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Table Content

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)

Fast Fact of Building……………………………………………………………….2

Plans……………………………………………………………………………….3-4

History & Context Condition…………………………………………………....5-7

The organization………………………………………………………………….8-9

Architectural Elements………………………………………………………..10-12

Renovation…………………………………………………………………………13

Comparative Study from Western Building within Same Typology

St. George’s Hall

Fast Fact of Building……………………………………………………………..14

Plan…………………………………………………………………………………15

Architectural Elements………………………………………………………..16-22

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...23-24

Reference…………………………………………………………………………………..25

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Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)

Fast Fact of Building

Name: Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly

Hall (KLSCAH)

Year of Construction Started: 1926

Architects: Messrs. Booty & Edwards

Architecture Style: Neo-classical movement

Location: No.1, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur.

Function: Serves with meeting room, theatre, ball room &

event hall for entertainment, cultural and

educational activities.

Size: 43 m (length) x 63 m (width) x 14 m (height)

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Plans

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

Roof Plan

Second Floor Plan

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North Elevation

South Elevation

West Elevation

East Elevation

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Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng,

the 5th

& last Kapitan in Kuala Lumpur. Retrieved from KLSCAH brochure.

Loke Yew Retrieved from KLSCAH brochure.

History & Context Condition

More than 100 years ago, the various Chinese associations and clans were

very active in Selangor. In the early 20th century, the idea of setting up a body or

organisation to unite Chinese associations and clans were mooted by well-known

tycoons and philanthropists, Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng and Loke Yew, with the latter

contributing to the extent of 50, 000 Malayan dollars.

A governing body for these associations was proposed and a building was to

be erected to serve as its centre of operations, to be a common ground for the

various Chinese communities to converge, as well as to become a place to promote

educational and cultural activities. Unfortunately both Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng and

Loke Yew passed away before this dream materialised but they were succeeded by

leaders like Choo Kia Peng, Kapitan Cheong Yoke Choy and Loke Yew’s son Alan

Loke who pushed for the completion of the project. The first batch committee of the

hall was already in existence in 1910 but finally in 1923, the Selangor Chinese

Assembly Hall was established officially. Before his death in 1902, Kapitan Yap Kwan

Seng applied for a piece of land from the British colonial government for the

construction of the building and in August 1925, the authorities approved the building

plan.

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SITE PLAN (NTS)

The land is located at No.1, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur (current

address), which is near to Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur. Petaling Street as known

as Chinatown is the street has long been associated with the Chinese community of

Kuala Lumpur. In the late 19th century & early 20th century, the Chinese community

came along from China for opportunity to work in the tin business that was flourishing

in Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, various Chinese associations and clans were

established around that area. Yap Kwan Seng applied the land for the construction of

Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall since the land served as the core for the various

Chinese communities, included all the Chinese associations and clans to converge.

With the site applied, the Hall became a place to promote educational and cultural

activities within Chinese community in Kuala Lumpur which was fulfilled the idea of

unifying the Chinese community by Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng and Loke Yew.

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In 1926, the construction of Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall began. However,

it was not until 1934 that the building saw its final completion and the Hall was

officially opened by Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah. Cheong

Yoke Choy was elected as the first President. The total cost of construction was

200, 000 Malayan dollars. However, there were two main factors for the prolonged

delay. First, there was a lack of funds, and then in the later stage there were some

disputes among the leaders as to whose statues and names were to be honoured.

Ever since it was built, the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (the name of

which was changed to Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)

in 2006) had become a hub for entertainment, cultural and educational activities

among the Chinese community. It also witnessed many significant moments in the

country’s history.

During World War Two, it was a place where many people sought refuge and

aid. Later in the 1950s when the independence of Malaya was approaching,

members of the governing body of the hall played their parts in encouraging the

Chinese community to apply for citizenship. Other than that, there were some

significant events it hosted; the hall became the venue for the historic meeting which

led to the formation of the Alliance Party (Parti Perikatan), a coalition between United

Malays National Organisation (UMNO), Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and

Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC).

These days, the hall plays host to a myriad of multi-cultural activities, from

wedding dinners and stage performances to talks by well-known speakers and

festival celebrations. In addition, the hall has played host to events and celebrations

by all three ethnic communities in Malaysia as well. From day one, the hall remained

a non-governmental and non-profit organisation.

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The Organization

In 23 August 1923, Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall was established officially.

The membership of the Hall is huge indeed. There are more than 420 group

members that belong to the ten different membership types from charitable bodies,

school bodies, professional bodies and blood clans and consanguinity associations,

sports and religious bodies and so on.

