The document is a case study of Jalan Ampang, a historic street in Kuala Lumpur, detailing its evolution from a tin-mining route to a significant urban artery housing embassies and landmarks like the Petronas Twin Towers. It traces the socio-cultural, architectural, and commercial development of the area, highlighting key historical events and architectural styles that reflect the city's growth. The study concludes by emphasizing the transformative journey of Jalan Ampang through various phases of Kuala Lumpur's history.

1. ASIAN ARCHITECTURE (ARC60403)
PROJECT 1: CASE STUDY ESSAY
HISTORIC STREET :​ JALAN AMPANG
TUTOR:​ NICHOLAS NG KHOON WU
GROUP MEMBERS:
AIDAN HO WEI SUAN 0326021
AIMUNI KHALIDAH A. BAKAR 0326074
ASHROFF A. WAHAB 0325736
NIK AHMAD MUNAWWAR NIK DIN 0325167
SITI NUR FATAHIAH MD EZAMUDIN 0320595
THAREEN NUJJOO 0324886

2. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Introduction
Jalan Ampang (Selangor state route B31) is known as a major road in Kuala Lumpur. It is
one of the oldest and busiest roads in the Klang Valley region, and home of many known
historical and modern landmarks of the city. It is named Jalan Ampang as it connects
Kuala Lumpur to Ampang town.
The road generally runs in an east-west direction, starting from the junction of Leboh
Ampang and Jalan Gereja in the Masjid Jamek area. The road runs eastward past the
Petronas Twin Towers and the embassy row, until it reaches the eastern part of Ampang.
Our research to cover and focus on portion of Jalan Ampang from intersection with Jalan
Sultan Ismail to Jalan Tun Razak.

3. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
History
The city of Kuala Lumpur had its roots in the tin mining boom of the early 19th
century. It began at the confluence of what is today the Gombak and Klang rivers, where
Chinese tin-miners would be brought into the city to mine. This development, together with
the tin-mining boom in Ipoh, Perak contributed to making Malaya the number one producer
of tin in the whole universe during the mid 20th Century.
As the city grew and the demand for tin rises, tin miners began looking for new
mining locations to expand their mining production. Ampang was opened as a new mining
area for Klang Valley. In fact, the name “Ampang” was derived from the Malay word
“Empangan” ​which is translated literally as dam or a mining area. A community
subsequently grew around the mining area which rapidly evolved into the busy township it
is today.
In order to connect the two major tin mining areas in Klang Valley, a road was
constructed to transport raw tin between Kuala Lumpur and Ampang. The road evolved
throughout the years into one of the major spines for Klang Valley, which attracted wealthy
families and international businesses to set up their homes and offices along the road.
Kuala Lumpur, which Ampang is a part of, was made the capital of Selangor in
1880, as well as the capital of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. This results in several
embassies to be located along the busy and prominent road. The embassies were
originally meant to be temporary while awaiting for the development of Jalan Duta, which
was a purpose-built area for embassies in Kuala Lumpur. However, since the development
took longer than expected, the embassies set up on Jalan Ampang as well as Jalan Tun
Razak stayed on. When the Malaysian government relocated its administrative centre to
the newly completed Putrajaya, the embassies chose to remain at their home along Jalan
Ampang as it has only shown to be ever more expanding and of great importance.

4. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Jalan Ampang was also home to Malaya’s first Parliamentary sitting, held soon after
the country gained independence, inside a converted old mansion which is today the
headquarters of the Malaysian Tourism Centre (MaTic).
The area was historically the leisure
hub of Kuala Lumpur, as it was where
the Selangor Turf Club used to be.
However, in the early 1990’s, the
construction of the now Petronas Twin
Towers begun in its place. The towers
were completed in 1996, and was
declared as the world’s tallest building
at the time. This resulted in the shift of
the Kuala Lumpur city centre from the
Dataran Merdeka vicinity to Petronas
Twin Towers at Jalan Ampang.

5. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Sociocultural Conditions
Ampang Road developed into one of the main arteries of Kuala Lumpur, together with
Batu Road, Padoh Road and Petaling Road which all led to mining settlements. The road
was widened in 1888 under the supervision of Engineer G.T Tickell, later known as
Chairman of the KL Sanitary Board. Due to frequent floods, the whole stretch passing
through the city centre was raised to a higher elevation. As the road grew to become a
residential strip for the city’s rich and famous, so did the land value. It was often dubbed
until today, as Kuala Lumpur’s “Golden mile”.
The street was home to mansions owned by rich mine owners and Kuala Lumpur’s
Chinese kapitans as it connects two tin-mining towns. Part of the original millionaires row,
Bok House was probably one of the most visible yet least remembered relic of early KL. It
was built in 1926 and completed in 1929 for a local millionaire, Chua Cheng Bok. It is
widely believed that Chua built the mansion to impress a rich man so that he could marry
the man’s daughter but it is unclear if he ultimately succeeded in his goal. In 1958, Bok
House was converted into a fine dining French restaurant, Le Coq d’Or. Chua and his
family chose to live in the rear portion of the mansion for over 20 years. The rear portion
was then demolished in 1999 with the approval of the authorities. Bok House was
completely demolished in 2006 after being abandoned by the operator of Le Coq d’Or for 5
years.
Bok House on Jalan Ampang (before and after demolished)
Source: http://theforbiddensite.blogspot.my/

6. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Not only being the street of mansions, Jalan Ampang is also a home to several embassies
such as, United Kingdom, France, China, Russian Federation, Indonesia, Ireland and
Thailand. Known as Embassy Row, or Jalan Ampang Hilir, as it is officially named, had
attracted foreign visitors from as early as 1857 when Raja Abdullah, a representative of
the Selangor Sultanate opened up the Klang Valley for tin prospectors. A thriving industry
was established and soon Ampang was made capital of Selangor in 1880 and the capital
of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. Since then, the draw and the distinction of this
location have grown to a point that Jalan Ampang today is home to more than 80 foreign
embassies, despite the Government’s call for embassies to relocate to Putrajaya. Initially
embassy row was set to be along Jalan Duta, but the construction took longer than
expected, thus the ambassadors started to reside permanently along Jalan Ampang and
Jalan Tun Razak. Today, the Embassy Row is one enormous melting pot of cultures,
languages, and ethnicities; creating a unique community made up of a wide range of taste,
sounds and colours.
(Royal Thai Embassy)
Source: http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/th/organize

7. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Surrounded by high-rise buildings, Lai Meng Girls’ School was one of the last remaining
examples of old architecture in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Founded in 1929, it was a
primary school which started with just three classes in Kampung Baru. To accommodate
more students, the school was moved to a bungalow at 136 Jalan Ampang in 1951. In
1971, the school was redesigned by architect Huang Zhan Ming pro bono after it was
destroyed in the racial riots of 1969. Due to traffic congestion, air pollution and the prime
location, the land was finally sold in 2009 to developer Magna Prima Berhad, which is
planning a multi-billion ringgit twin tower project. Since then, the building has been sitting
quietly on Jalan Ampang, currently serving as a car park area.
(Lai Meng Girls’ School during the glorious days)
Source: http://realestatesmalaysia.blogspot.my/
Traditional Trades
Being one of the earliest roads of Kuala Lumpur, Ampang Road has seen the settlement’s
eventual growth into the global city it is today. The road was also important to Kuala
Lumpur’s progress, as it became a connection between it and another tin mining village
nearby, Ampang. Due to its connection, Ampang Road became a strategic point for tin
trade between the two settlements since the 1860s until mid-20​th
century. It could be
assumed that Kuala Lumpur’s and Ampang’s main source of income in tin mining
influenced Ampang Road’s early traditional trade - the tin mines in Kuala Lumpur had
attracted merchants who traded basic provisions in return for some of the excavated tin.
Ampang Road’s proximity to Klang River also made it easier to which supplies could
conveniently be brought by boat, which made it easier for trading to occur.

8. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
At the turn of the 20​th
century, small businesses, such as Borneo Motors Ltd and South
Engineers Ltd started to thrive along Ampang Road as a result of Kuala Lumpur growth
from a small tin settlement to a full-fledged town. Another effect of the city’s growth is the
migration of people from faraway lands into the ever-expanding area. As a result, various
foreign cultures and trades were assimilated into the local landscape. One example would
be the rise of Minangkabau people and their trade of textile and craft. Ampang Road’s
prominence as Kuala Lumpur’s leisure hub in the mid-20​th
century meant that its trade also
extended to gambling activities, with much of it occurring at the old Selangor Turf Club in
the form of horserace betting.
Ampang Park in the early days

9. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Significant Architecture
Kuala Lumpur is the cultural, financial and economic centre of Malaysia and this is
reflected in its architecture which is a blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions,
Malay-Islamic influences, modern as well as post modern.
Developed around the first quarter of the 19th century, a time where colonial architecture
was prevailing, most of the buildings have Mughal, Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian Spanish
architecture or style, and some of them have been slightly modified to adapt to the local
climate and construction materials and methods. Nowadays only a few of them remain,
among them being Wisma MaTic, High Commission of Pakistan, and the Eng Choon
Assembly Hall.
Both Wisma MaTic and the High Commission of Pakistan are Mughal style buildings,
which is essentially colonial architecture with middle-eastern or asian influences, and was
introduced to Malaysia by the British Colony in the late 19th century, when it was at its
peak period. The two buildings were constructed by wealthy tin traders to serve as
mansions, but then taken over by the British colony and used as military bases. As
Malaysia was moving towards its independence, Wisma MaTic became home to the
Federal Military Office, then later on the first parliament until it became what it is now, the
Malaysia Tourism Centre, while the other mansion serves as the High Commission of
Pakistan.
The Eng Choon Assembly Hall, on Jalan Ampang was built in 1930, alongside four other
similarly built three storey pre-war buildings but due to the lack of clear guidelines for
architectural conservation in the city, unregulated alterations of lesser known pre-war
buildings are common. The design of these shophouses were inspired by Straits Chinese
and European traditions, although the building layout remains the same with their long and
narrow units, middle courtyards and five foot walkways (kaki lima). As Jalan Ampang
became more prosperous, so did the style of the shophouses. The columns were then
heavily inspired by the Neo Classical style of the 1910’s - the greek order of columns, the
introduction of pediments and decorated window frames; Dutch Patrician style of the
1920’s with Dutch inspired gables; and the geometric Art Deco style of the 1930’s.

10. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
After the Independence, and the rapid economic growth in the late 20th century, more
local and islamic influences were integrated into the designs of buildings, and mostly in the
central districts of the city, like Jalan Ampang. This also occurred during the rise of modern
architecture and led to buildings like Ampang Park, which was actually the first shopping
mall to be built in Malaysia, but is now dwarfed in comparison to its surrounding
neighbours. Buildings of this era adopted the “International style”, and looked toward
western design and philosophy.
Late Modernist and Post Modernist style architecture began to appear in the late 20th and
early 21st century. The city skyline changed to house skyscrapers and buildings with an all
glass exterior as well as brutalist buildings.
Wisma Equity: Brutalist Influenced Design. Petronas Twin Towers: Symbol of Modernism.
An example of such buildings are the Wisma Equity. It is primarily an office block with
many banking facilities and food outlets. The Wisma Equity building is one that stands out
from the rest, and even more so when it was first completed. It is architecturally unique
with its form being that of an inverse pyramid. It is a clear example of brutalistic influenced
architecture on the Jalan Ampang strip as
Another example is the Petronas Twin Towers which have become a national icon in
Malaysia, even once being the tallest towers in the world for 6 years, and still remaining
the tallest twin towers in the world. The Twin towers houses 560,000 meters office.
Designed by César Pelli, this structure borrows elements from islamic architecture as from

11. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
an aerial view, its floor plan resembles the Islamic geometric patterns and motifs. In
contrast to that, from below, the steel and glass facade of the building give the building a
modern look.
Buildings of such massive scale have since become the norm in this modern day and age,
and due to poor planning and conservation efforts many, if not most pre-war buildings
have been demolished.

12. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Important Events
First Parliament Session
The first parliamentary session of the Federation of Malaya was held on 11th September
1959 at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall. It was an important event for the country as it was
the first time the Parliament of Federation of Malaya had a meeting with all of its members,
was officiated by His Majesty The King, Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ibni Almarhum Tuanku
Muhammad.
In the present day, the meeting hall is now known as the Malaysian Tourism and
Information Centre (Wisma MaTic). It was built in 1935 and situated at Jalan Ampang. The
building was originally the residence of Mr Eu Tong Sen who was known to be a famous
and wealthy miner and estate owner in Kuala Lumpur. It was then specially renovated and
converted into the meeting hall for the Senate and House of Representatives.
Parliament Session on 11th September 1959

13. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis
The AIA Building hostage crisis took place on 5th August 1975. The building used to
house several embassies, including the United States and Sweden. On that eventful day,
the Japanese Red Army, a communist militant organization devoted to eliminate the
Japanese government and monarchy, stormed the building and took over 50 employees
hostage on the 9th floor for four days. The JRA demanded several of their imprisoned
leaders in Japan to be released and to be sent to Libya, if conditions were not met, the
hostage’s life would be at stake. The then Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak and
Ministers were heavily involved in the negotiations, which resulted in the Japanese
government’s relented agreement to release the five imprisoned JRA leaders to Libya in
exchange for the hostages to be unharmed.
News report of the 1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis at Jalan Ampang

14. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Embassy workers taken hostage during the 1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis
Officiating of the Petronas Twin Towers
The Selangor Turf Club was founded in the late 19th century and originally located on
Jalan Ampang. The site was then relocated and later cleared for the construction of the
Petronas Twin Towers, as well as the Kuala Lumpur City Centre megaproject. The
Petronas Twin Towers project was led by the renowned architect Cesar Pelli, along with
Deejay Cerico, J. C. Guinto, and Dominic Saibo in January 1992 and was completed in
June 1996. The Prime Minister at the time, Tun Dr Mahathir, officiated the opening of the
new Kuala Lumpur landmark amidst the Asian Economic Crises, which has spread across
all major Asian developing Nations including Malaysia.
Construction of the Petronas Twin Towers

15. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed officiating the Petronas Twin Towers in 1996

16. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
Conclusion
In closing, from our research we can see that Jalan Ampang has undergone various
dramatic transformations and changes in many aspects. From the early days of being a
developing tin-mining community, to becoming a bustling prime city centre, we can see
that the community, architecture, and the status of the area has slowly evolved ​to what it is
today. With development, usually comes the abandonment of the past, but hopefully, as
we move forward as a country we can appreciate and conserve the historical elements of
areas like Jalan Ampang.

17. Asian Architecture | Project One: Case Study of a Historic Street in an Asian City
9.0 References
● A. (2015, August 06). The 1975 AIA Building Hostage Crisis in Kuala Lumpur. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adst/the-1975-aia-building-hos_b_7948470.html
● Merchant, C. (2016, February 19). The history and construction of the Petronas Twin Towers.
Retrieved from
http://www.expatgo.com/my/2013/01/09/the-history-and-construction-of-the-petronas-twin-tower
s/
● (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2017, from ​http://www.heritagemalaysia.my/Kl-Ampang.html
● (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mir.com.my/leofoo/KLCC/indexprelude.htm
● (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.parlimen.gov.my/bangunan-parlimen-malaysia.html?_print=true&lang=en
● Gill, P. (2006, June 15). Move to keep Bok House - Nation. Retrieved July 02, 2017, from
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2006/06/16/move-to-keep-bok-house/#qaShwC611JLp
FPcQ.99
● Isa, M., & Kaur, M. (2015). Kuala Lumpur Street Names: A Guide to Their Meanings and
Histories. Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd.
● City stories: 136 Jalan Ampang. (n.d.). Retrieved July 02, 2017, from
https://www.timeout.com/kuala-lumpur/things-to-do/city-stories-136-jalan-ampang
● Economic History of Malaysia. (n.d.). Retrieved July 02, 2017, from
https://eh.net/encyclopedia/economic-history-of-malaysia/
● Sismudjito, S., Ismail, R., & Munaf, D. A. (2015). The Rise and Tide of the Minangkabau
Traditional Trading in Kuala Lumpur: A Preliminary Research. Indonesian Journal of
Geography, 47(1), 69. doi:10.22146/ijg.6747
● Lonely Planet - History of Kuala Lumpur. (n.d.). Retrieved July 02, 2017, from
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/malaysia/kuala-lumpur/history
● Manivanan, M. (n.d.). History of Tin Mining in Malaysia. Retrieved July 02, 2017, from
http://mmadventure.com/kuala-lumpur-attractions/history-of-tin-mining-in-malaysia.htm