Every story starts from somewhere and ours is of no exception. To understand how The Stories of Taman Tunku is what it is today is to go back in time to the 1930s when the area of Bukit Tunku or as it was known then as Kenny Hills was a rubber estate known as the Batu Estate. An architect by the name of Arthur Oakley Coltman (AO Coltman) who was the sole proprietor of Booty & Edwards (known as BEP Akitek today), an architectural firm and his good friend, a Danish engineer by the name of Steen Sehested would often go on walks around the area and they came across Batu Estate. As they walked along the estate, they realized it could be a nice place to turn into a residential area. Their dream and plan would only be realized after the 1940s as World War II broke out in 1939 and drew more than half of the world into conflict.

After the war, they came back to Malaya again and made the decision that they were going to try and broker a development for the Batu Estate area. They met up with Harrisons and Crosfield who are the landowners and matched them together with the Anglo-Thai Corporation who has the funds and through this venture, the construction and development company known as Eward Land Corporation was born. Eward now being the original master developer and planner for Batu Estate, got Coltman to design a master plan, which comprised almost 200 acres of land. So, in 1948, it was published in the papers that there is such a development that was going to happen and with it six miles of road systems, individual lots to be carved out for people to build houses on them which was around an acre in size, and these land parcels where being sold after they got all the basic utilities in like water, electricity, etc.

Kuala Lumpur was going through a lot of development at that time and most residential houses were concentrated around the area now known as Jalan Ampang. As urban congestion started to grow, many people, especially individual owners started to look outwards from the city center and at places such as Kenny Hills. As the years went by, Kenny Hills, or what we now call as Bukit Tunku grew to be a popular residential area for many professionals such as doctors, government agents and even officers of high ranking.It would be in the 1960s, some 20 years later that The Crescent or the protagonist of our story,The Stories of Taman Tunku, would be built and completed. As a treasured piece of our country’s past, The Crescent still stands tall today and refreshed with a whole new look and ready to be called home by a new generation of residents and tenants alike. Want to know who actually built it?

See you in our next blog.

Since the 1960s, much around the neighbourhood of Taman Tunku has changed. Today, after going through a meticulous and enriching refurbishment project undertaken by Selangor Properties, The Stories of Taman Tunku still stands as a legacy of the man along with his team of architects and designers that saw the project to completion and finished it back in the 1960s. That man is Dato Kington Loo.

Dato Kington lived in various parts of SouthEast Asia before settling professionally in Malaysia, or Malaya as it was called at that time. To begin, Dato Kington Loo was born on 17th October 1930 in Kuala Lumpur. He was educated in Batu Road School, which is the oldest primary school in Kuala Lumpur. Hoping to avoid the threat of the Japanese invasion in World War II, young Dato Kington moved from Selangor to Singapore before he was even 13 years old. When the Japanese invasion threatened Singapore, he and his family relocated yet again and this time, ending up in India, where he remained till the war was over.It was in India that Dato Kington continued his studies and learned Hindi and Urdu. When the family moved to Delhi during the great famine of 1945, He went to St Columbas High School until Junior Cambridge.

When the war ended, Dato Kington returned to Malaya with his family and started his Form 4 education in the Victoria Institution. He enrolled into Government Commercial Day school where he learned typing, shorthand, and book-keeping. He then spent a year and a half at the KL Technical College studying architecture, before furthering his architectural studies at the University of Melbourne. Upon graduation in 1953, he returned to Kuala Lumpur and joined Booty, Edwards & Partners, where he would later become partner. It would be through Booty, Edwards & Partners (later renamed as BEP Akitek Sdn Bhd) that he, along with his partners, led the profession in pioneering famous projects and buildings that we know today, such as the Subang Airport, Dewan Tunku Canselor, Dayabumi Complex (Menara Dayabumi), structures in Zoo Negara, Standard Chartered Building and more. In 1962, He became the first Malayan president of the Federation of Malaya Society of Architects (FMSA) which is the precursor of the Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM) and also the Board of Architects Malaysia (BAM). Dato Kington Loo displayed a strong commitment to the cause of the natural environment and fine arts when he was the Chairman of the Malaysian Zoological Society, as well as the founding trustee of the Worldwide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWFM). He also served as the chairman of the Malaysian Arts Council and was in the working committee for the National Art Gallery.

Dato Kington Loo passed away on 21st March 2003. He will fondly be remembered as a man who was down to earth, well-principled, and committed to the work that he does. Of all his many contributions, we will always remember him for his dedication towards The Stories of Taman Tunku; And to commemorate his life through the Kington Loo Walk, something exciting will be coming soon.

Stay tuned, and see you in our next blog.

HERITAGE is a value that can be handed down the generations. Whether they come in the form of customs, culture, locality, buildings, archives, manuscripts, they represent a bygone era, and the innate characteristic and values of a society and nation. Heritage buildings are a good example of this as they exude unique architectural, aesthetic, political and social features of a different time.Hence, the conservation of heritage buildings is pertinent, especially in enhancing the society’s knowledge on history.

Malaysia achieved independence more than six decades ago with the colonial powers like the British, Dutch, and Portuguese leaving behind their legacy through the many buildings built during the pre-independence days. For example, the Dutch and Portuguese colonial legacy can be seen from a number of heritage buildings left in Malacca, including the Porta de Santiago Gateway (1511), the remnants of St Paul’s Church (1590), and Christ Church (1753). However valuable these buildings may be,, historical legacy is no match to the lure of the present-day real estate boom. Together with rapid development and urbanisation, the whole scenario poses a constant threat to heritage buildings in the country.

While the public and conservationists consider these buildings historical and should be preserved, some owners, realtors, and developers often view them as a threat or hurdle to development. This is especially pressing as most heritage buildings in Kuala Lumpur are located in prime locations, where the land fetches a hefty premium. This poses a challenge to the owners and developers who view the locations as a goldmine as they could provide lucrative returns through redevelopment. However, a detailed study and observation will show that the heritage buildings play an important role and are the ones that add value to a location.

Their economic potential could be realised through heritage tourism. These tourism products are not limited to buildings alone, as they include nature’s heritage, archaeological heritage, and intangible heritage. Together, they are a great source of income for the nation. Through close cooperation among related agencies, heritage buildings could be protected and conserved in Malaysia. The effort, in turn, would bring economic returns through the increase in the value of heritage assets or by the economic returns they generate through heritage tourism. Conserving heritage buildings is an artwork itself that needs careful study and patience. However, the outcome will make us proud one day. A heritage building’s value is not quantifiable. Once it’s lost, it can never be replaced and can be considered gone for good.

Selangor Properties has embarked on a refurbishment project to transform The Crescent into what it is today,The Stories of Taman Tunku. The area provides a familiar yet fresh haven, away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Here, through a keen and evolving understanding of our community’s needs, The Stories offers curated living and working spaces that motivate people to discover shared interests. In doing so, we encourage people to bond with each other, with their surroundings and with themselves, enriching the stories of their lives. The Stories would also be a home to several homegrown and bespoke brands that have a story or two to share.

Introducing our anchor tenant and a new addition to the neighbourhood: QRA, a modern neighbourhood grocer with a mission to curate healthier alternatives, customised meals and inspiration for you and the community. They are always striving to bring in the freshest produce, all while supporting local businesses,all this to make quality food more convenient and accessible so you can eat well and live well.

The community is also graced with the presence of POSH, our very own community nail and beauty salon. Started off with just one staff in a humble two seater-sized salon back in 2010,they’ve now expanded to 3 outlets, with their 4th and latest residing at The Stories. You may find a repertoire of beauty & pampering services from head to toe available at their space for at POSH, they are Passionate about self-care and self-love. You are the reason they take Ownership in the work of their hands and Serving you is their greatest joy as they love creating happiness, Honoring you for who you are and who you made them to be.

Bringing in the long lost art of culinary butchery will be one of the newest additions to The Stories, named Cork & Cleaver. Here to deliver a unique experience of the farm-to-table notion with their hybrid butcher restaurant concept, customers that dine here would be intrigued by new cuts and the ability to experiment with their own version of meat-based dishes. Their butchers and chefs are more than happy to share tips on choosing meats and cuts with the best ways to cook them.

For those who patron The Stories way back in the days would be familiar with our next tenants:KennyHills Bakers. Dating back to 2014, KennyHills Bakers started out as a small bakery & cafe operating in a tiny half lot in Taman Tunku. Their sole purpose was to serve great coffee, amazing pastries, cakes and organic bread to the local community. Since day 1, their philosophy is all about sourcing the best ingredients, crafting everything fresh by hand and their passion into everything they do. Fast forward to 2020, they have returned to The Stories with a new makeover and experience for their patrons.

The Stories has also a few additional tenants that are new to the community such as Ahh-Yum. The story of Ahh-Yum was born out of a longing to have home-cooked comfort food whenever and wherever. Every ingredient is scrutinized from its source till they are served right in front of you, staying true to their mission which is to provide halal, freshly cooked, nostalgic and no added MSG, preservatives or artificial colouring.

We look forward to unveiling more of our tenants in the coming months. Stay tuned on our social pages and we look forward to serving the community and you.

Dato Kington Loo, the man who oversaw The Crescent’s design till its completion in the 1960s was an inspiration to the architecture industry of Malaysia. As mentioned in our previous blogs, he pioneered together with BEP Akitek many iconic buildings that are still standing today such as the Subang Airport, Dewan Tunku Caunselor and The Dayabumi Complex. Here at The Stories, we spoke to 3 personalities on their thoughts of how they heard of Dato Kington Loo.

We met with Mr Swaminathan Jayaraman, or fondly known by people as Swami. Born in Malaysia and then emigrated to the UK with his parents at a very young age, Swami was schooled as well as worked there for several years. In the early 90s, he worked with the company that was overseeing KLIA airport and by coincidence, he was subsequently sent back to Malaysia, and he’s been settled here since. Currently, he owns a business of more than 10 years now that delves in interior design, branding, change management, construction, predominantly servicing for clients such as workplace education and retail sectors.

Swami first heard of Kington Loo while he was staying with his uncle in Malaysia in the early 90s. His uncle, a prominent doctor in urology and nephrology, was acquainted with Kington as he was the architect of the KL Hospital Nephrology Centre. Knowing that Swami came from a construction background, his uncle often spoke fondly of Kington Loo to him, describing the many positive qualities of the man. After this brief experience, Swami realised that Kington Loo’s name would often come up again and again in conversations in his line of work, sometimes even involving projects that Swami was undertaking.

Apart from Swami, we’ve also had the opportunity to speak with Shin Tseng, the director of Urban Agenda Design and co-founder of REX KL. Urban Agenda provides services in urban planning, architectural design and interior design, with the focus of employing holistic approaches and placemaking that build new communities. Their most basic urban criteria is to put people at the forefront of their design. In regards to his thoughts on Kington Loo, Shin Tseng shares that Kington was an unsung hero to Malaysians by and large as many of us have grown up with the many buildings that were designed by him. He also adds that it is through Kington’s significant role in nation-building that people should celebrate him as a Malaysian icon.

Another personality that we spoke to was Kenzy, or better known as NOYZ134. Kenzy is a graffiti artist, illustrator, and mural painter tasked to translate Kington Loo’s buildings into art at The Stories. The inspiration for his craft comes from his intrigue towards shapes and structure in our daily life such as buildings, cars, robots, and even human behaviour, body language and movement. Despite not originating from an architecture background, he learnt about Kington Loo through his monumental structures, citing the Dayabumi Complex, REX KL and Zoo Negara as some of his favourites.

Dato Kington Loo was an inspiration to many through his personality and projects. In the article “Kington Among Men” published in March 2003, it was said that at the time of his passing, it only took a couple of phone calls from those who knew Kington Loo personally to volunteer information and to pay tribute to one of the most celebrated figures in the architectural profession. The president of PAM (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia), Ms Tan Pei Ing, remembers Loo as a man who carried himself well and dignified. He was also a very distinguished-looking figure. She recalled being impressed when she saw Loo for the first time and wanted to make him her role model. He was also very approachable and had the ability to command respect from everyone who knew him.

Her story of Kington Loo was no different from the personalities we spoke to on how they met him. Swami recalled his favourite project of Kington Loo turns out to be a project Swami himself was involved in, which was the Menara Dayabumi in the mid-2000s. He was amazed by the building and spaces of the entire development, stating that it wasn’t just modernist, brutal, or even just a building but rather it felt appropriate and very Malaysian. It was inspiring to Swami, who thought of Kington Loo having taken such a modernist approach in the materials he used such as steel, glass, or concrete to build. At the same time, he also didn’t forget about the environment. Much like Kenny Hills, most of the green landscape is part of his journey in modernizing the trends and buildings which are what we have here today at The Stories.

