10 Historic Malaysian Buildings Putting Adaptive Reuse to Work

Words by: Aqilah Najwa Jamaluddin

Malaysia’s historic buildings have lived through more than one era. Some have changed owners and occupations; others have survived fire, neglect or the pressures of a rapidly changing city.  Today, a new generation of architects and custodians is finding ways to keep these places relevant without erasing what came before.

From former cinemas and schools to shophouses, mansions and warehouses, these projects reveal the possibilities of giving old places a future.

1. The Campus Ampang, Selangor

For decades, this was the International School of Kuala Lumpur. Today, its former campus has become The Campus Ampang, a lifestyle and community destination that retains much of the school’s physical character. 

Major elements including the theatre, swimming pool, football field and existing structural frame were retained, while courtyards, shaded walkways and naturally ventilated spaces give the site a new rhythm. The project offers a different idea of what a contemporary commercial development can be: one built around what was already there.

Address: Ampang, Selangor
Completion Year: 2025
Designed by: HL Architecture Sdn Bhd

2. Medan Pasar Nos. 2 & 4, Kuala Lumpur

Long before Kuala Lumpur’s skyline took shape, Medan Pasar was one of the city’s important commercial centres. Built in 1906 by Loke Yew and designed by Indian-Anglo architect Abdul Kadier Moosdeen, Nos. 2 and 4 are among the early three-storey shophouses that established the architectural character of the square. 

Their Dutch-stepped gables, Ionic pilasters and semicircular windows remain distinctive reminders of how European revivalist influences were interpreted through the tropical shophouse. The conservation project now introduces contemporary commercial and creative uses into the buildings.

Address: Nos. 2 & 4, Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur
Completion Year: 2026
Designed by: Abdul Kadier Moosdeen
Conservation Project by: Arkitek LLA Sdn Bhd

3. Seri Negara, Kuala Lumpur

Some buildings carry a history larger than their walls. Opened in 1913 as the official guesthouse for British administrators, Seri Negara later became known as King’s House and Istana Tetamu before taking its present name. 

The residence also witnessed moments that shaped the country, including the signing of the Federation of Malaya Agreement in 1948 and the Independence Agreement in 1957. Its restoration now opens the historic house to the public through galleries, cultural spaces and dining.

Address: Persiaran Tuanku Ja’afar, Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur
Completion Year: 2025
Project by: HL Architecture Sdn Bhd in collaboration with CGB Consultants Sdn Bhd

4. Rumah Tangsi, Kuala Lumpur

Before it became Rumah Tangsi, this was Loke Hall, the grand town residence of businessman Loke Chow Kit. Designed by A.K. Moosdeen and completed in 1907, the Palladian-style mansion later became the Empire Hotel and Peninsula Hotel before serving as the Malaysian Institute of Architects’ headquarters. 

Today, the National Heritage building continues as a social and cultural venue, carrying traces of each chapter within its walls.

Address: No. 11, Jalan Tangsi, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Completion Year: 2017
Designed by: A.K. Moosdeen
Conservation: Kuala Lumpur City Hall with conservation input and custodianship by PAM

5. REXKL, Kuala Lumpur

REXKL began as a cinema and eventually became a building in search of a purpose. After years of disuse and repeated fires, the 6,000-square-metre structure was adapted into a community-driven cultural and creative hub. 

Its original façade and tiled surfaces were retained, while the cinema layout and staircase were reworked for exhibitions, performances, workshops, retail and food and beverage.

Address: 80, Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Completion Year: 2019
Designed by: Mentahmatter Design Sdn Bhd

6. Else Kuala Lumpur

The Lee Rubber Building once occupied a prominent place in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown skyline. Built in the 1930s, the Art Deco landmark has since taken on a very different role as Else Kuala Lumpur, a 49-room boutique hotel. 

The restoration retained the historic building while introducing a new hospitality programme, with Studio Bikin leading the restorative and repurposing work and Faizah Architect executing the restoration.

Address: 145, Jalan Tun H S Lee, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Completion Year: 2022
Restoration by: Faizah Architect
Restorative and Repurposing Design by: Studio Bikin

7. The Godown, Kuala Lumpur

A warehouse may sound like an unlikely home for culture, but that is precisely what gives The Godown its character. The former colonial trading building now sits alongside a contemporary extension designed as an arts and community centre. 

Rather than competing with the old structure, the newer architecture creates a dialogue between historic fabric, landscape and public space.

Address: 7 & 11, Lorong Ampang, Jalan Bukit Nanas, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Completion Year: 2020
Designed by: Malek Hassan Architect in collaboration with Linghao Architects

8. 123 Macalister Street, Penang

Straits Eclectic architecture is often defined by its mixture of influences, and 123 Macalister is a particularly fine example. The heritage bungalow combines Chinese, European and Malay references within a single residence. 

Its restoration was completed in 2021 before the building was adapted for contemporary office use in 2023, with modern requirements introduced while its historic character remained intact.

Address: 123 Macalister Road, George Town, Penang
Completion Year: 2023
Restoration by: WK Khor Architect
Adaptive Reuse by: Z & SR Architectural Ventures

9. Rumah Kechik, Melaka

Three 200-year-old shophouses form the setting for Rumah Kechik, an extension of Baba House Melaka. Kaizen Architecture approached the historic structures through insertion and subtraction, introducing a restaurant, function rooms and gym without turning the old fabric into a stage set.

The result is a layered interior in which new interventions sit alongside the traces of the original shophouses.

Address: Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka
Completion Year: 2024
Designed by: Kaizen Architecture

10. Piccadilly Bazaar, George Town

Sometimes the history of a building is written into its scars. At Piccadilly Bazaar, a fire left behind charred timber, weathered brick and fragments of the original structure. Rather than remove these traces, the adaptive reuse project incorporated them into the new spaces, allowing the damage itself to become part of the architecture. 

The result is a commercial and cultural destination that acknowledges what happened to the building instead of pretending it did not.

Address: George Town, Penang
Completion Year: 2026
Designed by: CKHO Architect