The first batch of board of director was officially

formed at 19 May 1935. Cheong Yoke Choy was

elected as the first President. His term in office was

1935-1950. The second president is Hong Kee Du

(Term 1950-1958), the third was Lee Run Tian (1958-

1975). The following presidents were Tan Sri Lee Yan

Nian (1975-1982), Yau Xiang Chi (1982-1986), Cheong

Zheng Xiu (1986), Cheong Jing Leong (1987-1990),

Tan Sri Lim Yu Jing (1990-1994), Dato Goh Dak Fang Cheong Yoke Choy, First President of Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall. Retrieved from KLSCAH brochure.

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(1994-1998), Tan Sri Gan Ching Wen (1998-2002), Tan Chi Cheng (2002-2004) and

Dato Wong Han Leong (2004-2009). The current president which is the 13th is Tan

Yew Sing.

Then, there are the various departments and committees within the Hall – the

most active being the women and youth wings, civil right groups and culture &

education group. Throughout the year, there are a host of different types of activities

targeting different groups of people and catering to the young, the middle age as well

as the elderly. The hall is arguably the largest and most active in the nation among

states like Penang and Perak. Today, all the 13 states have their own Chinese

Assembly or Town Halls that are independently run, but are together under the

umbrella body of The Federation of Chinese Associations formed in 1991.

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Architectural Elements

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) is designed

based on neo-classical architecture style. It is an architectural style that began in the

mid-18th century that created by the neo-classical movement. In addition, this type of

architecture style has two major elements which are its details as a reaction against

the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and

secondly is its architectural formulas as an

outgrowth of some classicizing features of Late

Baroque. Moreover, it is also derived from

Classical Greece, Rome and Palladian

architecture. As a result, the hall is an influence

of British colonialism and its interior feature high

ceiling (Figure 1),

huge Roman Influenced Pillars which are Doric Order (Figure 2), Ionic Order (Figure

3) & Corinthians Order (Figure 2),

Roman Orders Retrieved from http://o.quizlet.com/Ft9SNFiXaUZvAAKJsdVnxA.jpg

Figure 1

Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

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as well as intricate European-style carvings (Figure 5).

In addition, there are two curved stone

staircases (Figure 6) on both sides of the lobby

that exudes old-world charm. The curved

staircases create a smooth dynamic within the

building.

The unique dome (Figure 7) on the high ceiling

has also been maintained, so have the

wooden shutters on the windows as well as

the Roman-influenced decorative carvings at

the cornices of the ceilings and front door. In

addition, the unique dome also symbolizes

majestic.

Moreover, there are three entrances (Figure 8)

with huge carved doors – one main entrance in

the centre and two side entrances – back to

how it was when it was first built in the 1920s.

The three entrances were constructed as the

number three has special significance in

Chinese culture. It stands for three elements

which are man, earth and sky, thus completing the universe and a cosmic balance.

(Retrieved from KLSCAH brochure)

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

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Later, the doors were permanently sealed and

blocked by two imposing stone lions (Figure 9).

The pairs of Imperial Guardian Lion statue in

Chinese Assembly Hall is believed to have

mythic protective benefits in Chinese tradition

and culture.

When one walks into the lobby of the two and

half storey building, one is greeted by a large

concert hall (Figure 10) which is a popular

venue for weddings, concerts and other

functions. There are also several meeting

rooms, an administrative office and a theatre

space. A modern auditorium had been added

in 2005, when the Arts, Culture and Heritage

Ministry granted them RM 200, 000 for renovation.

Moreover, in 2008, an obvious change after the

renovation is the glass ceiling extension (Figure

11) for its front façade.

As a result, Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSAH) is the

building with the concepts of Neo-classical, Eclecticism and Anglo- Chinese. Neo-

classical is a new style that principally derived from classical Greek & Roman

architecture. Eclecticism is the style that incorporates a mixture of elements from

previous to create something new and original. While Anglo- Chinese is the

combination of British and Chinese architectural elements.

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

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Renovation

The hall has undergone a few renovations in 1995, 2005 & 2008.

In 1995 (First Renovation):

(1) 2 storey Side Wings –

Ground Floor - Extended hall.

First Floor - Secretariat.

(2) 3 Storey Rear Wings –

Ground Floor - Cafeteria, Kitchen and Mechanical Rooms.

First Floor & Second Floor - Secretariat & Library.

In 2005 (Second Renovation):

(1) Added Modern Auditorium.

In 2008 (Third Renovation):

(1) Reinstate the building back to its original façade and appearance.

