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    1.0 INTRODUCTION

    1.1.1 HISTORY OF KLANG

    With the history of over 600 years, Klang is one of the oldest cities in

    Malaysia. According to the history, instruments used during the Bronze Age called

    Tulang Mawas were found in Klang which prove Klang was o ccupied over 2000

    years (Port Klang Integrated Costal Management Project, 2013). The first written

    account of Klang exists since the reign of Majapahit about 600 years ago. It came

    way earlier than the Malaccas History.

    The importance of Klang elevated in 19th century due to the rapid expansion

    of tin mining activities in Klang Valley as a result of the increased demand for tin from

    the West. After 1874, the British opted for Klang over Jugra as the center of their

    administration, and this remained until 1880 when they moved it to the mining centerof Kuala Lumpur. (Klang Municipal Council, 2013).

    1.1.2 HISTORICAL SHOPHOUSES

    Frank Swettenham, the British Resident was responsible in the earliest urban

    development of Selangor, Malacca, Penang as well as Kuala Lumpur. He introduced

    building regulations as such that original extract shelter settlements to be rebuilt from

    bricks with tiled roofs and buildings were to be built five-foot away from the road

    allowing for passageway. This was copied from the Town Plan of Singapore initiated

    by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1822.

    The shophouse is an urban terrace house characteristic of Asian towns from

    the 18th 20th century, normally low rise building which range from 2 to 3 stories

    high. The main function of the shophouse is commonly incorporates a shop or

    business premise on the ground floor while the family resides on the top floor,

    providing both convenience and security. (Cultural Heritage Action Team, 2010).

    Shophouses are built in rows and the faade must be facing the street. They are

    usually designed to be narrow and long, standing next to each other with no gap in

    between in order to fit in more shophouses in a single row. The materials used for the

    construction of shophouses are those local materials that can be found easily liketimber and clay stone.

    1.1.3 TRADITIONAL SHOPHOUSES ALONG JALAN STESEN

    For two centuries, beginning from the 16th, Klang was one of the most

    important port and mining areas in the peninsula. This had cause the migration of

    labours from China to the Klang for tin mining. They settled down here and started to

    do their own small businesses here. This marked the starting point of the

    construction of shophouses in Klang. These lots, which were constructed between1930 and 1940, made the area one of the busiest spots in southern Klang then.

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    Now, there are only 29 shophouses left along Jalan Stesen 1. These old

    heritage shop lots painted in colourful colours are conserved as historical buildings

    and were included as part of the Heritage Walk (figure 1.1) by the Klang Municipal

    Council. Subsequent decline of the towns economy resulted in the existence of only

    a handful of shops remaining that are now functioning as commercial offices.

    FIGURE 1.1: The Heritage Walk

    SOURCE:http://thatsofarah.com/klang-heritage-walk-a-discovery/

    http://thatsofarah.com/klang-heritage-walk-a-discovery/http://thatsofarah.com/klang-heritage-walk-a-discovery/http://thatsofarah.com/klang-heritage-walk-a-discovery/
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    1.2.0 CONTEXTUAL CONDITION

    In the 19th century, Klang was developed into a large tin mine and Chinese

    workers were sent there to work. Around 1930, the shop lots along Jalan Stesen and

    nearby were built and the people in Klang started doing businesses. There were

    huge improvements in the economy and that made the area one of the busiest spotsin Klang.

    1.2.1 POLITICAL ASPECT

    Klang is one of the oldest towns in Malaysia. Since 600 years ago people

    have been living in this town under the rule of the Majapahit Empire, and then under

    the Melayu Melaka. In the 18 th century, Klang was included in the Selangor state.

