In a world where urban development often overshadows cultural heritage, the trend of preserving and repurposing historical sites into vibrant weekend hangouts is gaining momentum. These transformed spaces honour their rich histories and breathe new life into communities, offering unique experiences for visitors.
From a once-abandoned theatre now bustling with cafes to a railway station turned performing arts centre, these remarkable sites showcase the beauty of blending the old with the new. Explore these enchanting locations celebrating their past while inviting everyone to enjoy their contemporary charm.
1. REXKL, Kuala Lumpur
After being abandoned for a while, the once-iconic Rex Cinema has become a thriving centre for the arts and culture featuring REXPERIENCE (RXP.KL), an immersive digital art space. The goal of REXKL is to restore the beloved site, maintaining its legacy instead of knocking it down and beginning anew.
You will find F&B spots, arts and crafts shops, a bookstore (BookXcess), and occasional events gathering the community through the love of arts and culture. People are returning to Downtown KL thanks to the architectural team who took on the challenge of repurposing this building.
Address: 80, Jalan Sultan, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
2. Semua House, Kuala Lumpur
Founded in 1985, Semua House is a familiar destination for Kuala Lumpur residents, marked by its orange facade and worn sign along Jalan Bunus. Many of us fondly recall visiting this shopping complex to buy festive necessities and enjoy a meal at the food court. The cherished building has seen a major interior transformation, replacing the old mom-and-pop shops with vibrant public art installations, Instagram-friendly hangout areas, a mini indoor skate park, and colourful corners.
Address: Jalan Bunus 6, City Centre, 50100 Kuala Lumpur
3. Mohd Chan Restaurant, Ipoh, Perak
When it comes to historic theatres in Perak, particularly those in Ipoh, several groups have begun to take action to restore and revitalise these structures through reuse. Panggung Ruby is one of these nostalgic theatres that has been given a new breath.
It’s been converted into a new Mohd Chan branch, the Chinese Muslim restaurant, in the tourist city of Ipoh. By maintaining most of the building’s interior, the restaurant decided to design the restaurant as if you are dining in the theatre, which makes it retro and chic.
Address: 56, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Perak
4. Caffé Diem, Alor Setar, Kedah
Caffé Diem, a coffee shop and event space, is located in refurbished pre-war shophouses in Pekan Cina, Alor Setar, Kedah. Established in May 2013 by a local architecture firm, the building was originally a prison during British rule in the 1800s.
The two-story venue features a coffee bar and the Perahu Room, an enclosed café with a perahu (boat) hanging from the ceiling. The first floor includes the Tunku Room, a large space for private functions, and the China Room, a private dining area that was once the master bedroom of the former owner.
Address: 44, Jalan Penjara Lama, Bandar Alor Setar, 05000 Alor Setar, Kedah
5. Chocha Foodstore, Kuala Lumpur
Chocha, a restaurant-café situated in a century-old two-story shophouse in Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, is named after the Hakka words for ‘sit’ and ‘tea’. The original structure was built in the 1920s and has been home to a variety of enterprises. The ‘Mah Lian Hotel’ signage is kept in place even after Chocha Foodstore moved in to honour the building’s heritage. The tiny old-fashioned mosaic tiles covering the exterior walls are kept intact as well.
Currently, the building is home to a bar and a restaurant: Botak Liquor, a garden-themed bar on the first floor, and Chocha Foodstore, serving Malaysian food with a twist on the ground floor.
Address: 156, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
6. Arlene House – Kapitan Chung Thye Phin Building, Ipoh, Perak
Kapitan Chung Thye Phin, a significant player in the tin and rubber industries during Malaya’s tin era, commissioned the building of Arlene House in 1905. Arlene House is sometimes referred to as the Kapitan Chung Thye Phin Building or ‘Phin Kee Chan’. The building, which has a Neo-Classical Victorian-Palladian style, was conserved, and restoration works were completed in 2020.
Its nostalgic charm has made it one of the most photographed sites from its heyday. The Made In Ipoh History & Heritage Gallery Museum, showcasing ‘The Last Kapitan Of Malaya’ and ‘Ipoh, The City That Tin Built’, is currently housed in Arlene House. The gallery provides guided and unguided tours, a variety of events, and rotating exhibitions. On the other hand, Arlene Terrace is also home to a 3D Trick Art gallery museum called Funtasy House.
Address: 18, Jalan Dato Maharajalela, 30000 Ipoh, Perak
7. The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Kuala Lumpur
The Actors Studio @ Plaza Putra was once Malaysia’s leading performing arts centre until it was destroyed by a flash flood in 2003. In collaboration with YTL Corp Bhd and Yayasan Budi Penyayang, The Actors Studio established a new venue in Sentul, now known as the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC).
The site is a remainder of the Federated Malay States Railway, which has now been transformed into a community centre. It comprises a proscenium theatre, an experimental black box theatre, an academy housing nine studios, a flexible space accommodating 100 people for smaller shows and independent film screenings, a workshop for building sets, and more.
Address: Jln Sultan Azlan Shah, Sentul, 51100 Kuala Lumpur
8. Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang
Constructed in 1947, the Hin Bus Depot on Jalan Gurdwara in George Town stands out from the region’s Victorian and Georgian architecture with its striking Art-Deco design. Once one of Penang’s most fashionable bus stations, the depot transformed in 2014 when Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic repurposed it as an exhibition space. His exhibition, ‘Art Is Rubbish Is Art’, showcased artworks created from discarded materials.
With only minor adjustments, the venue’s original structure was preserved, allowing its interior to serve as a blank canvas for artistic expression. Today, the renovated depot supports local artists and hosts a variety of events.
Address: 31A, Jalan Gurdwara, 10300 George Town, Penang
