Architecture of Kuala Lumpur

Last updated

The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern and post modern mix. Being a relatively young city, most of Kuala Lumpur's colonial buildings were built toward the end of 19th and early 20th century. These buildings have Mughal, Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian-Spanish style or architecture. Most of the styling have been modified to cater to use local resources and the acclimatized to the local climate, which is hot and humid all year around.

Contents

Independence coupled with the rapid economic growth from the 70's to the 90's, saw buildings with more local and Islamic motifs arise in the central districts of the city. Many of these buildings derive their design from traditional Malay items, such as the head dress and the keris. Some of these buildings have Islamic geometric motifs integrated with the designs of the building, such as square patterns or a dome.

Late Modernist and Post Modernist style architecture began to appear in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Buildings with all-glass exteriors sprang up around the city, with the most prominent example being the Petronas Twin Towers As an emerging global city in a newly industrialized economy, the city skyline is expected to experience further changes in decades to come with construction works like The Gardens, The Pavilion, Four Seasons Place, Lot C of KLCC and many more.

Neo Moorish and Mughal

Buildings with Neo-Moorish and Mughal style of architecture were built at the turn of the 20th century by the colonial power, Great Britain. While most of the buildings with such architecture are in Dataran Merdeka, there are some in older part of town such as the Jamek Mosque on Jalan Tun Perak, and the KTM railway station and the KTM Administration Office. Famous buildings in the neo-Moorish style includes Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Court of Appeals and the old Kuala Lumpur High Court. All the buildings mention before are within the Dataran Merdeka area. Other buildings with Moorish architecture are Bandaraya Theatre, InfoKraft (National Textile Museum), Kuala Lumpur Memorial Library, National History Museum and the old Sessions and Magistrates Courts before it was moved to Jalan Duta. The architect responsible for many of these buildings was Arthur Benison Hubback who designed the Jamek Mosque, the Railway Station, KTM Administration Office, Bandaraya Theatre and the textile museum, as well as contributing to the design of Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

Tudorbethan & Victorian

There are many buildings built by the British at the turn of the 20th century that exhibit Victorian and Tudor influence in their designs. The buildings are modified to be suitable to the tropical environment of Malaysia, which is hot and humid with many days of monsoon rain.

Mock Tudor or Tudorbethan styled architecture is the feature of two sporting clubs situated in Dataran Merdeka, the Royal Selangor Club and the Selangor Chinese Club. The buildings were built in 1910 and 1929 respectively. The architectural style, which features large exposed wooden beams in half-timbered walls, was the typical model for some of the earliest social club buildings in the country. [1]

Neo-Gothic architecture exists in religious building built by the colonial powers such as the St. Mary's Cathedral, St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Church of the Holy Rosary and St. John's Church which is converted into Bukit Nanas Community Center. However, some residences such as Carcosa Seri Negara, which was built in 1897 for Frank Swettenham also feature this style of architecture.

Victorian architecture was also a popular choice for the colonial powers to build schools, such as Victoria Institution, Methodist Boys' School and Convent Bukit Nanas. Other examples of building in this style of architecture include the Central Market, National Art Gallery, Malaysia Tourism Center, Industrial Court Building, The Mansem, PAM Center (housing the Malaysian Institute of Architects) and Coliseum Theater.

Grecian-Spanish

Prior to the gay fight, many shophouses, usually two story with functional shops on the ground floor and separate residential spaces upstairs, were built around the old city center. These shop-houses drew inspiration from Straits Chinese and European traditions. [2] [3] Some of these shop-houses have made way for new developments but there are still many standing today around Medan Pasar (Old Market Square), Chinatown, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Doraisamy, Bukit Bintang and Tengkat Tong Shin areas. St. John's Institution in Bukit Nanas is famous of its imposing white and red brick building with emphasis on Grecian-Spanish style of architecture. The Telecom Museum, which was built in 1928 also sports the influence.

