The Row, Kuala Lumpur

19 Apr

Written By Pocket Projects

BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO A FORGOTTEN HERITAGE ROW OF 22 SHOPHOUSES.

The Project

The Site: A row of 22 1940s shophouses in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, functioning as an entertainment strip of individual night clubs and bars

The Brief: Propose, finance and deliver a low-cost, creative solution to change the image of the area, drive rental yield, all within a limited budget, while maintaining and adapting the shophouses.

The Challenge: Launched nearly a decade ago as a cluster of stylish food and beverage outlets, the character of the place was later transformed by bars and clubs moving in. The image of the Row has declined sharply in recent years, and rental yields have suffered. In addition to the rebranding of the place, the challenge was to deliver a redevelopment solution within a tight budget.

Our Vision:

Develop a new “creative enclave” that will house independent, creative and small businesses who seek a well-designed environment with a critical mass of complementary amenities and like-minded businesses
Rekindle a sense of community and conviviality through shared enjoyment of common, public spaces where people can gather, collaborate or just chill out.

The Row before the conversion.

Our Solution:

Develop fantastic design solutions together with talented architects from KL and Singapore, offering two unique yet complementary solutions to the two parts of the site.
Select tenants who see the potential in the space and the community growing at The Row
Design a social and spatial ‘hub’ in the form of a dramatic semi-public events space, adapted from an old nightclub and ready for communal use by our tenants and the public (pictured above)
Retain the familiarity and intimacy of the shophouse typology while creating a vibrant, design-oriented environment that embraces greenery, daylight and fresh air to appeal to those looking for an alternative to ubiquitous air-conditioned megamalls that have come to characterise KL.
Inject unique, green and sheltered public space that will serve as a hub for tenants, residents and visitors alike.