School of Architecture, Building & Design Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture ARC60703 Architectural Conservation Project 3: Proposal for Adaptive Reuse Group members: Chew Jia Chen
0322852
Foong Lih Wey
0322687
Liew Yu Xian
0319173
Loh Wei Shuen
0317896
Tang Ze Zheng
0318967
Tutor: Mr Azim Sulaiman
Content Content
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1.0
Historical Background of Petaling Street
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2.0
Architectural Background of Petaling Street
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3.0
Social Background of Petaling Street
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4.0
Dilapidation survey
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5.0
Proposal for Adaptive Reuse
11 - 14
References
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1.0 Historical Background of Petaling Street Petaling Street also known as China Town, is located at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The China Town originate from centered of a market square at Jalan Tun H.S. Lee or known as High Street. A lot of wealthy shop owner decide to build their shop houses along the High Street due to its higher level compared to other places. In the early 20th century, Chinese immigrants mainly from Fujian and Guangdong province were attracted by the prospect of work in the tin mines and rubber plantations. They moved here to look for a better life due to the economy in China was bad during that time. They work as coolies in the mines. In 1870, a civil war was declared between two secret society, the Hokkien Ghee Hin and the Hakka Hai San. The civil war has affected the economy and supply chain which force the British to lead to stop the war. Many buildings and street were destroyed and damaged during the long period of civil war. Mines were abandoned during the civil war and causes it to become flooded. After the war, miners returned to the mines and discovered that the mines are no longer able to function again. The famous Chinese Kapitan, Kapitan Yap Ah Loy then persuaded miners and coolies to stay in Kuala Lumpur and encouraged Malays to grow crops. He then opened a Tapioca Mill in Petaling Street where the farm products of his will bring to the ground into flour. Petaling Street were called ‘Chee Ceong Kai’ which means Starch Factory Street in Cantonese.
Figure 1.1: Location of Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur. Source: https://goo.gl/images/bQS6Wv
Figure 1.2: Petaling Street in 1940s, 1950s. Source: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=438753&page=49
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2.0 Architectural Background of Petaling Street The main architectural style that can be found in Petaling Street is shophouses. It is a type of historical architecture that can be commonly found in South East Asia. As suggested by its name, shophouse is used as business stores and residential quarter for the family or employers. They are typically two storey, built in contigous blocks with party wall. Below are the key elements of a typical shophouse (Figure 2.1): -
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Fire wall/ party wall It is a structural, load bearing wall that separates the shophouses from its neighbour. Not only provides privacy for the residents, most importantly it serves as the fire resistant barrier to avoid the spread of fire. Five-foot ways It is a covered public walkway that provides shading from sun and rain for the pedestrian. Airwell It is one of the most important features of shophouse. The airwell promotes air ventilation as well as allows the natural light to come in.
The shophouse greatly adapts to the tropical climate in order to archieve thermal comfort in this space.
Figure 2.1: Key elements of a typical shophouse. Source: https://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/vision-and-principles/The-Shophouse
The shophouses were introduced by British in 1896 during the British colonization period. The British instructed that all wooden houses shall be replaced by bricks and tiled roof. The British residential system also required all shophouses to be exactly five feet from the road and to have a verandah side walk, to be able to bypass traffic, rain and sun light. The lower a side walk of a shophouse the older it is. (Dasza, 2012). According to the classification of Idid (1996) and Heritage of Malaysia Trust (1990), in this general eclectic style attributed to colonialism, several building periods can be identified as below:-
Pre 1884 – These shophouses were simple attap huts introduced by Chinese merchants to service the tin miners.