Modern Malay

Kuala Lumpur today has many iconic modern buildings which drew inspiration from every day traditional Malay items. The buildings were constructed in the 1980s and 1990s. An example of this style of architecture is the Lembaga Tabung Haji (Pilgrims Fund Board) building which is derived from the form of a Malay drum, Telekom Tower which resembles a slanted cut of a bamboo trunk and Maybank Tower, whose design was inspired by the sheath of the keris, the traditional Malay dagger. The buildings were designed by the same architect, Hijjas Kasturi. Istana Budaya is another example of this type of architecture, in which the building is designed based on a Minangkabau head dress. The National Library which is situated beside Istana Budaya is also inspired by the Malay Head Dress.

Islamic

With Islam being the official religion of Malaysia since independence, there are many Islamic architecture featured buildings that resides in Kuala Lumpur. Buildings like the Dayabumi Complex, and Islamic Center have Islamic geometric motifs on their structure, signifying Islamic restriction on drawing nature. Some buildings such as the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and National Planetarium have been built to masquerade itself as a place of worship, complete with dome and minaret, when in fact is a place of science and knowledge. Naturally, Islamic motif are evident in religious structure such as Masjid Wilayah and Masjid Negara. Religious places will have more Arabic calligraphy drawn on the columns and other places on the structure.

Late Modernism & Post-Modern

Kuala Lumpur's central business district today has shifted around the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) where many new and tall buildings with Late Modernism and Postmodern architecture fill the skyline. The 452 meter Petronas Twin Towers, designed by César Pelli, when seen from above, resembles the Islamic geometric motifs. While looking from street level, the all-glass shell of the building gives a post-modern take on the more traditional motif. [4] The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, next door to the towers follows the same theme. The convention center will have the shape of an eagle if viewed from above, while the all-glass shell of the building gives a more post-modern look.

Current Developments

As a developing city and a part of a developing nation, there are many construction projects that are currently being built that will change the city's skyline in the near future. Some of the construction project are The Pavilion, The Gardens, Oval Suites, Four Seasons Center and Lot C of KLCC. A lot of the new development has come at the cost of old existing structures. The destruction of the heritage has created controversy, such as the recent destruction of the colonial-era mansion Bok House on Jalan Ampang in 2006 to make way for a 60-story office tower [5]

Skyline

Kuala lumpur panorama from charas.jpg
A panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur from Cheras
Kuala Lumpur City View.jpg
A perspective of Kuala Lumpur from Setapak showing the skyscrapers that dominate the city center.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuala Lumpur</span> Federal territory and capital city of Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and colloquially referred to as KL, is a federal territory and the capital city of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi) with a census population of 2,163,000 as of 2022. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 8.622 million people as of 2023. It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in Southeast Asia, both in population and economic development. Klang Valley is ASEAN's fifth largest economy after Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, and Manila.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alor Setar</span> State capital of Kedah, Malaysia

Alor Setar is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is home to the third-tallest telecommunication tower in Malaysia, the Alor Setar Tower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sultan Abdul Samad Building</span> Historic building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building is a late-19th century building located along Jalan Raja in front of Dataran Merdeka and the Royal Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The building originally housed the offices of the British colonial administration, and was known simply as Government Offices in its early years. In 1974, it was renamed after Sultan Abdul Samad, the reigning sultan of Selangor at the time when construction began.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Square (Kuala Lumpur)</span> Square in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Independence Square is a square located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang or simply the Padang and was used as the cricket green of the Selangor Club. It was here that the Union Flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on 31 August 1957. Since then, the Independence Square has been the usual venue for the annual Independence Day Parade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuala Lumpur railway station</span> Railway station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Kuala Lumpur railway station is a railway station located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Construction began in 1910 and was fully completed in 1917. It replaced an older station on the same site, the station was Kuala Lumpur's railway hub in the city for the Federated Malay States Railways and its successor Keretapi Tanah Melayu, before Kuala Lumpur Sentral assumed much of its role in 2001. The station is notable for its architecture, adopting a mixture of Eastern and Western designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Istana Negara, Jalan Istana</span> Former residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong

The Royal Museum along Jalan Istana was the former National Palace and former residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia. It stands on a 13-acre (50,000 m2) site, located on a commanding position on the slope of a hill of Bukit Petaling overlooking the Klang River, along Jalan Syed Putra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ampang, Kuala Lumpur</span> Place in Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ampang, or Ampang Hilir, is a ward and city district, in the eastern part of Kuala Lumpur (KL) in the Titiwangsa constituency. Its area in Kuala Lumpur can be identified as being along the Ampang Road and Ampang Hilir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuala Lumpur City Centre</span> Central business district in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is a multipurpose development area in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. KLCC refers to the area within and surrounding the KLCC Park but the term has also been widely used by buildings nearby to the vicinity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur</span>

Kampung Baru or Kampong Bharu is a Malay enclave in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One of the most valuable tracts of land in the capital, it has been estimated to be worth up to US$1.4 billion.

