed together could and should provide clues for us about our past for striking forth into the future. Only then could modern works of Asian architecture be substantial and based on tangible arguments. Here lies the importance of architectural heritage and old building components. Wholesale rejection of the old is misconceived. In the pursuit for modernism.
many post-ideological dependent nations have rejected their past only for the rationale of “catching up” with the West.

Cho Wei

1. Architect/Designer
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Wei Ling

1. Jewellery Gem
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2. Weiling Gallery
   www.weiling-gallery.com
   To link monthly exhibitions

TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE ALLOWS FOR A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE

Tropical architecture allows for a symbiotic relationship between Man-made elements and Nature, is a cerebral relationship laced with emotions and memories, it embraces totally all of one’s senses. In the relationship between Man and nature, Man is temporal. Nature was here before Man imposed upon it and nature will be here after Man has gone. The ruin palace complexes of the Angkor civilisation in Siem Reap are fantastic examples of how and what nature could do. Nature will claim what is hers. Architecture that contributes towards the intertwining of Nature with Man-made structure celebrates this symbiotic relationship. Recycled building material is Nature fossilised in time. Re-introducing it and re-working it into modern architecture celebrates this relationship.

Within the global quest for renewable and sustainable architecture in the context of the dwindling world energy resources, the reusing of recycled materials that utilises zero energy is arguably subscribing towards this concern. Buildings built from recycled materials and relying on natural ventilation using minimal energy required to operate surely must be the direction architects should be heading for. Modern materials require tremendous amount of energy to produce. Steel and aluminium two of the all time favourite materials for construction require mega-watts to produce when compared to timber. Most of the traditional components used for recycling purpose are timber based. Total usage of recycled components is not encouraged. Sparing use with sensitivity is encouraged.

CONCLUSION

Talking about recycling materials ultimately leads to the question of recycled buildings. In this respect every heritage building no matter how old or dilapidated has a potential. Vernacular architecture has an important role to play towards a new direction for modern architecture. Therefore the

retention of some of these buildings for future reference is important and should not for the slightest reason be demolished. Heritage buildings are;

Never too Old to be reused
Any building no matter how derelict or poorly maintained can be rebuilt and reconstructed and or restored if the need rise.

Economy of Preserving Heritage buildings.
Rebuilding of heritage or old buildings do not have to cost a large investment to refurbish.

A Living and continuing Heritage. The people are descendants of a rich heritage and are still an integral part of a living heritage their continuing to live the way they have been doing is part of a preservation of the continuing a heritage. Under the circumstances rebuilding of historic buildings do not have to maintain the original fabric but as long as a reference to the old spirit and tradition is retained.

Sustainability of heritage buildings.
After the rebuilding of a heritage building it ought to provide some form of return for the investment and bring in some income, modest that it may be. The viability of maintaining the building makes it preservation.

Many buildings once derelict tend to be disregarded and written off as non-usable, or that the reconstruction cost is too prohibitive.

Conservation of historic buildings has all to do about preserving one’s past and keeping it as a reference for the future generations to understand the heritage and may be the path or a track for a route forward. It had been said that for Man to go forward he needs go back to the past to chart and plot a course using the past as a guide to move forward without losing track of the past. This is where Asian architects in surging forward for modernity have forgotten the past and the great civilisation that we have originated from.

The past is important for the present, as the present will be for the future. The future will be the present and the present will be the past, just as today is the future of the past and to-day will be the past of the future.