MUSEUM FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN INDIGENOUS TEXTILES : KUALA LUMPUR

Abstract

This thesis project attempts to integrate the site at macro level where the site is seen as having potential in setting a continuous route for cultural activities. The riverwalk will be further enhanced by culturally significant buildings along the route and together with the proposed Museum, it will help to strengthen the urban imagery of the city. Prior to the study of urban morphological layering of the city, one will notice the strict order of grid pattern laid down by the colonial government which has now become the urban fabric of the city Kuala Lumpur. I have chosen to extend this grid pattern to the site where It orientate perpendicularly to the edge of the river and this becomes the basic organising element for the thesis project, Museum. This thesis project will be dealing with the issue of preserving a lost culture or textile traditions. Before all these treasured textiles disappear, there should be a proper place to house these textiles and exhibited to the public. The act of preserving these textiles in the Museum enhances the notion of bridging the past (textile traditions) to the future. To further execute this idea at another level, the site selected is situated between the gold" city fabric on the east and new fragments of the city on the west. The circulation within the main textile hanging exhibition gallery has been carefully planned such that the spectacle of movement within the Museum gallery is the main issue emphasized in the thesis project. As one ramps within the Museum, the viewing of textile are viewed with changing backdrop of the city of new and old to new and old. Viewing these textiles with shifting backdrop of the city can give rise to "new" interpretation of "old" textiles displayed and at this point, the notion of bridging the past to future can be felt. As such, viewing the textile with changing backdrop enhances the change and continuity with the conciousness of progress in mind. The role of Museum as an educational tool will be demonstrated with workshops below the Museum demonstrating dying tread, spinning, weaving, printing, drawing and embroidery works which all are true textile traditions of South-east Asia. To further educate the public on indigenous textiles of South-east Asia, there are museum library, auditorium, intoducing indigenous textiles through VCR video screening, studios and classrooms available. Since the existing site was an open carpark, the number of existing car parking lots will be replaced with sufficient additional lots for the Museum all in basement car parking. Being sensitive to the existing openness of the site and the site being in the city center, the Museum will only take up a portion of the site returning huge open plaza to the public. If materialised, The Museum for South-east Asian Indigenous textiles will be the first textile museum of international standard in South-east Asia, something the South-east Asian can be proud of.