Bfm :: I Love Kl

When the authorities decided to move Selangor’s administration away from Kuala Lumpur, they picked Shah Alam. The city was then developed to be the state’s capital. Our resident heritage conservation expert Elizabeth Cardosa joins us on the show to trace back the city’s history, growth and appeal.Photo credit: Mozakim @ 123rf

In this episode of I Love KL, we hone in on architecture and how it’s taught here in universities. What are the areas of focus and how does local context and culture influence the teaching and learning of architecture for students? We delve deeper to get a contextual overview of a field that’s important in shaping our built environment.

Our resident heritage conservation expert Elizabeth Cardosa returns for our first monthly episode of the year to walk us through her work and how they assess how heritage buildings should be managed. Should they be renovated to accommodate contemporary use? How should they be dealt with if they’re planning to repurpose these buildings? And what if these buildings need to be demolished? She elaborates on the considerations that needed to be taken, and more, on this episode.Photo Credit: richie0703 | 123rf.com

In this first episode of I Love KL for the year 2023, we speak to Pereka Bandar to find out more about townscapes. The president of Pereka Bandar, Shuhana Shamsuddin breaks down what it means and why it’s important to create cities with character, and not fall into the trap of making our cities too utilitarian for its people.

We speak to a regular guest of the show, Alice Sabrina Ismail for the final time this year to get her thoughts and reflections on the conversations that we’ve had this year on urban design and architecture and how these chats can be made more accessible for the larger public.

Street names play a huge role in creating a sense of identity and attachment to places, but we may not reflect or think about them enough. In this episode, we look at how streets in KL get their names, how these names then evolved, and what we can do to make sure we stay connected to the identity of these streets and areas, despite the constant changes.

Parks are generally seen as public spaces for people to use for recreational and social purposes. But despite that general perception, parks too can be susceptible to accidental segmentation that somehow make them inclusive to some, but not inclusive to others. We explore that in this episode with Lim Sheau Yun, who wrote an article dissecting this issue and her observation of it.The article can be read here.

Politics can be pretty exciting for those who love it, but intimidating and confusing for those who are not as invested in them. Therefore, it’s crucial to find a more unique way to make it more accessible. This is what the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism or C4 is doing ahead of the upcoming GE15 with Build My-Town, a new card game that teaches players about the role of MPs, and the importance of reforms. We talk to them to learn more about how the game is played and why it’s important to find creative ways to engage with the public when it comes to politics.

Murals are pretty prevalent in our surroundings and have become more common these days, in the form of graffitis. But historically, they have also appeared on a lot of formal institutions as well, albeit in slightly different forms. In this episode, we look at the close relationship that our buildings have with murals, and how they’ve evolved. Our resident heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa joins us to reflect on the topic.

The conversation surrounding the development of smart cities may not be as prominent these days, but it has always been there or thereabouts in our collective consciousness. Should we strive to develop a smart city, especially in an age where technological advancements are more prevalent in our lives? Or are there other things that we should prioritise first, while being wary of the potential pitfalls that are there when it comes to creating smart cities? Joining us to unpack this is Ong Kar Jin, Chief Strategy Officer at Nought Labs.Image by Pikisuperstar on freepik.com

Have you ever felt frustrated choosing a perfume that does not have the exact scent you’re looking for? Have you ever thought about making your own perfume that has all your favourite ingredients? Ark Workshop & Lifestyle might be able to help you achieve that dream, as they provide workshops specifically on that very tricky but satisfying craft. Co-founders Shawn Wong and Mandy Onn share their knowledge on perfumes and scented candles and how empowering it can be for you to make your own custom fragrances and candles.Image Source: Ark Workshop & Lifestyle

We’ve spoken about the importance of preserving heritage buildings many times on the show, but how do people actually go about doing it? Our resident heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa joins us on the show for a candid conversation on her experience working in her field and convincing building owners and authorities on the importance of preserving heritage.Image Source: Goodolga, 123rf.com

Kedai KL, an artisanal marketplace, is the latest hip spot in town that champions local entrepreneurs and artisans by providing them with spaces to showcase their products and services. We speak to the co-founders, Dato’ Sharon Haniffa and Datin Christine Bong to find out the thought process that goes into curating the marketplace, as well as what they plan to achieve with Kedai KL moving forward.Image Source: Kedai KL

According to the World Bank, Malaysia can now be considered an ageing nation, with more than 7 percent of our population belonging in the age group of 65 years old and above. This number is expected to double by 2044, making our society an “aged society” by then. How can we accommodate this segment of the population in the design of our cities? Alice Sabrina Ismail, Director of Architecture at the Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia joins us on the show to discuss the topic.Image Source: 123rf.com/profile_bee32

We catch up with Kenneth Ch’ng, founder of Malaysia Origami Association to find out how the origami enthusiasts and his association and academy coped with the pandemic and continued their passion for folding papers during those trying times, and what the scene will be like moving forward. We also ask Kenneth about some of the new trends that he observed in the origami world.Image Source: Kenneth Ch’ng, Malaysia Origami Association

In this episode, we look at Chin Woo Stadium, located on Petaling Hill and accompanied by other iconic sporting monuments around the vicinity. While it may not be as well-known as Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Nasional, Chin Woo Stadium continues to serve the community for sporting and cultural events and is very much still relevant, despite its old age. We unpack the story behind the stadium.Image Source: Uwe Aranas / Shutterstock.com

Last week, the Ministry of Housing and Local Government launched Indeks Daya Huni Malaysia or Malaysia’s Liveability Index. What makes a city or a place liveable and how does good urban design lay a solid foundation for places to be considered liveable? We speak to Shuhana Shamsuddin, President of Pereka Bandar, who attended the launch of the index, to find out more.Image Source: 123rf.com/profile_sergiodvphoto

The recent plan by DBKL to encourage the culture of walking by closing Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman every Sunday has got us wondering about whether our cities are designed to be walkable. The walkability of a city goes beyond just having pedestrian pavements, and involves a lot more other factors. Shuhana Shamsuddin from Pereka Bandar joins us on the show to explain how good urban design is crucial in ensuring walkability for the people living in the city.Image Source: ©abdulrazaklatif/123RF.COM

Tokosue, an indie bookstore, started its life during the pandemic, as a way for its owner, Sue Ahmad to sell her self-published book. It soon grew into a reliable sanctuary for indie book lovers out there to get their books. Not satisfied with that, and feeling the need to fulfil her lifelong dream of owning a real bookstore, its owner, Sue Ahmad opened the brick-and-mortar version of the bookstore in Wisma Central earlier this year. She joins us on the show to share her journey, from self-publishing DIY zines to opening Tokosue for the community.

After years serving its neighbourhood, the work to demolish Plaza OUG has finally started to make way for a new development. As people reminisce about the time they spent there and the memories that they have of the place, we look at how malls, especially neighbourhood malls, serve a bigger function to our lives than just for their intended purpose.Image Source: Malaysia Shopping Malls (facebook.com/MYShoppingMalls)