(2) Demolished the balcony which has cut off the pillars of the front façade.

(3) Glass ceiling extension for its front façade where the balcony demolished.

(4) Carried out on windows, which originally boasted wooden shutters.

(5) Flooring & Dome

It was indeed a moment of pride for the organisation when the Kuala Lumpur

and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall was awarded National Heritage status by

Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim in conjunction with

Malaysia’s 50th independence in 2007. With that, the government also gave a RM

500, 000 grants which was used for some restoration work the following year.

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Comparative Study from Western Building within Same Typology

St. George's Hall, Liverpool

Fast Fact of Building

Name: St. George’s Hall

Year of Construction: 1841 – 1954

Architect: Harvey Lonsdale Elmes & Sir Charles Cockerell

Architectural Style: Neoclassical

Location: Lime Street, Liverpool, England.

Function: Concert halls and Law courts.

Size: 52 m (width) x 23 m (length) x 25 m (high)

Retrieved from http://www.walkingbook.co.uk/liverpool/pix/06-1sm.gif

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Plan

1) East side of hall, between it and railway station is St George’s Plateau.

2) West side of hall are St John’s Gardens.

3) To the north of Concert Hall is Civil Court and beyond this is the elliptical

Small Concert Room.

4) To the south of Concert Hall are the Crown Court & Grand Jury Room.

5) Smaller court rooms are on the periphery of the larger courts.

6) The floor below consists of a cavernous basement with cells for prisoners

along the west wall.

St. George Hall was awarded Liverpool’s World Heritage Site in 2004. In addition, it

has been also designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed buildings. English

Heritage (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is

an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by

the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). By advising on the care of the

historic environment in England, English Heritage complements the work of Natural

England which aims to protect the natural environment.

Retrieved from http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/engineers/reid/sg12.jpg

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Architectural Element

Exterior

The main entrance is in the centre of the east façade and is approached by a wide

flight of steps.

On the steps is a statue of Benjamin Disraeli by Charles Bell Birch (Figure 12).

At the south-east corner is a bronze statue of Major-General William Earle (Figure 13)

by the same sculptor.

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Figure 12

Figure 13

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This front (Figure 14) has a central portico of 16 Corinthian columns flanked on each

side by series of square, in-fluted pillars.

The west front (Figure 15) has a projecting central part with square pillars supporting

a massive entablature.

The south front (Figure 16) has a portico of eight columns, two columns deep on

steps above a rusticated podium.

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http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/speel/picpl/lpoolstgeohall.jpg

Retrieved from

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/St_Georges_

Hall_Liverpool_(6727539225).jpg

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

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The north front (Figure 17) has a semi-circular apse with columns and three

doorways which are flanked by statues

of nereids (Figure 18) and tritons

(Figure 19) bearing lamps which were

designed by Nicholl.

Interior

The roof is a tunnel vault

carried on columns of

polished red granite

(Figure 20).

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uploads/2012/08/st-georges-hall4.jpg

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/9/st_george__s_hall__liverpool_by_cluke111-

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Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

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The walls have niches for statues and the panelled plasterwork of the vault has

allegorical figures of Virtues, Science and Arts. The decorated floor consists of

Minton tiles and covered by a removable floor to protect it. There were 30,000 tiles

being used in this building.

The doors (Figure 21) are bronze and have openwork panels which have openwork

panels which incorporate the letters SPQL (the Senate and the People of Liverpool)

(Figure 22).

The organ (Figure 23) is at the north end and at the south end is a round arch supporting an entablature between whose columns is a gate leading directly into the Crown Court.

Retrieved from

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6744796407_0e4f79

00c0_z.jpg

Retrieved from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/images/2007/0

4/19/st_georges_hall_004_470x336.jpg

Retrieved from http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/engineers/reid/sg10.jpg

Figure 21 Figure 22

Figure 23

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The niches contain the statues of William Roscoe by Chantrey, Sir William Brown by

Patrick MacDowell, Robert Peel by Matthew Noble, George Stephenson by John

Gibson, Rev Hugh Boyd McNeile by George Gamon Adams, E. Whitley by A. Bruce

Joy, S. R. Graves by G. G. Fontana, Rev Jonathan Brookes by B. E. Spence, William

Ewart Gladstone by John Adams-Acton, the 14th Earl of Derby by William Theed the

Younger, the 16th Earl of Derby by F. W. Pomeroy, and Joseph Mayer by Fontana.

The stained glass in the semi-circular windows (Figure 24) at each end of the hall

was added in 1883–84 by Forrest and Son of Liverpool.