As for Shin Tseng, he believes that Kington Loo had always championed putting the public as the core in every project. Kington Loo believed that people are the actual occupants or end-users of the building. Shin Tseng also mentioned that despite Kington Loo’s work with the government and big developers back in the day, he has always put the agenda of people as the core of all his projects. As a closing statement, Shin believes that what Kington Loo has done and focused on should be emulated by every designer in this modern era before embarking on the aesthetic and design of a building.

As for Kenzy or NOYZ134, it would be a tribute to Loo as he will be embarking on a mural piece here at The Stories. He will be taking in the inspirations from buildings such as Dayabumi Complex, REX KL and Zoo Negara in turning his masterpiece into a memorable one for us to appreciate the achievements and legacy that Kington Loo has left behind for us.

Every city has a history, and it is through history that gives a city character and a sense of community. The preservation of heritage structures has been a journey of telling stories behind its architecture and how it was built to serve the community around that period of time. Using Kuala Lumpur as an example, buildings like the Sultan Abdul Samad Building which was completed in 1897, and the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station completed in 1910 that is still standing today, tells the stories of our country during our pre-independence days.

There are several benefits of preserving heritage buildings, one of them being that buildings are witnesses to the aesthetic and cultural shift of a city, telling people the story of the place and its connection to the past. Charming elements such as its architecture and location also portray values that can be difficult to find in a modern city such as bespoke structures, classical architecture and curated greenspace that is part of the area itself.

Another tried and true benefit would be that heritage buildings bring about certain economic factors to companies that embark on upgrading and refurbishment projects. Buildings built prior to World War II are often made of high-quality materials. Today, newer buildings tend to have a life expectancy of only 30-40 years, whereas many older buildings were made to last. It would make sense then, from an economic perspective, to retain and improve older buildings to meet modern trends while maintaining the core of its historic architecture. Turning an old apartment complex into mixed development would give life to the community around and a sure way for people to gather and tell their stories in a unique place such as this.

On the environmental side of things, the preservation of heritage buildings would also reduce waste as resources used will consume less energy and materials rather than tearing down the entire structure, which might risk releasing toxins and pollutants in the already dense environment. Maintaining old surrounding landscaping would also be beneficial to the environment as it gives the surroundings a certain character that can be difficult to find in most city buildings nowadays. New materials don’t have to be created much nor demolished materials thrown away.

Selangor Properties has embarked on a refurbishment project to transform The Crescent into what it is today, The Stories of Taman Tunku. The area provides a familiar yet fresh haven, away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Here, through a keen and evolving understanding of our community’s needs, The Stories offers curated living and working spaces that motivate people to discover shared interests. In doing so, we encourage people to bond with each other, with their surroundings and with themselves, enriching the stories of their lives. The Stories would also be home to several homegrown and bespoke brands that have a story or two to share.

For those who fancy the views, you may find yourself in the refreshed and quaint environment of Princeps Bistro. Their offerings are vibrant and filled with colour as they dished out the creations of chef Jace Lok and team from the group behind Stoked and Smiths. The bistro has an overall European feel with alcove-inspired corners for stories to be told over dine and wine. Featuring a fresh menu from sunchoke soup to fennel salad accompanied with fish and fowl, Princeps Bistro is a place for everyone to enjoy a hearty meal with blissful views of the garden and alfresco dining. Do drop by for their Slayer-crafted coffee too.

The Stories would be graced by the arrival of another F&B offering known as Evoke Gastrobar. Though it has been thriving on land, it has succeeded in channelling the flavours of the sea. The team at Evoke believes in the idea that food must seduce, shape, and evoke an emotional response. That is what patrons of the place would be expecting with their European fusion inspired menu from starters like Mushroom Arancini and Niçoise salad to the likes of their mains like the Pulled Duck Carbonara Pasta and Prawn Arrabiata Pasta.

Another place that patrons can drop by for a quick break would be Wolf & Turtle Coffee. The name of the place came from a rather unique standpoint, such as the team works hard together like wolves, and they love turtles for their natural representation of longevity. Above all, they strive to serve you the best cup of coffee you can get here at The Stories. Their beans are freshly roasted from their suppliers and you may find a distinct taste of coffee from all around the world here. Look forward to tasting the best from their signature La Marzocco coffee machine, as quoted by a customer of theirs: “it’s just like sipping gold”. Do check out their official merc shop located right in the café itself too.

We look forward to unveiling more of our tenants in the coming months. Stay tuned on our social pages and we look forward to serving the community and you.