First-time visitors to Kuala Lumpur are usually fascinated by the eclectic blend of architectural styles from the old to contemporary, East to West, ornate to simple and sometimes, stylish to garish. Even those who have lived here for a long time constantly confront something new and if one of the aims of architecture is to challenge the senses, there are many buildings in the capital that do this either by design or default.

For a city that really only dug its first foundations in the 1850’s with the discovery of fluvial tin in the Gombak and Klang Rivers that pass through what is now the city centre, Kuala Lumpur looks older than it really is. While many other parts of Malaysia have a longer history, the KL landscape is only recent and one that is constantly changing from simple villages or kampungs to the nation’s pride and joy; the 421m-high Petronas Twin Towers.

The city evolved from makeshift mining camps and was influenced by Malaysia’s multiculturalism and colonial governance through to independence and then, the nation’s emergence as an important regional economic tiger. Each era has left its mark on the city’s architecture and because Kuala Lumpur’s history has had so many influences, the structures that line the cityscape are an expression of this diversity and variety. In some parts of the city, mosques, temples and churches of varied architectural styles are located in close proximity.


A Walk Through History
Despite the heat and humidity one of the best ways to take in Kuala Lumpur is via a well-structured, self-guided walk or series of walks. Alternatively, jump on the ‘KL Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour Bus’ (www.myhoponhopoff.com) which travels the city from 8.30am to 8.30pm and takes in the main sights including architectural landmarks and precincts such as the Twin Towers, Merdeka Square, Chinatown, Central Markets and Kampung Baru.

For those interested in the preservation of Malaysia’s built heritage, a visit to Badan Warisan (Malaysia’s National Trust) in downtown KL is an essential stop. The trust provides excellent information, a bookshop and daily (Mon-Sat) inspections at 11am and 3pm of a delightful antique, wooden Malay house, Rumah Pengulu Abu Seman located in the gardens of their headquarters. This Malay headman’s house dates back to 1910 from the state of Kedah and was acquired by Badan Warisan before being relocated to KL for all to admire. Typically, traditional Malay houses have a private space for women in the household and a public area for entertaining male visitors.

Badan Warisan is located at 2 Jalan Stoner (T: +603 2144 9273, www.badanwarisan.org.my) opposite the Royale Chulan Kuala Lumpur Hotel.


Traditional East Coast Architect ure in the City
The Royale Chulan is also an interesting building that is typical of several others in KL as it incorporates elements of vernacular architecture into its modern design. The hotel’s architects have incorporated East Coast styles from the state of Terengganu noted for their sharp, elaborate exterior profiles and excellent decorative detailing. From the front of the hotel, twelve columns are featured (referred to as Rumah tiang duabelas); the same number of pillars traditionally used in the design of ornate wooden palaces of Terengganu. The most distinctive feature of the hotel’s exterior is the wide roof fascia boards that decorate each gable end and which rise to a sharp apex. Tiles were typically used on the East Coast too whereas in many other parts of Malaysia, attap or thatching was more common. The houses of the East Coast reveal a lot about climate of the area which can be extreme from heavy monsoonal rainfall followed by high temperatures. Structures were typically constructed high off the ground on a series of pillars to enable the circulation of air and to keep the house above any floodwaters.

Elaborate carvings are a feature of East Coast buildings and as a general rule; the royal buildings were more complex and ornate than those of commoners. Wall panels are intricately carved often in the shape of plants, flowers and foliage. Nails were rarely in the construction of buildings but rather were fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle through the use of mortises and tenons. This meant the buildings could be dismantled and moved to another location if the need arose.

A walk through the Royale Chulan Hotel shows how some modern architecture in the city borrows from the past. Look out for details such as internal columns that are thicker at the base than the top, carved fascia boards, ornate supportingbrackets, Arabesque geometric tiles, wood-carved flower motifs and chandeliers in the shape of lotus flowers.


Padang Precinct
On August 31, 1957 Malaysia came of age when independence was declared at Merdeka Square or the Padang in front of the Tudor-styled Royal Selangor Club. Each day scores of tour buses stop here for camera-totting tourists to fire off a few frames of the imposing buildings that line the streets. This is arguably the best location to take in the city’s eclectic architecture.

It is also the centre of colonial KL although the construction of new buildings on the fringe is presenting a new face for the city. The black and white facade of the Royal Selangor Club lines one side of the field (padang) where cricket was once played. On the other side is the beautiful copper-domed Sultan Abdul Samad Building that dates back to 1897. This brick building with arched colonnades and parapets is one of the most photographed buildings in the city and stands in marked contrast to the modern, Islamic-inspired Dayabumi Building that adjoins it. In the evening, twinkling fairy lights make the view even more impressive.

