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W KUALA LUMPUR HOTEL & THE RESIDENCES KLCC | Kuala Lumpur ( KLCC - Jalan Ampang ) | S.O.M. | 55 fl | 232m | Completed (2018)

407K views 1K replies 156 participants last post by  BeansOnToast 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Do we want to save this house?



DRIVE along Jalan Ampang in Kuala Lumpur and you’re bound to notice the magnificent house standing forlornly back from the bustling road. The Bok House is a grand testament to the city’s architectural and social history. This single building encapsulates the hopes and loss of our built heritage, standing as it does with its structure intact, yet facing impending demolition.

In June, a Development Order for its site was filed with the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. Badan Warisan (the Heritage of Malaysia Trust) noted that the proposed development would include the razing of Bok House and the building of a 60-storey building.

On June 12, Badan Warisan nominated the Bok House for classification as important to national heritage, as allowed under the National Heritage Act 2005. They see this nomination as a test of the new Act, which was passed in March.

The non-governmental organisation deems the house one of the best examples of classical European architecture adapted to Malaysia’s tropical climate while retaining the principles of its Palladian villa inspiration.








The Bok House in an old photo (left) provided by the Architects Institute of Malaysia and as it is now (right): sadly diminished.







While it remains a Western building, much of the Bok House draws its concepts from Malay building traditions. The large verandas and anjung, or porte-cochere, give it a feeling of being built on stilts. More importantly, it uses the concept of rumah ibu and rumah dapur (literally, mother house and kitchen house), where the front building was the formal entertainment area while the adjoining smaller building was the less formal family area.

The Bok House was built by self-made millionaire Chua Cheng Bok, founder of the Cycle & Carriage Company. He commissioned Singapore-based architectural firm Swan & Maclaren, one of the best in the region then, to build the house in 1926. And there is the oft-told tale of why Bok did this: to impress the father of a woman he wanted to marry!

The building housed the Yokohama Specie Bank during World War II and was later a boarding house. Its heyday was during the 1960s and early 1970s when it was the grandly named Le Coq D’Or Restaurant. Since the restaurant closed in 2001, Badan Warisan noted that the structure has deteriorated badly and has suffered a lot of vandalism.

Badan Warisan executive director Elizabeth Cardoza says, “The Bok House has so much cultural significance for our heritage. It has high architectural, social and symbolic values. It is one of the last remaining buildings of its kind in Malaysia and has been well documented through the years.

“The question is, does KL want it or not?”
 
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1
#92 ·
Historian: Bok House important part of KL’s history
Saturday December 23, 2006
TheStar


KUALA LUMPUR: Bok House might have been merely a rich man’s house, but the mansion still warranted conservation, said the Malaysian Institute of Architects.

Its president Dr Tan Loke Mun said the building was among several houses owned by the wealthy and formed the streetscape of Jalan Ampang.

He said such buildings should be preserved if the Government was serious about heritage tourism.

“There is nothing wrong with it being a rich man’s home. It shows the lifestyle of olden days,” he said yesterday in response to a statement by Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

Bok House built by philanthropist Chua Cheng Bok which was demolished by KL City Hall on Dec 15 was considered by many as having heritage value.

However, on Thursday Dr Rais challenged dissenters to prove that Bok House was of historical value.

“If anyone can come forward and show the historic significance of the building, I would like to see him right in the eye,” said the minister.

He also described the building as “just a house belonging to a rich man.”

Dr Tan said PAM was willing to meet Dr Rais to discuss the Bok House issue and other historically significant buildings that should be preserved.

“We should do something before other buildings are destroyed” said Dr Tan who expressed disappointment that PAM was not consulted before Bok House was demolished.

Historian Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Khoo Kay Kim said the house was more than just a rich man’s house.

“The house was significant to KL history as well as the whole development of Ampang,” he said, adding that Ampang used to be home to the elite.

He said Bok House was built by someone who was synonymous with the development of Kuala Lumpur.

“Chua was the first to introduce a bus service to Kuala Lumpur before World War I. In fact, the rickshaw pullers of the city rioted because of the threat to their livelihood,” he said.

The Government, he said, should put a stop to demolition of historical buildings as they were part of history.

Heritage enthusiast Datin Halimah Mohd Said, howeve, agreed with Dr Rais that the house did not have any historical significance.

“Besides its architectural splendour, what historical value is there?” she said.
 
#98 ·
27 December 2006

By Chua Sze Chih

As I braved the scorching sun and crossed the road in front of Masjid Jamek on my way to the "legendary" Coliseum theatre with some friends, little did I suspect that Bok House - situated just a short distance away - was being demolished.

To my chagrin, I must admit that if it weren't for the earlier attempted government takeover of the Coliseum Theatre, I wouldn't even have known about the building's existence.

In the sweltering afternoon heat, my friends and I made our way along the road opposite the High Court. I didn't know the exact location of our intended destination and randomly approached a passerby to ask directions. The person wore a stunned expression and seemed to have never even heard about the place I mentioned.

There was no alternative but to continue exploring the area. In the end, a Malay lady in the reception area outside the High Court told us how to get to the Coliseum theatre, a building that had witnessed the past 84 years of Kuala Lumpur's development.

Who could have imagined that, even as my friends and I celebrated the Coliseum theatre's long history and continuing operation, another 80-year-old historic site had been threatened by a 60-storey building development project.

Just like how it was with the Coliseum theatre, I didn't know that there was such an old residence standing quietly near our world-famous Petronas twin towers.

Of course, I had no idea who Chua Cheng Bok was either. I only found out that he was the founder of Cycle and Carriage after I searched around for information. It's said that Chua built Bok House in 1926 to impress the father of the woman that he loved.

That day, after we finished our meal at the Coliseum, I decided to continue exploring with my friends. The next "legendary" destination we had in mind was the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC).

KLPAC wasn't as far away and isolated as I thought. It was located in the city, but what astounded me was the vast green field that greeted us when we arrived at our destination.

As the taxi made its way further inside, I felt I had entered a different world. The distressing hubbub of traffic and bustling city life that had surrounded us just moments ago vanished, kept out by effective sound barriers. At the time, I really wondered if I was still in KL.

At last, we reached a huge building made out of red brick - our destination, KLPAC.

This unexpected discovery reminded me of Factory 798 which I had seen while I was in Beijing.

Located in the north-eastern suburbs of Beijing, Factory 798 had been built with the help of the former Soviet Union. It had been abandoned for several years until a group of artists worked together to convert the state-owned industrial facility - including its warehouses and dormitories - into an artist workshop, exhibition centre and bookstore.

Factory 798 has now become an international arts community and many foreigners go to Beijing just to visit it.

Similarly, the KLPAC building before my eyes had been converted from an abandoned railway train maintenance yard as part of YTL Corporation Berhad's development plan. I felt a sudden surge of emotion well up within me. I had always thought of the city as a barren desert without knowing that this oasis existed inside it.

In truth, many places had tried to preserve heritage buildings by converting them from abandoned but historically important factories and residences into arts centres or museums.

Some examples are Factory 798 in Beijing, a residence in Taipei that was converted from an American embassy, and another arts centre in Hong Kong that was converted from a slaughterhouse. This practice is even more prevalent in Europe.

At first, I had felt overjoyed when I discovered this "Eden" in the heart of my own city, but then news reached me about the demolition of Bok House. If Chua Cheng Bok's home had not been forced to make way for a 60-storey building and had instead been converted into a historical centre, I believe that it would definitely have become a tourist hot-spot.

The government department responsible for preserving our cultural heritage has once again let us down. Chua Cheng Bok's home is gone, and we have lost another building which commemorates our forefathers.

Our city has lost its past. The number of historical sites that have been demolished far exceed the number which have been preserved and maintained. We look forward to seeing more resurrected and revivified historical sites such as the KLPAC building.

Next year is Visit Malaysia year. What exactly can we use to show tourists our country's rich culture?
 
#99 ·
GOSH!! that excuse should be given "The Most Absurd Excuse Award"
 
#101 ·
Trashing our treasures


Dean Johns

Dec 27, 06 11:23am


In October 2006, Malaysia’s Minister for Culture, Arts and Heritage, Rais Yatim, reportedly criticised UNESCO for ignoring Asia in its list of world heritage and historical sites, and proposed that the Organisation establish an Asian version of the list.

If this proposal was rejected, he said, countries like China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and Malaysia would create their own organization to determine historic and heritage sites in the region, adding that “this is not impossible as we have historians and experts in the field and also in the areas of culture.”

What a pity, then, that this powerful combination of local zeal and expertise failed to prevent the recent destruction of the lovely old KL landmark, Bok House, also popularly known as Le Coq D’or.


Despite its having been the first building to be nominated for its architectural, social and historical value under the National Heritage Act, the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry failed to gazette it for preservation because, according to Rais, the mansion was “private property and hence the government could do little to save it”, and it “could not be gazetted as a heritage building because of the high rehabilitation and conservation costs.”





And in any case, he dismissively added, it was of no historic or cultural distinction, but merely “a rich man’s house.”

Rais’s attempted alibis for his own and his department’s failure to prevent this wanton act of vandalism by the DBKL are far from convincing. The government is high-handed enough about acquiring private property when it considers such acquisition to be in its own or the public interest, after all.

And it apparently has no trouble finding RM400 million for a new Istana or a RM600 for a handout to Umno-connected Class F contractors.

As for the Minister’s snide slur on Bok House as being nothing but a “just a rich man’s house”, it invites comparison of this case with that of another rich man’s house, Datuk Zainal@ Zakaria Mat Deros’s so-called Istana Impian, which has so far defied demolition despite being allegedly built illegally on formerly public land alienated by his wife for a suspiciously low price.


And into the bargain, there appears to be no evidence forthcoming to explain how Zakaria is managing to afford or finance the enormous cost of his celebrated mansion on his salary as a State Assemblyman and (now former) Klang councilor.




Sad state of Masjid Jamek


Chua Cheng Bok, on the other hand, was well known to have amassed his wealth through ventures including the importation of bicycle tyres and the establishment of the enormously successful auto-import company Cycle & Carriage.

In later life he turned to philanthropy, donating a good deal of his fortune to charity, and on his death leaving his family home in perpetuity to his descendants.

That this generation of his beneficiaries have seen fit to turn his house and land into cash is sad enough. Perhaps they’d fallen on lean times and needed the money. But that the authorities have elected to permit the obliteration of this popular landmark instead of acquiring and preserving it for the nation is a disgrace.

But at least they can’t be accused of favouritism in overseeing the destruction of a “rich (China)man’s house”.







One of KL’s other most precious, indeed sacred, historical artifacts, Masjid Jamek, the lovely old mosque sited at the very heart of the old city, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers, has become so obscured by a clutter of “modern” concrete monstrosities, the latest an LRT station, that it’s almost hidden from view.

And when you do catch a glimpse of it, you see it’s sorely in need of a new coat of paint.

I’m especially pained by the appalling appearance – or disappearance – of Masjid Jamek, as it’s suffering precisely the same fate as the birthplace of Sydney, Circular Quay.

Framed by the famed Harbour Bridge on its West side, and the Opera House on the East, this historic stretch of water, originally known as Sydney Cove, is completely obscured from the city side by a monumentally ugly combination of a commuter train station and a traffic overpass known as the Cahill Expressway, or as I prefer to think of it, “Excressway”.





Money, money, money


So Malaysia isn’t alone in trashing its treasures. In fact the powers of preservation in Australia could give their counterparts here a real run for their money. “Money”, of course, being the operative word when it comes to preservation or lack of it.

The same blend of greed and corruption that today threatens to turn the pristine islands of Malaysia’s East Coast from meccas for divers into just plain dives also drove the “development” of some high-rise towers on Queensland’s Gold Coast so close to the beach that their shadows blanket the sunbathers and surfers every afternoon.

And the same mad scramble to make capital out of natural beauty that’s had such terrible results in formerly charming little towns like Tanah Rata in the Cameron Highlands was long ago also inflicted on the Blue Mountains outside Sydney.

Each of us, I’m sure, has his or her own special atrocity in mind when the subject turns to willful failure to protect special sites. Bok House, I must say, is near the top of my own list. But number one for me personally will always be the ghastly mess they’ve made of Malacca.







As if permitting a company car park to be cut into St Paul’s Hill many years ago wasn’t sufficient, and as if allowing the tomb of an illustrious Malay warrior to be surrounded on three sides by a plumbing-supplies yard, the city fathers extended the padang, filled in what was left of the harbour and covered the whole area with a shoplot development as boring, unbeautiful and uncalled-for as you could find anywhere in Malaysia.

And now, as if the nation’s most historic and potentially tourist-attracting town hadn’t already had enough sacrilege enacted on it, its remaining beaches are still having rocks dumped on them to form breakwaters for yet more over-development, and work is already in progress on a revolving, or perhaps that should be “revolting”, 100-metre—high observation tower with a keris on top.

Meanwhile, Malaysia’s Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister wonders why UNESCO refuses to put such trash as this on its list of world heritage sites, and happily shrugs-off the tragic loss of treasures like Bok House.



Taken from Malaysiakini.com
 
#102 ·
OMG...:eek:hno: :eek:hno:

So tidak berkelayanan jadi menteri kebudayaan la Si raiz yatim ini:bash: !!! how could he said Bok House just another rich man house....

so BODOH.... benci betul...:eek:hno: :eek:hno:

I think this menteri bukan saja tak pandai buat kerja tapi tacky betul dier punya citarasa.... those melaka observation tower would be such an eyesore in melaka....

i really felt like hiring an assasin to shot him dead... :(
 
#105 ·
Almost 2 years gone from the demolition, there is no following up work to the proposed 60 storey building. I see the ex minister rais yatim shld be responsible and answerable to the damage being done here. Citing a restoration cost to 'rm30 millions easily' was too expensive to save the house, he had been fooled by the owner by trying to blown out the issue. Has the 30millions ringgit is spent to restore the house back then, i bet contractors ll queue up a mile long from the minister office to get the lucrative contract.
 
#113 ·
Dijaya bags Bok House land for RM123m
By Shahriman Johari Published: 2009/11/26
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/dikor/Article/index_html

The price translates into about RM2,200 per sq ft, indicating that the property market in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre area is still firm.
Dijaya Corp Bhd (5401), a property developer, is buying the land in Jalan Ampang on which the historical Bok House used to sit for RM123 million cash.

The price translates into about RM2,200 per sq ft (psf), which is slightly below the RM2,588 psf that Sunrise Bhd paid last year for the land where Wisma Angkasa Raya is located.

The price also means that the property market in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) area is still firm.

"I think it's a good indication for the market. It's a positive sign," Zerin Properties founder and chief executive Previndran Singhe said.
Dijaya, famous for its Tropicana branded properties, is likely to build expensive units on the prime land, a stone's throw from the Petronas Twin Towers.

"It will also create an opportunity for the group to venture into the high-end property market given that available development land within the KLCC area is scarce," it said in a statement to Bursa Malaysia yesterday.

Dijaya has paid the 10 per cent deposit to the seller, Mercury Property Management Sdn Bhd. However, there are two private caveats, a legal instrument that stops any development on the land. The first caveat was lodged by Ideal Sierra Development Sdn Bhd.

Dijaya will pay the balance two months after the Ideal caveat is cancelled or by February 24 next year. It will use internal funds and loans to settle the purchase.

The 55,929 sq ft land, which sits between Angkasa Raya and Wisma BSN in Jalan Ampang, is where tycoon Chua Cheng Bok built his mansion in 1929.

Historians and conservationists had opposed the demolition of Bok House in 2006, considering it a national heritage and tourist attraction.

Chua, who initially ran a business repairing bicycles and carriages, was the founder of car distributor Cycle and Carriage, which distributes Mercedes-Benz cars in the country.
 
#119 ·
Potential JV with DiJaya?
By ECM Libra Capital
Monday, 30 November 2009 15:48

Dijaya acquired adjacent Bok House land

Last week, Dijaya Corporation announced the acquisition of the 1.3-acre Bok House land, which is adjacent to Wisma Angkasaraya, for RM123 million or RM2,200 per sq ft (psf). Dijaya intends to develop the site into an integrated commercial development comprising of an international hotel, serviced suites and/or office suites.

The price paid for the said land is lower than the RM2,588 psf Sunrise paid for Wisma Angkasaraya. Recall that in May 2008, Sunrise acquired Wisma Angkasaraya, which sits on prime 1.6 acres of commercial land opposite the KLCC Twin Towers, for RM179m. We consider the premium of 18% for the Wisma Angkasaraya land to be reasonable considering that it has unobstructed view of the KLCC Twin Towers and access from both Jalan Ampang and Jalan P Ramlee.

Potential joint development with Dijaya?

Sunrise has the intention to redevelop Wisma Angkasaraya into an award-winning commercial development. It will be appointing a world-class architect for the said project. However, given that the land area of 1.6 acres is rather small, we had previously expected Sunrise to acquire Bok House to expand its landbank into a more “reasonable” 2.9-acre site.

Since Dijaya has acquired the Bok House land instead, the question we may ask now is whether these two developers will come together to jointly develop these two adjacent pieces of land. We think this is not an unfathomable possibility considering that both companies have a common major shareholder in Tan Sri Dato’ Tan Chee Sing who owns a 7.7% interest in Sunrise and 67.2% interest in Dijaya.


We believe a joint development will be a win-win formula for both developers as it will (1) eliminate direct competition between these 2 developers, and (2) provide greater flexibility in design.

While we believe there is merit for a joint development, there is no urgency to do so in the immediate term as conditions may not be conducive yet to launch the projects. Clearly, with the hefty land cost involved, these two projects are meant for the next market up-cycle.
 
#144 ·
Potential JV with DiJaya?
By ECM Libra Capital
Monday, 30 November 2009 15:48

Dijaya acquired adjacent Bok House land

Last week, Dijaya Corporation announced the acquisition of the 1.3-acre Bok House land, which is adjacent to Wisma Angkasaraya, for RM123 million or RM2,200 per sq ft (psf). Dijaya intends to develop the site into an integrated commercial development comprising of an international hotel, serviced suites and/or office suites.

The price paid for the said land is lower than the RM2,588 psf Sunrise paid for Wisma Angkasaraya. Recall that in May 2008, Sunrise acquired Wisma Angkasaraya, which sits on prime 1.6 acres of commercial land opposite the KLCC Twin Towers, for RM179m. We consider the premium of 18% for the Wisma Angkasaraya land to be reasonable considering that it has unobstructed view of the KLCC Twin Towers and access from both Jalan Ampang and Jalan P Ramlee.

Potential joint development with Dijaya?

Sunrise has the intention to redevelop Wisma Angkasaraya into an award-winning commercial development. It will be appointing a world-class architect for the said project. However, given that the land area of 1.6 acres is rather small, we had previously expected Sunrise to acquire Bok House to expand its landbank into a more “reasonable” 2.9-acre site.

Since Dijaya has acquired the Bok House land instead, the question we may ask now is whether these two developers will come together to jointly develop these two adjacent pieces of land. We think this is not an unfathomable possibility considering that both companies have a common major shareholder in Tan Sri Dato’ Tan Chee Sing who owns a 7.7% interest in Sunrise and 67.2% interest in Dijaya.


We believe a joint development will be a win-win formula for both developers as it will (1) eliminate direct competition between these 2 developers, and (2) provide greater flexibility in design.

While we believe there is merit for a joint development, there is no urgency to do so in the immediate term as conditions may not be conducive yet to launch the projects. Clearly, with the hefty land cost involved, these two projects are meant for the next market up-cycle.
Dijaya... same developer of klang sentral bus terminal?
 
#121 ·
Bok House

Stupid Stupid people!
Stupidity in this country has no bounds.
how can a government allow this to happen.
I am returning after so many number of years and I find this !!?
Kuala Lumpur is becoming another Dubai. They have no heritage homes out there in the desert and trying to make a city out of malls and mega structures and this country thinks its a great thing to follow the example of Dubai.

KL has so many treasures that need preserving but instead of thinking on how to use them to add value, it believes that modern architecture is the way to go . If I wanted to see modern , I can go elsewhere. Its the people, the culture the old buildings that brings the visitors not stupid governing bodies!

Its like throwing peals to swine
 
#124 ·
Stupid Stupid people!
Stupidity in this country has no bounds.
how can a government allow this to happen.
I am returning after so many number of years and I find this !!?
Kuala Lumpur is becoming another Dubai. They have no heritage homes out there in the desert and trying to make a city out of malls and mega structures and this country thinks its a great thing to follow the example of Dubai.

KL has so many treasures that need preserving but instead of thinking on how to use them to add value, it believes that modern architecture is the way to go . If I wanted to see modern , I can go elsewhere. Its the people, the culture the old buildings that brings the visitors not stupid governing bodies!

Its like throwing peals to swine
are you sure blaming government is the right thing to do in this case? why not blame the past owner? or the new owner?
 
#125 ·
only buildings that has been gazetted as heritage buildings cannot be demolished if i'm not mistaken...so buildings such as the bok house which at that time weren't gazetted was the reason the government couldn't do anything when the OWNER decided to demolished it to make way for a 'car park'....
 
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