Figure 2.2: The first shophouses built in brick, sited in Old Market Square, and built by Yap Ah Loy, noticeably lacking the ornate fronts of later shophouses, though they are two-storey buildings of that type. Source: Gullick, J. M., (2000), A History of Kuala Lumpur 1856 – 1939, Selangor: MBRAS, p. 319
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(1)
Post 1884 – The façade of the shophouses developed according to style in Europe but the basic plan was not modified. The variation in façade treatment included:Utilitarian 1880s – 1900s
Large single wooden beams were supported by heavy pillars. The first floor had a single opening, which was covered with simple wooden shutters. Then, this was replaced by brick and mortar wall with two or three windows. The windows then became more comprehensive and included fanlights. The elevation of these shops was quite low with steep tiled roofs that often included jack roofs for additional ventilation. (2)
Neo-classical 1900s – 1930s
These shophouses were normally three-storey high. The facades were more complicated with the integration of elements of Neo-gothic, Baroque, Palladian or Renaissance designs. Greek and Roman columns, decorated window frames and festoons were common in the design. Ornate facades featured parapets, open balustrades and flamboyant gables. (3)
Figure 2.3: Kuala Lumpur in 1897, a view from high ground to the west showing the development of Kuala Lumpur. Source: Gullick, J. M., (2000), A History of Kuala Lumpur 1856-1939, Selangor: MBRAS, p. 321
Art Deco 1930s -1940s
Art Deco facades were distinguished by strong horizontal and vertical elements and the abstract geometric shapes were mostly used as decorations. Typical Art Deco features included banding devices, Shanghai-plaster motifs and concrete flag poles. One of the example is Lee Rubber Building (Figure 2.4) located in Jalan Tun HS Lee.
Figure 2.4: Lee Rubber Building located in Jalan Tun HS Lee. Source: https://goo.gl/images/ZIrqEb
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3.0 Social Background of Petaling Street Petaling Street is strongly influenced by Chinese culture. Chinese traditional goods like snacks, decorative items and clothes can be easily found here. Traders here was mainly Chinese however due to the maintenance and ageing of the owner, they slowly replaced by Bangladeshi traders. Most of the shophouses are well maintained and being use for businesses like restaurants, souvenir shop, photo shops, book store and cyber cafĂŠ. Some of the shops are still maintain its traditional business such as barber, antique shops and florist. Some alleys are used for illegal food stalls. One interesting things about Petaling Street is, it became a popular gather place to protest about the developments and political related. Dated back to 2012, more than 800 people protested along Jalan Sultan due to the demolition of historical shophouses for the construction of My Rapid Transit (MRT) project.
Figure 3.1: A photo collage that shows the activities that happened in Petaling Street. (Left) A grocery shop (Right) Antique shop
There are many culture and religion attraction in Petaling Street. A stone's throw away is the Central Market of Kuala Lumpur. Here you will be able to experience the rich culture of all the races in Malaysia. In the market, there are the Lorong Melayu, Lorong India and Straits Chinese which allows visitors to understand more of the difference in the culture of our people. At the Central Market is also the place to get souvenirs which are all locally made such as kebaya, batik, songket and handicrafts. The Sri Mahamariamman Temple which is located at the edge of Petaling Street is the richest and oldest Hindu temple you can find in Kuala Lumpur. Its history dates back to the year of 1873 and has since been an important place of worship for the Indians here. Due to its history and influence, this temple is a vital part of the culture and heritage of Malaysia
Figure 3.2: Flea market and illegal stalls in the back alley.
At the end of Petaling Street, you can further explore the Chan See Shu Yuen Temple which dates to 1906. The interior of this building features open courtyard pavilions, intricate carvings and paintings. On the exterior, the temple depicts elaborate glazed ceramic sculptures which grace the facade and roof ridges.
Figure 3.3: Protest happening in Petaling Street.
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In 2003, Petaling Street underwent a major RM11 million facelift. Two large Chinese style arches to welcome visitors were placed at either end of the street. A green translucent roof cover was constructed, covering the whole street, dubbed the "Green Dragon". The street is now totally pedestrianized and transformed into a pedestrian shopping mall. The Street is regarded as a heritage site. Figure 3.4: Various cultural activities around Petaling Street. (Left) Central Market that located not far away from Petaling Street, was used as market and now transformed into a souvenir shop. (Center) The oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, Sri Mahamariamman Temple. (Right) The Chinese temple, Chan See Shu Yuen Temple.
Figure 3.5: The adding of the (Left) Chinese style arches and (Right) green translucent roof cover.
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4.0 Dilapidation Survey Dilapidation occurs in most of the shophouses in Petaling Street due to the ageing and disrepair of the buildings. It is essential to carry out the dilapidation survey before conducting the transformation in order to understand the defects and prevent an argument over who is responsible for a defect can happen.