    Then in year 1875, Klang rose as one of the most important towns in Malaya as it

    was chosen as the capital city of Selangor. (Portal Rasmi Majlis Pembandaran Klang,2013) Around 1898, a new palace was built as the Sultan of Selangor decided to

    move and reside in Klang. Since then the city also has been developing in various

    other aspects such as social, physical and cultural aspects. (Majid, 2003)

    1.2.2 PHYSICAL ASPECT

    In the 19th century, Klang was just a small town with only some shops and

    houses owned by the Malays and Chinese. Those shops and houses were typically

    made out of wood roofed with nipa palm. Moving towards the 20 thcentury, Klang also

    developed as a town especially when the railway to Kuala Lumpur was built. Stone

    buildings were also built instead of wooden ones. Public and Infrastructure buildings

    such as government offices, schools, hospital, police station, mosque that were built

    during that period were the best evidence of the development of the town. (Majid,

    2003)

    1.2.3 SOCIAL ASPECT

    According to the watch shop owner we interviewed, the earlier businesses

    that were started in Klang were bookstore, printing, pawn shop businesses and so on.

    Some of them are still running today, with their children and grandchildren managing

    the businesses; while some of them had no choice but to shut down as their children

    are not willing to take over the traditional businesses. Then, as more shops were built,

    more people started to open up other different businesses. He also stated that some

    of these shop owners, like himself, were sent to work since young, and that was

    where they learn to pick up skills and knowledge that enabled them to open shops

    such as watch shop, restaurants, textile and clothing shops and so on, at the same

    time contributing to the improvements of the Klang peoplesquality of life.

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    1.3.0 DESIGN IDEAS & CONCEPT

    The Jalan Stesen, Klang shophouse is a perfect example of a green building,

    using materials that are locally available such as lime, clay stone and timber, and

    suited to local geology and weather conditions. They also possessing architectural

    features such as air vents that help with natural ventilation and cooling.

    1.3.1 MULTI-FUNCTIONAL

    As its name suggests, a shophouse often contains a shop with separate

    residential spaces. More generally, space occupied by the former contains a semi-

    public function. While this usually is, and historically usually was, a shop, it could just

    as easily be a food and beverage outlet (e.g. coffeeshop or bar), a service provider

    (e.g. clinic or barber), an industrial activity (e.g. cottage industry or auto workshop) or

    a community space (e.g. a school or clan association). Residential spaces are meantto accommodate one or more families, or serve as a dormitory for single workers.

    Popular belief holds that shophouses were initially occupied by single family, with

    their private living areas in one space and the more public family business in another.

    However, it is possible that the two spaces were usually used by unrelated persons

    or groups, who may be tenants or resident owners.

    1.3.2 FRONT FACADE

    Shophouses along Jalan Stesen are characterised by French windows, foundon the upper storey facade, are full-height, side-hung and double-shuttered, and mayfeature transom windows or fanlights above them. The timber post and rail or castiron balustrades are part of the original design of the French windows. The timber-framed windows usually have timber-panelled shutters, which open inwards andvertical iron security bars. Theyhave a range of traditional features includingdemountable timber shutter boards, timber or metal sliding and folding doors, orglass display cases. Access doors are incorporated into the shopfronts and thesemay be single or double- leafed, glazed or timber-panelled, louvred or of rail and stiledesign.

    1.3.3 ROOFS

    Roofs are pitched and finished with overlapping V-profile or flat natural colourunglazed clay tiles, laid on timber battens and bonded with mortar. Where the tilesend at the edge of the front and rear shophouse roofs, they are often covered with atimber fascia complete with galvanised iron gutters and downpipes. Roofs arewaterproofed using bituminous asphalt, galvanised iron flashing and copings (Zhu,2006). Shophouses along Jalan Stesen also have jack roof to allow large amounts oflight in.

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    1.3.4 FIVE-FOOT WAY

    The five-foot waywhich serves as a sheltered space for social activities andfor circulation. It is an important element that contributes to the experience of walking

    through a conservation area. The elements that contribute to the experience are the

    floor, colonnade, residential or shopfront and the ceiling. In order to retain thetraditional character of the five-foot way, the original height of the covered walkway,

    the design and size of the columns are to be retained.

    The retention or reintroduction of the traditional materials and finishes of thefive-foot way is encouraged. Traditional finishes for the five-foot way floors includecement screed, terra cotta tiles, clay tiles, cement terrazzo, mosaic, marble-chipterrazzo or granite slab. The f ive-foot way often features granite edging parallel to theroad side drain and granite steps. Tile patterns used on the five-foot way aresometimes repeated on the front wall of the shophouse either ending as a skirting orunder the window to form a decorative wall.

    1.3.5 STYLE OF SHOPHOUSES

    Heritage shophouses in Klang fall into 3 main historical styles,each style has

    distinctive architectural and decorative features a represent a different period of times

    (Han, 2005).

    Late Straits Eclectic Style Style is the earliest style that occurred in the

    1910s to 1940s. The exterior of the shop houses were normally white, ocre, opel

    green, and light indigo blue in colour. Rubber boom further encouraged more

    elaborate decorative faade. Furthermore, material catalogues and shipping in this

    period had allowed the import of decorative building materials such as glazed tiles

    and cast iron. it is common for Late Style shophouses to have red-coloured cement

    screed with gridded rope indentations and granite edge slabs.

    Compared to the same style of architecture in Spain, this type of architecture

    was born as a result of the Panama-California Exposition, and became a U.S. style

    movement from 1915 to 1931. It is a hybrid style based on the architecture found

    during the early Spanish colonization of North and South America. White stucco

    exterior and walls are commonly found with arches. Another feature of Spanish

    eclectic style is that ornamental ironwork is found which are finely crafted wroughtiron work graces stair railings, gates, window grilles and lanterns. (David, 1996)

    Moving on to Art Deco Style, which is occurred in the 1930s to 1960s,

    wealthy local businessman returning from overseas schooling who are exposed to

    European, American and Chinese popular culture (cinema) had popularized Art-Deco

    style architecture and materials such as glass, steel and Shanghai-plaster. Art Deco

    shophouses may have marble-chip terrazzo finish in a variety of colours or mosaic

    finish. Some commercial shop houses replace their facades with the fashionable Art-

    Deco style using Shanghai plaster rendering and relief writing.

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    American Art Deco Style not only influenced the architecture of most

    American cities but also had an impact on fashion, art, and furniture. (Carla, 2003)

    From 1925 to 1940, Americans embraced Art Deco as a refreshing change from the

    eclectic and revivalist. Most of the architecture elements found come in three, which

    is found also in the windows of the shop houses. This style emphasizes on simple

    and clean horizontal lines. Besides that, new materials are used such as glass andstainless steel.

    While in 1950s to 1970s, Early Modernism Style appeared. This style

    emphasized on simplification of form and design based on availability of new building

    materials and engineering developments such as metal framed glass windows.

    Expressionism was an architectural movement that developed in Northern Europe

    during the first decades of the 20th century in parallel with the expressionist visual

    and performing arts. Making notable use of sculptural forms and the novel use of

    concrete as artistic elements, examples include Rudolf Steiner's Second

    Goetheanum, built from 1926 near Basel,Switzerland and theEinsteinturm inPotsdam, Germany. The style was characterised by an early-modernist adoption of

    novel materials, formal innovation, and very unusual massing, sometimes inspired by

    natural biomorphic forms, sometimes by the new technical possibilities offered by the

    mass production of brick, steel and especially glass.

    FIGURE 1.2 Heritage Shophouse Styles

    Source : http://penangshophouse.blogspot.com/

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einsteinturmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einsteinturmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland
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    2.0 BUILDING INVENTORY

    Faade ! 2 storeys! mixture of Malay, Chinese and

    European ornaments! colours used : light indigo blue, ocre

    and white! have windows on the top floor

    ! craved wooden door is used on the

    ground floor.! Air vent on both side between the

    doors! Theres pillar on both sides with pillar

    head on the top

    Brief description

    The faade is almost the same for everyshop house, where all come have 2 storeyswith windows on the top floor. However, thedesigns of the windows are different fromeach other. Pillars are found on both sidesof the shop house which is the support ofthe faade.

