Jalan Ampang Case Study

ASIAN ARCHITECTURE (ARC60403)

PROJECT 1: CASE STUDY ESSAY

HISTORIC STREET : JALAN AMPANG

TUTOR: NICHOLAS NG KHOON WU

GROUP MEMBERS:

AIDAN HO WEI SUAN 0326021

AIMUNI KHALIDAH A. BAKAR 0326074

ASHROFF A. WAHAB 0325736

NIK AHMAD MUNAWWAR NIK DIN 0325167

SITI NUR FATAHIAH MD EZAMUDIN 0320595

THAREEN NUJJOO 0324886

Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City

Introduction

Jalan Ampang (Selangor state route B31) is known as a major road in Kuala Lumpur. It is

one of the oldest and busiest roads in the Klang Valley region, and home of many known

historical and modern landmarks of the city. It is named Jalan Ampang as it connects

Kuala Lumpur to Ampang town.

The road generally runs in an east-west direction, starting from the junction of Leboh

Ampang and Jalan Gereja in the Masjid Jamek area. The road runs eastward past the

Petronas Twin Towers and the embassy row, until it reaches the eastern part of Ampang.

Our research to cover and focus on portion of Jalan Ampang from intersection with Jalan

Sultan Ismail to Jalan Tun Razak.


History

The city of Kuala Lumpur had its roots in the tin mining boom of the early 19th

century. It began at the confluence of what is today the Gombak and Klang rivers, where

Chinese tin-miners would be brought into the city to mine. This development, together with

the tin-mining boom in Ipoh, Perak contributed to making Malaya the number one producer

of tin in the whole universe during the mid 20th Century.

As the city grew and the demand for tin rises, tin miners began looking for new

mining locations to expand their mining production. Ampang was opened as a new mining

area for Klang Valley. In fact, the name “Ampang” was derived from the Malay word

“Empangan” which is translated literally as dam or a mining area. A community

subsequently grew around the mining area which rapidly evolved into the busy township it

is today.

In order to connect the two major tin mining areas in Klang Valley, a road was

constructed to transport raw tin between Kuala Lumpur and Ampang. The road evolved

throughout the years into one of the major spines for Klang Valley, which attracted wealthy

families and international businesses to set up their homes and offices along the road.

Kuala Lumpur, which Ampang is a part of, was made the capital of Selangor in

1880, as well as the capital of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. This results in several

embassies to be located along the busy and prominent road. The embassies were

originally meant to be temporary while awaiting for the development of Jalan Duta, which

was a purpose-built area for embassies in Kuala Lumpur. However, since the development

took longer than expected, the embassies set up on Jalan Ampang as well as Jalan Tun

Razak stayed on. When the Malaysian government relocated its administrative centre to

the newly completed Putrajaya, the embassies chose to remain at their home along Jalan

Ampang as it has only shown to be ever more expanding and of great importance.


Jalan Ampang was also home to Malaya’s first Parliamentary sitting, held soon after

the country gained independence, inside a converted old mansion which is today the

headquarters of the Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTic).

The area was historically the leisure

hub of Kuala Lumpur, as it was where

the Selangor Turf Club used to be.

However, in the early 1990’s, the

construction of the now Petronas Twin

Towers begun in its place. The towers

were completed in 1996, and was

declared as the world’s tallest building

at the time. This resulted in the shift of

the Kuala Lumpur city centre from the

Dataran Merdeka vicinity to Petronas

Twin Towers at Jalan Ampang.


Sociocultural Conditions

Ampang Road developed into one of the main arteries of Kuala Lumpur, together with

Batu Road, Padoh Road and Petaling Road which all led to mining settlements. The road

was widened in 1888 under the supervision of Engineer G.T Tickell, later known as

Chairman of the KL Sanitary Board. Due to frequent floods, the whole stretch passing

through the city centre was raised to a higher elevation. As the road grew to become a

residential strip for the city’s rich and famous, so did the land value. It was often dubbed

until today, as Kuala Lumpur’s “Golden mile”.

The street was home to mansions owned by rich mine owners and Kuala Lumpur’s

Chinese kapitans as it connects two tin-mining towns. Part of the original millionaires row,

Bok House was probably one of the most visible yet least remembered relic of early KL. It

was built in 1926 and completed in 1929 for a local millionaire, Chua Cheng Bok. It is

widely believed that Chua built the mansion to impress a rich man so that he could marry

the man’s daughter but it is unclear if he ultimately succeeded in his goal. In 1958, Bok

House was converted into a fine dining French restaurant, Le Coq d’Or. Chua and his

family chose to live in the rear portion of the mansion for over 20 years. The rear portion

was then demolished in 1999 with the approval of the authorities. Bok House was

completely demolished in 2006 after being abandoned by the operator of Le Coq d’Or for 5

years.

Bok House on Jalan Ampang (before and after demolished)

Source: http://theforbiddensite.blogspot.my/


Not only being the street of mansions, Jalan Ampang is also a home to several embassies

such as, United Kingdom, France, China, Russian Federation, Indonesia, Ireland and

Thailand. Known as Embassy Row, or Jalan Ampang Hilir, as it is officially named, had

attracted foreign visitors from as early as 1857 when Raja Abdullah, a representative of

the Selangor Sultanate opened up the Klang Valley for tin prospectors. A thriving industry

was established and soon Ampang was made capital of Selangor in 1880 and the capital

of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. Since then, the draw and the distinction of this

location have grown to a point that Jalan Ampang today is home to more than 80 foreign

embassies, despite the Government’s call for embassies to relocate to Putrajaya. Initially

embassy row was set to be along Jalan Duta, but the construction took longer than

expected, thus the ambassadors started to reside permanently along Jalan Ampang and

Jalan Tun Razak. Today, the Embassy Row is one enormous melting pot of cultures,

languages, and ethnicities; creating a unique community made up of a wide range of taste,

sounds and colours.

(Royal Thai Embassy)

Source: http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/th/organize


Surrounded by high-rise buildings, Lai Meng Girls’ School was one of the last remaining

examples of old architecture in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Founded in 1929, it was a

primary school which started with just three classes in Kampung Baru. To accommodate

more students, the school was moved to a bungalow at 136 Jalan Ampang in 1951. In

1971, the school was redesigned by architect Huang Zhan Ming pro bono after it was

destroyed in the racial riots of 1969. Due to traffic congestion, air pollution and the prime

location, the land was finally sold in 2009 to developer Magna Prima Berhad, which is

planning a multi-billion ringgit twin tower project. Since then, the building has been sitting

quietly on Jalan Ampang, currently serving as a car park area.

(Lai Meng Girls’ School during the glorious days)

Source: http://realestatesmalaysia.blogspot.my/

Traditional Trades

Being one of the earliest roads of Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Road has seen the settlement’s

eventual growth into the global city it is today. The road was also important to Kuala

Lumpur’s progress, as it became a connection between it and another tin mining village

nearby, Ampang. Due to its connection, Ampang Road became a strategic point for tin

trade between the two settlements since the 1860s until mid-20th century. It could be

assumed that Kuala Lumpur’s and Ampang’s main source of income in tin mining

influenced Ampang Road’s early traditional trade - the tin mines in Kuala Lumpur had

attracted merchants who traded basic provisions in return for some of the excavated tin.

Ampang Road’s proximity to Klang River also made it easier to which supplies could

conveniently be brought by boat, which made it easier for trading to occur.


At the turn of the 20th century, small businesses, such as Borneo Motors Ltd and South

Engineers Ltd started to thrive along Ampang Road as a result of Kuala Lumpur growth

from a small tin settlement to a full-fledged town. Another effect of the city’s growth is the

migration of people from faraway lands into the ever-expanding area. As a result, various

foreign cultures and trades were assimilated into the local landscape. One example would

be the rise of Minangkabau people and their trade of textile and craft. Ampang Road’s

prominence as Kuala Lumpur’s leisure hub in the mid-20th century meant that its trade also

extended to gambling activities, with much of it occurring at the old Selangor Turf Club in

the form of horserace betting.

Ampang Park in the early days


Significant Architecture Kuala Lumpur is the cultural, financial and economic centre of Malaysia and this is

reflected in its architecture which is a blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions,

Malay-Islamic influences, modern as well as post modern.

Developed around the first quarter of the 19th century, a time where colonial architecture

was prevailing, most of the buildings have Mughal, Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian Spanish

architecture or style, and some of them have been slightly modified to adapt to the local

climate and construction materials and methods. Nowadays only a few of them remain,

among them being Wisma MaTic, High Commission of Pakistan, and the Eng Choon

Assembly Hall.

Both Wisma MaTic and the High Commission of Pakistan are Mughal style buildings,

which is essentially colonial architecture with middle-eastern or asian influences, and was

introduced to Malaysia by the British Colony in the late 19th century, when it was at its

peak period. The two buildings were constructed by wealthy tin traders to serve as

mansions, but then taken over by the British colony and used as military bases. As

Malaysia was moving towards its independence, Wisma MaTic became home to the

Federal Military Office, then later on the first parliament until it became what it is now, the

Malaysia Tourism Centre, while the other mansion serves as the High Commission of

Pakistan.

