By Willy Wilson | Oct 1, 2009

Nostalgic KL

Blessed with diverse cultures and rich histories that spill over onto the city’s architecture, Kuala Lumpur truly is a cultural melting pot of sorts. Sadly, it seems like the appreciation for the city’s architecture has been limited to that of majestic modern edifices such as the iconic Twin Towers.

Under the shadow of the KL’s skyline, however, lies the charm of a colonial city. In this day and age, these nostalgic areas of Kuala Lumpur have long since been forgotten. Whether demolished or converted into modest restaurants, it is a common perception that unlike Penang, Malacca or Singapore, Kuala Lumpur’s nostalgic elements are not exactly something to shout about.

But Shaik Dawood begs to differ. A self-proclaimed ‘KL boy’, Shaik Dawood is a native KLite who leads a double life as both a banker and blogger. His blog, www.shaikskl.blogspot.com, which he started almost a year ago, is dedicated to Kuala Lumpur’s forgotten architectures and the alluring nostalgic stories behind them.

“Even if some of the old buildings appear to be poorly maintained, there is no denying that they exude characters,” he says.

Growing up in the 60s around, Shaik Dawood has particularly fond memories of old Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, as it was practically his backyard.

As a child, he grew up in one of wooden houses in Jalan Raja Laut and went to Batu Road Boys School.

Intrigued, I decided to follow Shaik around Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman to enjoy the city’s architectural heritage firsthand, visiting the Odeon and Coliseum cinemas before finally arriving at the magnificent Loke Mansion.

Odeon and Coliseum
As we drove through Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Shaik pointed out the Odeon Cinema, which currently runs as a retail shopping outlet.

“Despite the rundown façade, the Odeon Cinema does hold significant value for the city’s architectural heritage as it is one of the few Art Deco buildings that you come across in Kuala Lumpur,” explained Shaik.

The Odeon Cinema was first opened in 1936 by the cinema empire Cathay Organization. Under the supervision of the late Mrs. Loke Cheng Kim (the fourth wife of Loke Yew), Cathay Organization hired architect A.O. Coltman and concrete supplier Steen Sehested to design the building. It was one of the very first buildings in Southeast Asia that featured new safety designs such as emergency lighting and fire prevention systems. In addition to those features were the state-of-the-art ventilation grills and exhaust fans used to enhance air circulation.

Badan Warisan documents state that the Art Deco elements in this establishment are unmistakable given the lettering style of the cinema’s name, the vertical pylons and the flagpoles. Above the entrance, a horizontal beam, embellished with a mosaic depicting drama, comedy and music, intersects the strong vertical mullions. On the façade’s side, 'ribs' create a vertical rhythm.

The grander Coliseum Cinema has had better luck. Built in 1921 by the Chua family, the Art Deco building survived through the Japanese occupation during World War II. What was once known as the Coliseum Theatre currently operates as a cinema specialising in Hindi and Tamil movies, with the extension of a Coliseum café and hotel located just behind the theatre.

“They say that it’s still the best place for steaks. The last time I was here was in the mid 90s. The waiters then looked like they had been with the restaurant since it first opened, so you can just imagine how slow the service was. The place does have a certain romantic colonial charm about it though,” said Shaik.

The Loke Mansion
The hallmark of colonial architecture within this area would have to be the home of Wong Loke Yew – a prominent businessman and philanthropist during the British Malaya era – which is situated at No. 273A Jalan Medan Tuanku.

The Loke Mansion was reputedly the first residence in Malaya to receive electricity. Loke Yew had purchased the property back in 1892 from a wealthy tin miner named Cheow Ah Yoke, and it took 12 years for Loke Yew to renovate the property. The Loke family then resided in this mansion until the 1930s.

According to Shaik, the mansion was later used as an art gallery in the 80s. In the 90s, Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing took over the mansion, from which he ran an advertising agency. The Loke Mansion was later renovated and partially restored in late 2007 by the law firm Cheang and Ariff, who have leased the property from its owner.

Legacy
Despite the relentless high rise development that has gradually transformed the face of the city, Shaik maintains that he still loves KL.

“Nobody should live in the past. Having said that, it would have been nice if more attention was paid to these beautiful landmarks,” he says.

Indeed, KL is very much behind when it comes to preserving its historical architecture. As for its Singaporean counterpart, the colonial shop houses in Singapore’s Chinatown have since been stylishly converted into offices, hotels, restaurants and bars. The sad truth for KL is that no one has really made much of an effort yet to revamp what is left of its historical past.

“Drive further from the Coliseum Cinema towards Dataran Merdeka and you’ll know what I mean,” says Shaik, pointing at the dilapidated ruins of the PH Hendry Royal Jeweller building.

If KL were to progress into a world city, its ongoing development must not undermine the historical and cultural values of its heritage buildings.