October 16, 2011 at 2:00 pm
An article that featured the neglect of a successful conservation project highlights an important issue in heritage conservation – maintenance. The conservation project in question is the Rumah Kutai in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, which was painstakingly restored by Badan Warisan in 1994. The house was saved after being identified by the Perak Museum as an important structure and lauded as a landmark in the state.
After restoration was completed, the The house was handed back to the family but without a clear-cut consensus among the relatives as to who should maintain it. The house has since been neglected and was on the verge of collapse at the time the article was written. This case really shows that without proper maintenance, any conservation project will not succeed in the long term. Preserving our heritage is not a one time task, but requires constant effort and a lot of dedication and care. It is unfortunate that not everyone can appreciate the beauty and value of preserving our heritage.
Does anybody ever wonder what happens to a building after it is restored? What happens if the current owner has no interest in maintaining the building? What do YOU think?
Question, do you think that historical issues are only important to history buffs?
Read the full article below:
The Rumah Kutai in Kuala Kangsar painstakingly restored by Badan Warisan in 1994 is now a painful sight for those who know its immense value.
Built more than 120 years ago, the timber house located near the Perak River had survived three major floods and is believed to be the only remaining house of its type in the area.
It was identified by the Perak Museum as an important structure and lauded as a landmark in the state.
Against all odds, Badan Warisan restored the structure to its original glory despite its limited financial resources, with the late conservation architect Chen Voon Fee who was also Badan Warisan’s founding member leading the team.
The project also received a Juror’s Award in the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) Architectural Awards 1995 in the Conservation and Adaptive Re-Use Building Category.
The house was handed back to the family but without a clear-cut consensus among the relatives as to who should maintain it. The house has since been neglected and now on the verge of collapse.
The shrunken road setback as a result of road-widening work made the condition even more difficult for preservation. The current legislation that categories the modest timber houses as only temporary structure and hence with no Certificate of Fitness did not help with creating a better awareness either.
The diminishing skilled craftsmen has made the matter worse.
Badan Warisan Malaysia president Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the Rumah Kutai was the jewel in the crown.
“It is a legacy of the craftsmanship of the Malay builder. If a priceless heritage like this can be in such a state of deterioration, people will be cynical about us and the authority,” he said.
Ahmad Sarji speaks with emotions when it comes to old buildings and traditional Malay timber houses are dear to his heart.
The Rumah Penghulu in Kedah was another traditional timber house dating back to the1920s, cruelly ravaged by time. It was fortunate enough to be saved in time and transported to the safe zone in Badan Warisan’s premises in Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur, in 1996. The project involving Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Forest Research Institute Malaysia and Universiti Malaya took more than a year.
Bomoh House in Changkat Jering was another significant restoration project and luckily the owners took good care since then and Badan Warisan’s effort did not go down the drain.
Source: The Star
Photo (c) ultimatekldevil
Maintenance Key to Conservation
October 16, 2011 at 2:00 pm
An article that featured the neglect of a successful conservation project highlights an important issue in heritage conservation – maintenance. The conservation project in question is the Rumah Kutai in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, which was painstakingly restored by Badan Warisan in 1994. The house was saved after being identified by the Perak Museum as an important structure and lauded as a landmark in the state.
After restoration was completed, the The house was handed back to the family but without a clear-cut consensus among the relatives as to who should maintain it. The house has since been neglected and was on the verge of collapse at the time the article was written. This case really shows that without proper maintenance, any conservation project will not succeed in the long term. Preserving our heritage is not a one time task, but requires constant effort and a lot of dedication and care. It is unfortunate that not everyone can appreciate the beauty and value of preserving our heritage.
Does anybody ever wonder what happens to a building after it is restored? What happens if the current owner has no interest in maintaining the building? What do YOU think?
Question, do you think that historical issues are only important to history buffs?
Read the full article below:
The Rumah Kutai in Kuala Kangsar painstakingly restored by Badan Warisan in 1994 is now a painful sight for those who know its immense value.
Built more than 120 years ago, the timber house located near the Perak River had survived three major floods and is believed to be the only remaining house of its type in the area.
It was identified by the Perak Museum as an important structure and lauded as a landmark in the state.
Against all odds, Badan Warisan restored the structure to its original glory despite its limited financial resources, with the late conservation architect Chen Voon Fee who was also Badan Warisan’s founding member leading the team.
The project also received a Juror’s Award in the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) Architectural Awards 1995 in the Conservation and Adaptive Re-Use Building Category.
The house was handed back to the family but without a clear-cut consensus among the relatives as to who should maintain it. The house has since been neglected and now on the verge of collapse.
The shrunken road setback as a result of road-widening work made the condition even more difficult for preservation. The current legislation that categories the modest timber houses as only temporary structure and hence with no Certificate of Fitness did not help with creating a better awareness either.
The diminishing skilled craftsmen has made the matter worse.
Badan Warisan Malaysia president Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the Rumah Kutai was the jewel in the crown.
“It is a legacy of the craftsmanship of the Malay builder. If a priceless heritage like this can be in such a state of deterioration, people will be cynical about us and the authority,” he said.
Ahmad Sarji speaks with emotions when it comes to old buildings and traditional Malay timber houses are dear to his heart.
The Rumah Penghulu in Kedah was another traditional timber house dating back to the1920s, cruelly ravaged by time. It was fortunate enough to be saved in time and transported to the safe zone in Badan Warisan’s premises in Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur, in 1996. The project involving Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Forest Research Institute Malaysia and Universiti Malaya took more than a year.
Bomoh House in Changkat Jering was another significant restoration project and luckily the owners took good care since then and Badan Warisan’s effort did not go down the drain.
Source: The Star
Photo (c) ultimatekldevil
Tags: Badan Warisan, heritage building, Kedah, Kuala Kangsar, Restoration of Heritage Buildings, Rumah Kutai, Rumah Penghulu