Figure 4.1: Defects can be found in shophouse.
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Below are the few defects can be observed in most of the shophouses: (1) Peeling of Paint Due to accumulation of water from rain and air through years. The paint on the shophouse begin to peeled off from walls and faรงade.
Figure 4.2: Peeling of paint. (2) Algae Growth The hot and humid climate at the site causes the growth of plants and algae on the walls.
Figure 4.3: Algae growth.
(3) Exposed wire The finishes of walls chipped off due to lack of maintenance. The wires are exposed to rain and sunlight which is will risk the safety of user and the building.
Figure 4.4: Exposed wire. (4) Discolouration of walls Through years of exposing to rain and sun and lack of maintenance, the colour paint begins to fade off.
Figure 4.5: Discolouration of walls.
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(5) Spalling of Paint Spalling of paint caused the inner finishes like bricks and plasters exposed to sun and rain.
Figure 4.6: Spalling of paint. (6) Cracking of Walls Due to exposing to sun and rain through years. The walls begin to crack. This incidence may risk the stability of the building.
Figure 4.7: Cracking of walls.
(7) Bubbles in wall paint The rain water trapped within the wall paint causes the bubble to appear on the wall.
Figure 4.8: Bubbles in wall paint. (8) Erosion of Mortar Joints Caused by the presence of salt crystallization and the scouring action of winds through years.
Figure 4.9: Erosion of mortar joints.
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5.0 Proposal for Adaptive Reuse
Figure 5.1: Site Plan Our site is located at Lot 14 along Petaling Street. There are few issues have been observed in Petaling Street which are: -
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Lost of identity The historical architecture was not appreciated and being demolished to fit the development of the city. The traders are slowly being replaced by the foreign workers due to the decline of industry and mainly the ageing of owner. The sense of Malaysian identity is losing and a cultural platform can be proposed to restore the cultural identity of Petaling Street includes both physical and non-physical elements.
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Lack of greenery in the concrete jungle The city is unattractive and harsh in terms of the high density of concrete high rise buildings. Perhaps by proposing vertical greenery can bridge the gap of human and nature. At the same time, it provides a temporary shelter that escape from the hustle bustle of city life.
The outcome of the proposal will be raising the awareness of the locals through the adaptive reuse of the historical architecture will bring certain values towards the society. People will be impressed by the imperfect beauty that creates by the architecture.
Illegal vendors sell expensive and fake souvenirs This type of business portrays a bad image towards the local as well as the tourists. They get to cheat by the vendor easier in terms of the quality and price of the souvenirs. 11
Space to be proposed into the scheme: Entrance, Retails/ souvenir shop, Gallery, Meeting room, Garden, Office, Washroom, Pantry.
Figure 5.2: Floor Plan before.
Figure 5.3: Floor Plan after.
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Figure 5.4: Gallery.
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Figure 5.5: Retails/souvenir shop.
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References Dasza. Petaling Street and Chinese Shophouses. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.ptraveler.com/2012/07/14/petaling-street-and-chinese-shophouses/ Firdaws, N. Petaling Street — The Place Which Holds Years of History and Culture. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/10/02/petaling-street-the-place-which-holds-years-of-history-and-culture/ Ho, K.C. An Influence of Colonial Architecture to Building Styles and Motifs in Colonial Cities in Malaysia. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.malaysiadesignarchive.org/an-influence-of-colonial-architecture-to-building-styles-and-motifs-in-colonial-cities-in-malaysia/ Janke, R.A. Encyclopedia of Urban Studies. (2010). SAGE Publications, Inc. Liu, L. A | The Malaysian Shophouse and Design in Different Contexts. (2016). Retrieved from https://malaysialab2016.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/a-the-malaysian-shophouse-and-design-in-different-contexts/ Petaling Street. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petaling_Street Petaling Street Warriors. (2012). Retrieved from https://petalingstreetwarriors2012.wordpress.com/ Shophouse. Retreived from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shophouse The Shophouse. Retrieved from https://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation/vision-and-principles/The-Shophouse
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