The Eng Choon Assembly Hall, on Jalan Ampang was built in 1930, alongside four other

similarly built three storey pre-war buildings but due to the lack of clear guidelines for

architectural conservation in the city, unregulated alterations of lesser known pre-war

buildings are common. The design of these shophouses were inspired by Straits Chinese

and European traditions, although the building layout remains the same with their long and

narrow units, middle courtyards and five foot walkways (kaki lima). As Jalan Ampang

became more prosperous, so did the style of the shophouses. The columns were then

heavily inspired by the Neo Classical style of the 1910’s - the greek order of columns, the

introduction of pediments and decorated window frames; Dutch Patrician style of the

1920’s with Dutch inspired gables; and the geometric Art Deco style of the 1930’s.


After the Independence, and the rapid economic growth in the late 20th century, more

local and islamic influences were integrated into the designs of buildings, and mostly in the

central districts of the city, like Jalan Ampang. This also occurred during the rise of modern

architecture and led to buildings like Ampang Park, which was actually the first shopping

mall to be built in Malaysia, but is now dwarfed in comparison to its surrounding

neighbours. Buildings of this era adopted the “International style”, and looked toward

western design and philosophy.

Late Modernist and Post Modernist style architecture began to appear in the late 20th and

early 21st century. The city skyline changed to house skyscrapers and buildings with an all

glass exterior as well as brutalist buildings.

Wisma Equity: Brutalist Influenced Design. Petronas Twin Towers: Symbol of Modernism.

An example of such buildings are the Wisma Equity. It is primarily an office block with

many banking facilities and food outlets. The Wisma Equity building is one that stands out

from the rest, and even more so when it was first completed. It is architecturally unique

with its form being that of an inverse pyramid. It is a clear example of brutalistic influenced

architecture on the Jalan Ampang strip as

Another example is the Petronas Twin Towers which have become a national icon in

Malaysia, even once being the tallest towers in the world for 6 years, and still remaining

the tallest twin towers in the world. The Twin towers houses 560,000 meters office.

Designed by César Pelli, this structure borrows elements from islamic architecture as from


an aerial view, its floor plan resembles the Islamic geometric patterns and motifs. In

contrast to that, from below, the steel and glass facade of the building give the building a

modern look.

Buildings of such massive scale have since become the norm in this modern day and age,

and due to poor planning and conservation efforts many, if not most pre-war buildings

have been demolished.


Important Events

First Parliament Session

The first parliamentary session of the Federation of Malaya was held on 11th September

1959 at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall. It was an important event for the country as it was

the first time the Parliament of Federation of Malaya had a meeting with all of its members,

was officiated by His Majesty The King, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ibni Almarhum Tuanku

Muhammad.

In the present day, the meeting hall is now known as the Malaysian Tourism and

Information Centre (Wisma MaTic). It was built in 1935 and situated at Jalan Ampang. The

building was originally the residence of Mr Eu Tong Sen who was known to be a famous

and wealthy miner and estate owner in Kuala Lumpur. It was then specially renovated and

converted into the meeting hall for the Senate and House of Representatives.

Parliament Session on 11th September 1959


1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis

The AIA Building hostage crisis took place on 5th August 1975. The building used to

house several embassies, including the United States and Sweden. On that eventful day,

the Japanese Red Army, a communist militant organization devoted to eliminate the

Japanese government and monarchy, stormed the building and took over 50 employees

hostage on the 9th floor for four days. The JRA demanded several of their imprisoned

leaders in Japan to be released and to be sent to Libya, if conditions were not met, the

hostage’s life would be at stake. The then Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak and

Ministers were heavily involved in the negotiations, which resulted in the Japanese

government’s relented agreement to release the five imprisoned JRA leaders to Libya in

exchange for the hostages to be unharmed.

News report of the 1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis at Jalan Ampang


Embassy workers taken hostage during the 1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis

Officiating of the Petronas Twin Towers

The Selangor Turf Club was founded in the late 19th century and originally located on

Jalan Ampang. The site was then relocated and later cleared for the construction of the

Petronas Twin Towers, as well as the Kuala Lumpur City Centre megaproject. The

Petronas Twin Towers project was led by the renowned architect Cesar Pelli, along with

Deejay Cerico, J. C. Guinto, and Dominic Saibo in January 1992 and was completed in

June 1996. The Prime Minister at the time, Tun Dr Mahathir, officiated the opening of the

new Kuala Lumpur landmark amidst the Asian Economic Crises, which has spread across

all major Asian developing Nations including Malaysia.

Construction of the Petronas Twin Towers


Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed officiating the Petronas Twin Towers in 1996


Conclusion In closing, from our research we can see that Jalan Ampang has undergone various

dramatic transformations and changes in many aspects. From the early days of being a

developing tin-mining community, to becoming a bustling prime city centre, we can see

that the community, architecture, and the status of the area has slowly evolved to what it is

today. With development, usually comes the abandonment of the past, but hopefully, as

we move forward as a country we can appreciate and conserve the historical elements of

areas like Jalan Ampang.


9.0 References

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s/

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Education

Jalan Ampang Case Study