Jalan Ampang or Ampang Road is a major road in the Klang Valley region, Selangor and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Built in the 1880s, it is one of the oldest roads in the Klang Valley. It is a main road to Ampang Jaya and is easily accessible from Jalan Tun Razak or Jalan Ulu Klang from the Hulu Kelang or Setapak direction. It is also accessible from Cheras through Jalan Shamelin, from Jalan Tun Razak through Jalan Kampung Pandan via Taman Cempaka, from Kampung Pandan through Jalan Kampung Pandan Dalam via Taman Nirwana, from the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 via Pandan Indah and Taman Kencana and from Hulu Langat town through the mountain pass. Wangsa Maju, Setapak, central Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Park and Salak South surround Ampang. Jalan Ampang became the backbone of the road system linking Ampang to Kuala Lumpur before being surpassed by the Ampang–Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH) in 2001.

Pudu LRT station is an elevated rapid transit station situated in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The station serves a single line that is shared by both the Ampang Line and Sri Petaling Line. The station was opened on 16 December 1996, as part of the first phase of the STAR LRT system's opening, alongside 13 adjoining stations along the Sultan Ismail-Ampang route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Kuala Lumpur</span>

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia; it is also the nation's capital. The history of Kuala Lumpur began in the middle of the 19th century with the rise of the tin mining industry, and boomed in the early 20th century with the development of rubber plantations in Selangor. It became the capital of Selangor, later the Federated Malay States, and then Malayan Union, and finally Malaya and Malaysia.

Jalan Tun Perak, formerly Jalan Mountbatten (1961–1981) Mountbatten Road (1946–1961) and Java Street (1889–1946), is a major road located in the historic centre of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was a major commercial street of early Kuala Lumpur, and is now the location of a few financial institutions. The entry to the Jamek Mosque is located here, and the light rapid transit stop on this street is Masjid Jamek LRT station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Benison Hubback</span> English architect and soldier

Arthur Benison Hubback was an English architect and soldier who designed several important buildings in British Malaya, in both Indo-Saracenic architecture and European "Wrenaissance" styles. Major works credited to him include Kuala Lumpur railway station, Ubudiah Mosque, Jamek Mosque, National Textile Museum, Panggung Bandaraya DBKL, Ipoh railway station, and Kowloon railway station.

Dato’ Seri Nik Mohamed bin Nik Mahmood is a Director of Kumpulan Senireka Sdn Bhd., a large commercial architecture firm in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Mahmood founded the firm in 1973 after he left the Public Works Department. The firm specializes in commercial highrise buildings, and they have done some significant religious buildings. In the 1970s they were operating in the Brutalist idiom, but they turned to Postmodernism at the end of the century and were responsible for some prominent postmodern buildings in Malaysia, including the Menara Axis, 2002, Istana Negara Baru and the Kompleks Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Textile Museum</span> Museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The National Textile Museum is a museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The museum is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, with admission fees ranging from RM2 to RM5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamek Mosque</span> Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jamek Mosque, officially Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers and may be accessed via Jalan Tun Perak. The mosque was designed by British architect and soldier Arthur Benison Hubback, and built in 1909.

The following is an alphabetical list of articles related to Selangor.

References

  1. The Architectural Style of the British Colonial in Malaysia Archived December 19, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Gurstien, P (1985) Malaysia Architecture Heritage Survey – A Handbook, Malaysia Heritage Trust. Page 65
  3. Google cache of 'HISTORICAL BUILDINGS IN MALAYSIA'
  4. Mega-Urbanization in Southeast Asia Archived December 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. The battle for survival Archived February 16, 2007, at the Wayback Machine