KTMB Headquarters

One of Kuala Lumpur’s most distinctive buildings, this majestic gazetted national monument is representative of the British Colonial Raj style and complements the old KL Railway Station across the street from it. The KTMB

The railway station

I've gone past this building so many times over the years but I had never really bothered to look at the architecture in detail. And as KTMB is still in use by a government department, there is no general access to the public.

Our tour was led Lim Take Bane, who is very passionate and extremely knowledgable about the building and its architecture. Lim talking to a KTM worker -

The construction was started at the turn of the last century and finished just after the First World War. It gave a sense of importance and was very formal. It was designed by A.B. Hubback, an Edwardian man, and is similar to Masjid Jamek and Sultan Abdul Samad buildings.

It is symmetrical from the front and has gentle curves

Neoclassical arches are inspired from Indian Moghul.

The arches and domes dress the outside of the building. The whole appearance gives a nice skyline, with the railway station opposite. Corbel & true arches -

The 3 floors have different shaped arches (true and curved) and differing numbers of columns. The ground floor has a single arch, the middle floor has 2 arches with tri columns (3 + 1 + 1). Top floor has interlocked arches with single columns. According to Lim this gives a a staccato rhythm - column, space - which gives cadence.

The 1st & 2nd floor also have perforated holes in the walls. These 'jalis' are decorative but also act as wind holes.

Above the floors, the roofline juts out, supported by carved brackets that look like bookends. This helps absorb and dissipate heat.

The domes on top are more Buddhist, not Islamic, and have a stupa. The Brits borrowed designs from all over the world. The chaktri – dome with shape below - is from the Moghuls, e.g. at Fatehpur Sikri (Uttar Pradesh) and have borrowed motifs. The balustrade has an open framework.

First floor dome

The main central dome has a cupola (small cup), or smaller dome that crowns the bigger dome, which sits on top of a small pavilion. The other domes at the ends of the building at topped by long thin minarets and have 4 twisted columns. These domes sit on top of towers that have wide staircases to the top

These towers have an overhanging balcony with a criss-cross pattern, and allow people to see out without being seen themselves

View of the station -

A pilaster is a column in a wall topped with filial – onion or dome.

Generally stone is not used for buildings as it is not easily available and not cheap. Usually buildings are made from wood, or bricks or rammed earth. On the KTMB building it is stucco - stimulating stone, behind is cement or plaster. This photo shows the modern white paint but underneath is the original brownish colour, made with lime -

Double columns enable thick walls. Panels cut in the arches in the foyere show the depth of the walls.

The main entrance has a porte cochere or carriage porch, to enable people to get out of carriages (or cars nowadays) without getting wet. The porch also has giant arches and at the top are the holed walls. The porch design is from Alhambra (Moorish)

Today the main entrance has modern glass

The outer corridor is neither in or out, gives a feeling of space with high roof, and the floor slopes out for drainage -

Inside the octagonal foyer a draught of air enters the building and the thick masonry walls help keep it cool. There is natural ventilation and light, aided by the windows in the dome roof. Inner domes have wrought iron grilles.

A cantilever staircase leads up to the upper floors and the dome.

Outside the corners have protruding and recessive forms. Protruding corner -

recessive corner (above). However they ran out of money after the war, so the inside of the exterior walls on the upper floors are plain and not ornate.

Spiral staircase up to roof level

View from top

Next time I go past KTMB I will take more note of the architecture and will be able to appreciate it.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission

PAM Centre - Chow Kit's house

The PAM Centre at 4 & 6 Jalan Tangsi, Kuala Lumpur, is now the home to the Institute of Architects Malaysia, Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia .

The mansion was originally built in 1907 by prominent businessman and municipal councillor, Loke Chow Kit.

In 1903 Loke Chow Kit went to the UK & Europe with his cousin Loke Yew, and was influenced by the architecture there. When he returned to KL in 1907 he built this sprawling mansion, although he already had his main home in Ampang. In those days Loke Hall was a prominent building, with the Selangor Club opposite and the railway station nearby. It was a unified part of Dataran Merdeka. The only traffic was bullock carts and horses, and stables were built next to the mansion to house Chow Kit's horses -

In 1909 the house was sold to private investors, and became the Empire Hotel. In 1919 after Loke Chow Kit’s death, his son bought it back, but it was again sold and became the Peninsula Hotel. It closed in 1973 as by then other hotels were appearing, e.g. Federal 1957. The government then acquired it and DBKL owns it today. PAM occupies it and takes care of the maintenance.

end of main block (above and below)

The building is cooled due to cross ventilation, and thick stone walls. Also there were less interior walls originally. Floor design -

The general floor plan is typical of houses of the time with the large airy anjung, or open verandah. There is an inner courtyard -

upper level

courtyard wall

roof tiles

Outer courtyard, orange and green paint on courrugated roof give a nice light

There are two wings. Outside there is a courtyard between the main block and the annexe. The outer courtyard -

Annexe

The rooms in the main block were more expensive than the annexe. The annexe is now occupied and rented by a private gallery. There is also a restaurant (closed at weekends). The annexe has wrought iron grilles, simplified baroque balcony in Regency style -

modern drain pipe

window shutters

The building next door is neglected

See more on PAM.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission