Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
geometric art deco style of the 1930s. The wealthiest constructed palladian-style villas
such as Loke Mansion and the former Istana Negara. Jln Ampang, the road leading out to
the former tin mines of Ampang, used to be lined with these mansions - only a handful re-
main including the ones used for the Malaysian Tourism Centre and the Pakistan High
Commission.
THE TWO ARTHURS
Arthur Bennison Hubback (1871-1948) and Arthur Charles Norman (1858-1944) are the two colonial-era archi-
tects whose fanciful Indo-Saracenic style of buildings have leant distinction to Kuala Lumpur's cityscape since
the late 19th century. Hubback is most famous for designing Masjid Jamek, the graceful mosque with its Mogul
domes and scalloped horseshoe arches; the spectacular Kuala Lumpur Railway Station; and the matching Malay-
an Railways Administration Building. Norman was responsible for the collection of buildings around Merdeka
Square, most notably the Sultan Abdul Samad Building; and Carcosa Seri Negara, home of the British Resident
Sir Frank Swettenham and now a luxury hotel.
Postcolonial
Following independence there was a conscious effort to break with the florid styles of ar-
chitecture of the past, particularly when it came to public building works. This resulted in
the elegant lines of the Masjid Negara (National Mosque), Stadium Merdeka (built for the
declaration of independence in 1957) and neighbouring Stadium Negara.
Elaborate murals, with the Malaysian nation as their theme, were sometimes incorpor-
ated into these buildings: find them in Stadium Negara, the facades of the National Mu-
seum and Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Institute of Language and Literature) on the corner
of Jln Wisma Putra.
Some projects, such as the National Parliament (built in 1963 and designed by William
Ivor Shipley), the National Museum, Menara Maybank and Istana Budaya incorporate dis-
tinctive motifs from traditional Malay architecture and art. Others, such as the beautiful
Dayabumi Complex, and - later - the Petronas Towers, take their design references from
Islam.
Among Malaysia's postcolonial architects of note is Hijjas Kasturi, who designed the
Tabung Haji and Menara Maybank buildings; the giant shark fin of Menara Telekom, on
the border between KL and Petaling Jaya and adorned with 22 outdoor 'sky gardens', one
on every third floor; and the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery. It's possible
at certain times of the year to visit Kasturi's home, Rimbun Dahan, also a centre for devel-
oping traditional and contemporary art forms.
