Project 7 : Analysis of GWHS Buildings

In this group assignment, we were asked to choose 3 buildings in the Georgetown World Heritage site and do site analysis.

So, in this group, with Colonial Buildings theme, we had choose :

Suffolk House

Standard Charted Bank

Eastern and Oriental Hotel

The first things to do of course the site visit.

During the site visit, many pictures were captured and other information that we can gained from the site.

Next, we collect more information on these 3 buildings from the internet, especially about the history, background and etc.

I was likely involve mostly in the Suffolk House.

So here i will explain about the Suffolk House.

The Suffolk House

Suffolk House also known as the Great House once upon a time.

It was the resident of Francis Light.

History :

(source: Wikipedia)

In Penang, Malaysia, the Suffolk House refers to two early residences built on the same site located some four miles west of George Town, Penang, on the banks of the Air Itam River(Black Water River). The earliest of the two buildings is notable for serving as the residence of Francis Light, the founder of the British settlement on the Prince of Wales Island, commonly known as Penang Island. Following Light's death in 1794, and with Penang becoming the fourth presidency of India in 1805, a newer Suffolk House replaced the original house, assuming multiple roles and was later neglected before its current restoration.

The mansion and the estate it was built on, the Suffolk Estate, is presumably named after Suffolkcounty in England. Light was born in Dallinghoo, Suffolk in East Anglia.

Architecture Style

The Original House was a simply a humble timber and attap garden house, fashioned in a simple anglo-Indian Garden House style formerly common in British India. The current Suffolk House is a detached double-storey building of Euro-India Georgian Styling. It sits upon land once owned by Light as his pepper estate whereupon Light built a humble timber and attap garden house, as noted in letters from visiting friends. The current colonnaded Euro-Indian Georgian Building was thought to have been built by W.E. Philips following his purchase of the land from Light's former partner, Scott.

Restoration/ Renovation :

this building had undergo a few phase of restoration.

In 1993, Penang Heritage Trust has conducted a dilapidation survey of the Suffolk House . Then, in 2000, the State Government allocated RM500,000 to kickstart the physical conservation works and appointed Arkitek LLA Sdn. Bhd. to manage the project. The conservation architect, Ar.Laurence Loh remain faithful to its original design, Laurence relied on the painting of Suffolk House done between 1811 and 1818. Even the electrical lamps which ordered from India, are similiar in design to the period oil lamp seen in the old photographic. The restoration was complete in June 2007 with the collaboration of the state, HSBC Bank, The Penang Heritage Trust and members of the public with the total cost about RM 5 million.

Function:

The Suffolk House currently function as museum and restaurant.

It is open to self guided tourist to visit this heritage building from 10 am to 6pm everyday. It's also now a western dining restaurant, known as Suffolk House Restaurant.

The significant ornaments that captured our attention.

1. the Indian oil lamps which is specially import from India.

2. The big pillars that always stand in two signifies the anglo-indian garden house style.

3. The english design of the doors.

Preparing the presentation board...

Our final product.

Presentation board of our site analysis with promotion concept.