    Internal courtyards ! Provide natural light to laminate thehouse

    ! Good ventilation for house.

    Brief description

    Every shop house has one open spacecourtyard.

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    Roof ! Roofs are typicallymade out of orange claybricks either U shapesor V shaped.

    Brief description

    The whole shop house has tworoofs, front and back.

    Five foot-way ! Shelter for pedestrians! Space to separate the

    road and the space forpedestrian

    ! Arches were builtbetween all shophouses.

    Brief description

    Some of the shop houses hasturn into all sorts of businesstherefor this walk way hasbecome useful and safe.

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    3.0 CHANGES AND RESPONSE

    3.1.0 CHANGES OF THE SHOP HOUSES

    During our site visit, we found out that the initial shop lots that were built had

    timber as the main materials. Some of the shop lots today still remained a few small

    parts and elements of the original building. However, according to a watch shop

    owner we interviewed, a fire that happened in the 1970s severely damaged some of

    the shop lots at Jalan Stesen. The shop lots were then renovated with newer

    materials such as concrete. Some of the other shophouses were also renovated to

    serve better functions and purposes.

    3.1.1 STRUCTURE

    From our site visit, we realised that one of the most obvious changes that can

    be easily observed would be the structure of the shophouses. The shops that were

    built initially are generally terraced low rise buildings with 2-3 storeys. Over the years,

    some of these shophouses were renovated according to the owners needs. New

    style buildings which do not belong to any of the styles of shophouses mentioned

    above were built. These new shophouses have an almost completely different

    structure from the old shophouses, some as tall as 4-5 storeys, which give the

    shophouses a totally different faade from before renovations. The OCBC Bank

    building is a perfect example of renovated building which stands out among the other

    older shophouses. (Figure 3.1)

    FIGURE 3.1 : OCBC Building which was renovated in 2005

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    3.1.2 MATERIALS

    Material wise, the main materials used to build the shophouses changed from

    timber to concrete. As mentioned earlier, some of the shop houses were damaged in

    a fire that happened in the 1970s, therefore new materials like concrete were used

    instead of timber.

    From our observation during the site visit, we realized that a very clear

    comparison of materials can be made from the facades of the new and old

    shophouses. For example, we can see that on the upper floor, the old shophouses

    (Figure 3.2) have old style wooden shutter windows, in contrast, the new shophouse

    (Figure 3.3) has large glass windows. Besides that, the polycarbonates awning, and

    the shop signage which was replaced by stickers on the glass windows were also the

    renovations which caused the building to lose its original style of a heritage

    shophouse as these were newer materials that were not used in the old shophouses.

    FIGURE 3.2: Example of an old shop house facade FIGURE 3.3: Example of a renovated facade

    Besides that, the materials used for renovation in the other parts of the

    building are also different. For example, from the picture of five-foot ways below

    (Figure 3.4 and Figure 3.5), we can see that the materials used for the ceiling and

    flooring are very different. The old shophouses usually has a timber ceiling, whereas

    after renovations, they are replaced by ceiling tiles. Besides that, the original

    shophouses also has lime-ash floor, which is grey in colour. On the other hand, floor

    tiles are used in renovations to replace the old flooring. Last but ot least, the

    materials of the doors also changed from timber to metal roller shutter.

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    FIGURE 3.4: Example of an old five-foot way FIGURE 3.5: Example of a renovated five-foot way

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    3.2.0 RESPONSE

    3.2.1 LOCATION

    Klang Railway Station was built in 1890. The road that intersects the station, JalanStesen was named after it. The construction of the railway station has promoted the

    economic growth in that area. As a response to that, businessmen choose to build

    the shophouses near the railway station (Figure 3.6), facing the main street which is

    Jalan Stesen in order to attract more customers.

