Rubber Research Institute Malaysia

The Rubber Research Institute Malaysia does not normally open its doors to the general public, so I took the opportunity of a tour during "Open House Kuala Lumpur 2011" in May. The Open House programme is an architectural festival which has been established in several cities throughout the world where owners of hundreds of buildings of all types and periods open up their doors to the public, completely for free.

The Rubber Research Institute Malaysia at 260 Jalan Ampang has been gazetted as a National Heritage. This Art Deco style building was built in 1937 and was considered ahead of its time, with the fair face red bricks. The shapes on the outer walls are stylized geometric shapes and represent rubber sheets, test tubes (as RRIM was the foremost in rubber research), lines of tapping, bowls to collect rubber. Stone laid 1936

front of building, tapping symbols (above),sheets of rubber (below)

test tubes ; fair face red bricks -

Close up of bricks

The main entrance

painting on rubber leaves

The main feature is its hidden gem – the 7 distinctive bas-relief panels.

These panels on the sides of the library block were designed by Italian sculptor, Rudolfo Nolli (who worked mostly in Singapore). They depict the story of rubber, from the tree to the exported products. They show the origins of rubber: 1. planting the trees, 2. tapping, 3. smoking the rubber, 4. Wickham took rubber seeds from Brazil to Kew Gardens in London, 5. research, 6. export of products, and 7. the application of rubber in everyday life.

The courtyard, and interesting roof drainage

Art deco style

interior wall by auditorium

Interior doors

Although we couldn't see the labs, we were shown the library. The high level windows allow plenty of light to enter but are high enough so that readers cannot see out and get distracted.

High windows.

Souvenir.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission