Narrating Muar

30th June 2011. Written by Xin Li.
Jointly organized by the University of Malaya and the National University of Singapore, Narrating Muar is an in-depth study of Muar’s rich heritage. It is part of the UM-NUS Joint Studio Programme that conducted urban studies and measured drawings of shophouses and townhouses in historic towns and cities of Malaysia such as Melaka (2005), Penang (2006), Kuching (2008), Kuala Terengganu (2009) and Taiping (2010). The programme is funded by the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation.

After several weeks of intense auto cadding, drawing, measuring, tracing, lasering, modeling and cutting (basically studio) , they have come up with studies of four shophouses that “reflect the town’s history of nonchalance in some ways”.

Sorry for the low-res images (taken with IPad 2), do make a trip down to NUS Museum and catch the exhibition. In my very honest opinion, this was better presented than the postscript exhibition (though some might find the inclusion of banners, bicycle and kopi gimmicky, I am fine with it).

Patterns on an ornate screen door found in one of the shophouses.

Models of the shophouses. The Lau Residence (Above), Gan Residence (Below)

Tin Ah Coffee Shop (Below)

A table of preparatory studies includes drawings of the patterns on the screen doors, rough measurements, sketches, drafts etc. It is a lot of work, a glimpse into what you might be doing in architecture course (while you burn your weekends away).

Narrating Muar
NUS Museum
50 Kent Ridge Crescent
Lee Kong Chian Gallery
26th June – 24th July 2011

10 am to 7.30 pm (Tues to Saturdays)
10 am to 6.00 pm (Sunday)
Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays
Admission is FREE