    Figure 3.6:

    Shophouse were built facing Jalan Stesen due to its strategic location.

    3.2.2 CULTURE

    Influenced by the Greek architecture, the faade of the shophouses are designed

    symmetrically to create sense of harmonious and balance. Besides from serving as

    support, ionic column and arches are used as ornamentation for the faade (Figure

    3.7).

    Traditional Chinese architecture element: gable end roof with terracotta tiles can also

    be found. It can withstand our local weather perfectly.

    Figure 3.7: Greek architecture element(ionic column and arches) can be found on

    the faade of the shophouses.

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    3.2.3 CLIMATE

    As a response to the local climate, full-length windows and air vents (Figure 3.9) are

    used to improve air ventilation and lower the indoor temperature. The light color

    painted faced can reflect sunlight hence reduce heat gain and lower the indoor

    temperature. The five-foot way provide shade from sunlightand rain to the users.

    Materials such as concrete and bricks replaced timber as the main construction

    material due to their fire resistance and weather proof characteristics.

    3.2.4 NEED

    As time passed, the development of suburban area in Klang increase. People choose

    to move there for a more serene living area. Some of them even shift their

    businesses there. The design of the traditional shophouses is no longer practical to

    the users need. Many of the shophouse owners rent the upper floors which were

    their living spaces to other businesses. Meanwhile, big companies moved in and

    expanded the traditional shophouses. Even though the newly built shophouses have

    more modern look, but they are still designed symmetrically (Figure 3.10).

    Figure 3.9: air vents help for air ventilation. It

    can often be found above the main entrance.

    Figure 3.8: The five foot way

    provide shades and ease off

    circulation for the users.

    Figure 3.10: Foreign company for example the OCBC

    Bank moved in and expanded the size of the traditional

    shophouse. It is still designed symmetrically and keep

    the distinct characteristic of the full length windows.

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    CONCLUSION

    "Maintenance is the single most important conservation process. Whether theplace is architectural, mechanical or botanical, prevention is better than cure."(Semple Kerr, 1996)

    Built heritage in Klang has special values and significance in architecturerelated to history, use, aesthetics, building methods, design, material and culture. Ifthis special significance of built heritage is ignored or replaced then built heritagevalue is eroded.

    The features and styles of these shophouses evolve over the years. Theystarted from simple early shophouses with cheap attap roof and wooden structures.With the unique culture and races in Malaysia, the styles of the shophouses wereinfluenced by the mix of cultural background of all major races residing in Klang atthat time.

    Despite being old and dilapidated, many of the shop houses have thepotential to be restored and given a new lease of life. It would be great if the towncouncil would pay more attention to these old shop houses along Jalan Stesen andprevent people from demolishing the shop houses to build modern new offices.

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    REFERENCE LIST

    1. Breeze, Carla. American Art Deco: Architecture and Regionalism. New York:W. W Norton, 2003.

    2. Cultural Heritage Action Team. (2010). Introduction to Shophouse. [blog]Retrieved from http://penangshophouse.blogspot.com/2010/03/introduction-to-shophouse.html

    3. Gebhard, David. The National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America. New York:J. Wiley, 1996.

    4. Klang Municipal Council, 2013. History.[online] Available at:< http://www.mpklang.gov.my/en/sejarah> [Accessed 3 October 2013].

    5. Majid, S. Z., 2003. Sejarah pentadbiran tanah di Klang 1874-1940. PetalingJaya, Selangor: Universiti Malaya. Jabatan Sejarah.

    6. Port Klang Integrated Coastal Management Project, 2013. Background.[online] Available at:

    [Accessed 3 October 2013]

    7. Portal Rasmi Majlis Pembandran Klang, 2013. Portal Rasmi MajlisPembandran Klang Sejarah [online] Available at : [Accessed 12 October 2013]

    "#