The Crown Court (Figure 25) has a tunnel vault on red granite columns.

Retrieved from http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6724786719_8458f3d8b6_z.jpg

Retrieved from http://www.docbrown.info/docspics/lakes/liverpool/P7219064.jpg

Figure 24

Figure 25

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The Civil Court (Figure 26) a coved ceiling on grey granite columns.

In the entrance is a statue of Henry Booth by Theed the Younger (Figure 27).

Retrieved from

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nterior_21_Dec_2009_(7).jpg

Retrieved from

http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/statue/images/

boothhenry01.jpg

Figure 26

Figure 27

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The Small Concert Room (Figure 28) is almost circular and is lavishly decorated. It

was known as the Golden Concert Room and it was regularly host to Charles

Dickens who held many of his readings there. A balcony supported by caryatids runs

round the room. At the back of the columns, decorated with arabesques, supporting a

frieze with griffins and between the columns are mirrors. It has seating for an

audience of 480.platform are attached.

In the basement (Figure 28) is part of a unique heating and ventilation system

devised by Dr Boswell Reid. This was the first attempt at air conditioning in a public

building in the United Kingdom,

its aim being to warm and

ventilate the building without

draughts. Air was warmed by

five hot water pipes which were

heated by two coke-fired

boilers and two steam boilers.

The air was circulated by four

10 feet (3 m) wide fans. It was

controlled a large number of

workers opening and closing a

series of canvas flaps.

Retrieved from http://www.dalestreetnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/small-concert-room-2-

e1347285940107.jpg

Retrieved from

http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/engineers/reid/sg12.jpg

Figure 27

Figure 28

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Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many of similarities and differences between Kuala

Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) and St. George’s Hall. The

table below shows all the comparisons between these two buildings.

Building Kuala Lumpur and

Selangor Chinese

Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)

St. George’s Hall

Year of

Construction

1926 1841-1954

Architect Messrs. Booty & Edwards Harvey Lonsdale Elmes & Sir

Charles Cockerell

Architecture

Style

Neo-Classical, Eclecticism

& Anglo- Chinese

Neo- Classical

Location No.1, Jalan Maharajalela,

50150 Kuala Lumpur

Lime Street, Liverpool, England

Function Event hall for entertainment,

cultural and educational

activities

Concert halls and Law courts

Climate Hot and Tropical Four Seasons

Plan Symmetry and balance Symmetry and balance

Material Bricks and tiles Stone, plasters and tiles

Hallmark Dome Tunnel vault

Column Doric, Ionic & Corinthians

columns

16 Corinthian columns

Decor European style carving and

Chinese Imperial guardian

stone lion

Stone Sculpture, stained glass,

Minton tiles and frieze with griffins

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Aesthetically, British colonial architecture in Malaysia is essentially a hybrid.

Under Western influence, the buildings looks beautifully built. Most of them were

modified to a greater or lesser degree by the use of local building materials and

architectural traditions. The British Colonial past had made intense effort to introduce

European elements in the mean of most of buildings at 18th century.

In modern era, the force of rapid urbanisation brings in newly built intensities

onto some places that demolished almost all the heritage buildings which were there

before. This will affect Malaysia’s urban not just architecturally and environmentally

but also socially and culturally. On the contrary, a coexisting awareness by the local

architects and the planners towards the historical and cultural context of place and its

architectural priorities will provide a firmer basis in order to restore those heritage

buildings in Malaysia. Any argument on the making of modern architecture in

Malaysia should be given obvious outstanding references to the various foreign

involvements into the country.

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Reference

Unknown. (2010). Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH)

bronchure

MacKenzie, W. 1863. "On the Mechanical Ventilation and Warming of St George's

Hall, Liverpool", Proceedings I Mechanical Engineering (1863): 194-208.

PAM, “ARCHITECTURAL HERTAGE KUALA LUMPUR PRE-MERDEKA”, PAM,

2007

Reid, David Boswell. "Diagrams of the Ventilation of St George's Hall and the New

Assize Courts, Liverpool." 1855. Manuscript in Liverpool City Record Office.

Sturrock, N. & Lawson-Smith, P. (2013). David Boswell Reid's Ventilation of St.

George's Hall, Liverpool. Retrieved from The Victorian Web website:

http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/engineers/reid/2.html

Unknown. (2010). About The Hall. Retrieved from St. George’s Hall website:

http://www.stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk/visit/about_the_hall/

Unknown. (2013). About Us. Retrieved from The KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly

Hall website: http://klscah.org.my/about-kuala-lumpur-and-selangor-chinese-

assembly-hall