5. BUILDING TREATMENTS PROPOSAL
5.1 Design Proposal Guidelines: To propose the preservation of the Adik Beradik Wah Seng to maintain it’s legacy of one of Klang’s earliest successful business. Even though the owners have no intension on maintaining the building, it would be preserve as a workshop where the current digital dependent generation could learn about the repair of analogue watches and clocks; it will carry on the spirit of the place. It is important to preserve the building as: • To conservation and preserve the Adik Beradik Wah Seng as they have come a long way ever since they first opened in 1915. • The shop has been through the Japanese occupation, major street transformations, and visits from the Sultan of Selangor. • This business has helped shaped the economy of the present Klang, and as one of the earliest shophouse style that is hard to find today.
Figure 5.1 Front facade
Figure 5.2 5 foot walkway
Figure 5.3 Entance
Preservation is to maintain the legacy and intangible attributions from the past generation that would be beneficial to the future generations, maintaining the past in the present. The Adik Beradik Wah Seng became a “go-to” place for the community in the 60s as watches and clockes were the trend back then. People also started to flock into the shop more ofter not only because of the frequent visits of the Sultan but of the generosity and friendliness of the shop owners. To the local community, this shop has gain a sense of “place” to them, walking in would give them a nostalgic feeling embedded into their mind. The spirit of the shop still lingers inside once you look through to entrance from the 5 foot walkway, first glands people will see are the clocks that are hung ever since the 60s. Walking in would be like walking to a time capsule, watching the clocks ticking by, and the owners tinkering with their rustic equipments. It is important to perserve this building as saddly, there are not much shops that could provide watch repairs as the current generation all rely on digital means. It is also important to note that the Early Shophouse style is slowly disappearing due to the introduction of modern design. After investigating the defects, it is noted that the exterior ornamental column is corroded at the top. It is best to resort it back into its original shape as it follows the ICOMOS Charter 2003 1.2 Value and authenticity of architectural heritage cannot be based on fixed criteria because the respect due to all cultures also requires that its physical heritage be considered within the cultural context to which it belongs. To restore the authenticity of the cultural context of Jalan Stesen Early Shophouse style.
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5.2 Treatment Proposals for Building facade, Entrance, and 5 Foot Walkway: • DETORIORATION OF ORNAMENTAL COLUMN: The top part of the ornamental column is corroded because of time and weathering. This slowly deforms and “scrapes off” the minimal design of the column. Solution: - Repairing the top part by recreating in the missing ornaments with the same or similar type of plaster. - Repainting the column to the same shade of colour. - Apply a protective coating to withstand weathering and maintain its vibrancy. Figure 5.4 Detorioration of ornamental column
• RESTORATION OF THE WOODEN LOUVRE WINDOWS: The wooden louvre windows were changed to glass as the owners started to notice how weaken they got over time, this is due to the lack of maintainace and the wood took in moisture and withered over time. The window design were common back then in the 50s in Jalan Stesen. To proposal the restoration of the wooden Louvre windows, using wood that was commonly used back then and to propter maintain them by: - Treating the wood with a detergent solution. - Treating any cracks with wood fillers. - Apply protective coating to withstand further weathering.
Figure 5.5 Glass windows
Figure 5.6 Wooden louvre windows
• FIXING THE ROOF: The roof used corugated metal and over time it weakened and a few roof tiles got detached and blent. - Fixing the roof and consider to use a material with a stronger structural stability, yet still look identical to the original one.
Figure 5.7 Detached roof tile
• REARRANGING WIRE WORK: The exposed wires on the facade distracts the users from the facade. - By using plastic covers to hide them out of sight. - Or by rearranging the wires neatly and placing them near the edge of the columns to slightly conceal them.
Figure 5.8 Exposed wires
• REPAINTING THE FACADE: To proposal the repainting the facade yellow to maintain its vibrancy. It is worth noting that keeping the facade yellow indicated the time in the 60s, for the local community to feel a sense of nostalgic to the place.
Figure 5.9 Yellow facade
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• 5 FOOT WALKWAY: To fix and maintaining the 5 foot walkway to conserve the identity of the place by: - Fixing any cracks on walls and floors with putty. - Repainting the concrete floor red to maintain its vibrancy. - Galvanising metals to withstand corrosion and to prevent the spreading of rust to other elements. Figure 5.10 5 foot walkway
5.3 Final Outcome:
Figure 5.11 Current facade design
Figure 5.12 Proposed facade design
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6. Conclusion
It is to be noted that when developing close to a historical area, users must consider how the circulation will be affected. As referred to 1.1 Conservation, reinforcement and restoration of architectural heritage requires a multi-disciplinary approach, from studying about how the Klang Bridge diverted most of the people away from Jalan Stesen, affecting business there. The ICOMOS Charter 2003 1.2 Value and authenticity of architectural heritage cannot be based on fixed criteria because the respect due to all cultures also requires that its physical heritage be considered within the cultural context to which it belongs. From looking at the window proposal, it is important to consider implementing elements that belong to their cutural context. It is worth mentioning that in 3.1 Therapy should address root causes rather than symptoms, is important as it is crucial to find the root cause of a defect to improve the elements without letting them get slowly damaged. By perserving this shophouse, it informs people about the transformation Klang— especially Jalan Steten went through from the tin mining industries, up until this day. To some locals, this shophouse has a sense of place for them, when they go inside they are introduced to a variety of clocks hanging on the walls, and displayed on the counter, it gives them a nostalgic feeling of going back to the olden days. It has antique clocks that are not widely available to the public, has stories about them being close to the Sultan. Even if the owners would stop their business, the shophouse could still be preserved as a workshop or museum. Modern technology could be used but with great concern to revive the spirit of the place. This old building will be a symbol of one of Klang’s earliest successful business to for the future generation.
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REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 1.
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.1stassociated.co.uk/articles/dilapidations-state-of-shock.asp.
2. Borissova, V. (2018). Cultural heritage digitization and related intellectual property issues. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 34, 145–150. doi: 10.1016/j.culher.2018.04.023 3. Ecos. (2016, September 16). How to Mend Cracks, Holes, & Dents in a Wall Before Painting. Retrieved from https://www.ecospaints.net/mend-cracks-holes-dents-wall-painting. 4. Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720. (n.d.). doi: 10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f 5. Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720. (n.d.). doi: 10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f 6. Figure 2f from: Irimia R, Gottschling M (2016) Taxonomic revision of Rochefortia Sw. (Ehretiaceae, Boraginales). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: e7720. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.4.e7720. (n.d.). doi: 10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f 7. Methods of Concrete Column Repair for Cracks and Damages. (2017, March 19). Retrieved from https:// theconstructor.org/structural-engg/methods-of-concrete-column-repair/5833/. 8. https://www.slideshare.net/akshadamuley/case-studies-on-heritage-conservation. 9. What is Efflorescence?: How to Prevent it and Remove it. (2019, November 22). Retrieved from https:// www.nitterhousemasonry.com/tips-advice/what-is-efflorescence/. 10. Muley, A. (2015, July 26). Case studies on heritage conservation. Retrieved from https:// www.slideshare.net/akshadamuley/case-studies-on-heritage-conservation.
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