Month: January 2025
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BWM Members’ Trip: Heritage Jaunt to Penang
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Badan Warisan Malaysia has organised a Members’ Trip to George Town, Penang, a UNESCO Heritage Site, and we are pleased to curate a special itinerary for heritage lovers to sample this island’s charms. This trip includes visiting several heritage sites such as one of the oldest Anglican churches in Southeast Asia, the largest & oldest fort in Malaysia, and VIP access to a heritage mansion on Millionaire’s Row. Members will also learn about two unique conservation projects from renowned experts at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and Fort Cornwallis, as well as savour culinary delights.
Trip Highlights:
- Guided tour at the iconic Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, also known as The Blue Mansion, with a talk on heritage conservation by Professor Ar. Laurence Loh, past president of Badan Warisan Malaysia.
- Site visit to learn about the conservation and restoration project of Fort Cornwallis that was implemented by George Town Conservation and Development Corporation (GTCDC), a partnership between Penang Chief Minister Incorporated and Think City with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture as the technical advisor. This guided tour will be led by Conservation Architect Francesco Siravo and Master Builder Giovanni Santo, both of whom have extensive international experience in heritage site conservation.
- Special visit and access within Pro Cathedral of St. George the Martyr and the Homestead.
- Lunch at Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery, a Michelin star restaurant for authentic Nyonya cuisine. Buffet dinner at Mangga, a café at The Blue Mansion.
Proposed Itinerary
Friday, 21 February 2025
| Time | Activities |
| 7.30am | Meet at KL Sentral. Travel by train (08.05am) |
| 12.10pm | Arrive in Butterworth, Penang |
| 1.30pm | Check-in SAVV Hotel in George Town |
| 3.30pm | Guided Tour at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion |
| Heritage Talk by Professor Ar. Laurence Loh | |
| 6.00pm | Dinner at Mangga |
Saturday, 22 February 2025
| Time | Activities |
| 7.00am | Guided Tour at Fort Cornwallis |
| 8.30am | Breakfast |
| 9.30am | Visit to Pro Cathedral of St. George the Martyr |
| 10.00am | Visit to Homestead Heritage Mansion |
| 12.30pm | Lunch at Auntie Gaik Lean’s (Michelin Star Nyonya Restaurant) |
| 4.00pm | Train from Penang to KL |
| 8.10pm | Arrive in KL Sentral |
Fee per person (Twin sharing basis):
Programs, Transport, Hotel & Meals
- Member RM 950
- Non Member RM 1,200
Programs & Meals for Penang portion only, excluding Transport and Hotel (*Subject to availability)
- Member RM 480
- Non Member RM 650
*Please contact Syuhada at syuhada@badanwarisan.org.my if you are interested in joining us for selected activities in Penang. Do not pay deposit until confirmation is made.
Click HERE to register.
Kampong Bharu Walk
Organised by Badan Warisan Malaysia
Date : 8 February 2025
Time : 10.00am -12.00pm
Meeting Point : To be confirmed
Fee : RM 50 (Exclusive to BWM members)
Limited to 15 pax
Click HERE to register.
About the Walk
This walk brings alive the area’s historical narratives, tracing its origins as a group of older Malay villages amalgamated into the Malay Agricultural Settlement, and its transformation over the years. Ar. Nadge Ariffin will share insights into Kampong Bharu’s role in Kuala Lumpur’s urban development and how it continues to (precariously) balance modernisation with the preservation of its cultural identity. This walk promises to be an engaging journey through the past, present and future of one of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods.
BWM Talk Series: Kampong Bharu KL: Unsung Past, Uncapped Present, Unclear Future by Ar. Najib Ariffin
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Organised by Badan Warisan Malaysia
Kampong Bharu KL: Unsung Past, Uncapped Present, Unclear Future
Date : 25 January 2025
Time : 10.30 am
Location : Badan Warisan Heritage Centre, No. 2 Jalan Stonor, Kuala Lumpur
Light refreshments will be served.
Click HERE to register.
About the Talk
Pretty much all KL-ites know Kampung Bharu, but most don’t realise that it is one of the most unique places in any Southeast Asian capital; an over 120-year-old Malay Agricultural Settlement that’s now a ‘crater’ of low-rise mixed residential buildings plus popular eateries and shops, all surrounded completely by skyscrapers including the Petronas Twins, and where you can find the last of the traditional Malay family timber houses in the city. For now it’s still a surviving repository of history, lifestyle and architecture, but it may not be long before re-development makes them all disappear. This talk explores what made Kampong Bharu unique, why is it important, and what next?
About the Speaker
Ahmad Najib Ariffin or Nadge is a man of many interests. Born in Kuala Lumpur on the eve of 1967, he was raised in Europe, Singapore and elsewhere, and speaks 7 languages. One of his first professional interests was in architectural history and cultural heritage, which were stirred when studying Building Sciences and Architecture across the USA, also in Italy and Turkey, earning Degrees in each field. His personal interest in heritage and history were then raised when he discovered that his father descends from Javanese kings who built the great Borobudur and Prambanan temples, while his maternal grandmother was a lesser princess of the Qing Dynasty. He left full-time architectural practice in 1996 to pursue consultancy work under his own research academy, NADGE. He has since travelled the world including presenting research papers at LVDM-Naples, Italy; DoCoMoMo-Tokyo and Xi’an, China where he was conferred the L’Union Internationale des Architectes Heritage Award. His passion and knowledge keep him free being a salaryman, even though he lives like the proverbial penniless prince.
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