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building was one of the first Mughal-styled buildings to be constructed in the city and set the trend for other similar-styled structures. It was originally to be designed along Renaissance architectural lines until the State Engineer C.E. Spooner intervened to insist upon a building that was more appropriate to the Islamic-dominated community.

Continue down Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin to the famous Kuala Lumpur Rail Station which still operates as a train station but is now underutilised as the city’s rail hub has moved to KL Sentral; one stop down the line. Its architecture and that of the more sombre grey Railway Headquarters located opposite looks like it’s straight out of a scene from the Arabian Nights. Looking more like a wedding cake, rumour has it that the structure was designed to withstand snow storms in line with the then policy of English rail architecture.

In his book The Great Railway Bazaar by Train Through Asia Paul Theroux describes the station as: “the grandest in southeast Asia, with onion-domed cupolas, minarets, and the general appearance of the Brighton Pavilion, but twenty times larger.”

Despite looking older, the station was only completed in 1911 but the railway headquarters were delayed until after the cessation of World War 11. Immediately adjacent to the latter is the shell of the former Majestic Hotel which, one day, will be resurrected as a boutique heritage hotel for visitors to the city to re-live an era when rail travel dominated transport around the peninsula.

Retracing one’s path back towards the Padang, visitors will see two modern Malay buildings that reflect Western and Modernist influences. Masjid Negara or the National Mosque dates back to 1965. Its design is a departure from the strict symmetry of earlier mosques built in Malaysia and has what architects describe as a ‘free plan’ (form follows function). Its circular, umbrella roof of two-tone blue tiles is the building’s most radical departure from traditional design.

Just up the hill and opposite the National Mosque is the Islamic Arts Museum of Malaysia (IAMM) which opened in 1998. Apart from having the best Islamic arts collection in Southeast Asia, the exterior design of turquoise domes and Iranian tiles makes it a ‘must visit’ landmark in the city.

Return back to the Padang past the Mughal-styled buildings that now house the National History Museum and the Textile Museum on the other side of the road. In the far corner of the Padang is St. Mary’s Church which would not look out of place on an English village green.


Little India and Chinatown
A short walk from the Padang down Jalan Tun Perak leads to the Masjid Jamek Mosque at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang Rivers. This is where the city started so it is only fitting that one of the most ornate mosques be located here. Built in 1909 it is the city’s oldest mosque and unusual in that it was built from red brick and marble. The setting is shaded by palm trees and serene in all aspects but it can get very crowded around prayer times especially at Friday lunchtime.

From here, visitors can branch off to Little India or Chinatown where the architecture is completely different to the area around the Padang. Between the two areas is the skyblue Central Market which dates to the 1930’s when it was established as KL’s main produce market. It now operates as a market selling popular Malaysian souvenirs. There are also many restaurants here to rest before heading off to KL’s modern commercial and retail heart where towering skyscrapers dominate the skyline.


Landmark Structures
There was a flurry of architectural activity after Malaysia gained independence in 1957 with some buildings being an expression of nationhood and the future aspirations of the young nation. Vernacular materials and design have been incorporated in the designs of some landmark public buildings; others have gone back to Mughal roots while others are completely modern in their design.

Academics sought to establish a Malaysian identity or architectural heritage especially with the construction of national symbols such as the Parliament House and the National Museum. The result has been labelled ‘traditionalist functionalist’ by architectural boffins and examples of this style are reflected in the steep, pitched, gabled roof of landmark buildings such as the National Museum. Murals expressing nationhood were incorporated into the building design and others in the city like Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Institute of Language and Literature).

In other parts of the country, especially Negeri Sembilan, the horned or upturned roof of the Minangkabau can be found in many buildings.

As the economy expanded, so grew the desire to build landmark headquarters for successful conglomerates. Some of these included mega projects such as the Petronas Twin Towers, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the new garden city of Putrajaya.

Some of the more interesting recent buildings to visit in Kuala Lumpur include the National Library, National Theatre and National Art Gallery located near each other on Jalan Tun Razak not far from Lake Titiwangsa. All have striking rooflines with the National Theatre resembling the outline of a seri junjung or traditional Malay headgear while that of the National Library looks like a songket tengkolok or traditional folded brocade headgear. The roof of the National Art Gallery evokes overlapping bumbung panjang (a long ridged roof) of a gajah menyusu house (supposedly in the shape of a suckling elephant). The suckling elephant may be lost on many visitors but the exterior and the art collection inside make worth dropping by.

A journey along the Federal Highway heading west out of the city centre also reveals two interesting architectural features including the arched gateway that delineates the border between the Federal Territory and Selangor state. Just before the gate is the imposing Telekom Tower that makes reference to its South East Asian location while incorporating ‘smart’ design features to accommodate the harsh tropical climate. New buildings reach ever skyward in the city centre with an explosion of recent condominium development. The jury is still out as to whether these will make a long-term and positive contribution to the city but most can be guaranteed to challenge all those who view them.