The Revival Of A Neglected Colonial Past (Part Two)

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THE REVIVAL OF A NEGLECTED COLONIAL PAST (PART TWO)

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“THIS IS BURMA , AND IT WILL BE QUITE UNLIKE ANY LAND YOU KNOW ABOUT. “ -RUDYARD KIPLING

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CONTENT PAGE before we begin Abstract Introduction to issues Research Direction Colonialism in Myanmar Colonial Downtown District

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the strategy The thesis

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kit of parts Catalogue Ceiling Grid Modular Furniture System

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readaptting with case studies Case Study 1: Heritage Apartment Case Study 2: Derelict Colonial Building

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the end Walthrough Video

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Abstract Yangon, the former capital city and largest city in Myanmar, has the densest concentration of colonial-era buildings in Asia. However, many of these colonial buildings are abandoned and left to crumble today. After decades of military rule, when Myanmar finally opened its doors to the world in 2011, these colonial buildings face the threat of being demolished and replaced to give way for urbanization. Sure enough, the colonial period in Myanmar were filled with atrocities and disorder. However, it was also the time when Burma underwent major transformation from a traditional, subsistence-oriented indigenous society into one of the then wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia. Thus, there is a need to preserve this colonial heritage to remind ourselves of our past glamour that our ancestors used to live in and hopefully, motivate us to work hard to make Myanmar a great country to live in again. When it comes to the conservation, we must ask ourselves, how do we ensure that we still continue to preserve the colonial heritage while promoting the modernization of Yangon in an architecturally sensitive way? How do we inject life into the dilapidating buildings so that they remain relevant and even contribute to Modern Yangon?

The goal of this thesis is to explore flexible museum typology using kit-of parts as a more sustainable solution for revitalization of the heritage homes and buildings where the buildings are able to adapt to the occupants’ needs and wants. This new museum-structure-reuse-project proposal hopes to serve as a model to inspire future conservation works in other heritage buildings in order to save the crumbling Burmese Colonial Heritage.

“Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our nation. �

-Nelson Mandela

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INTRODUCTION TO ISSUES Today, when one walks down the streets of downtown Yangon, the person will likely catch the glimpse of many moss-covered, weatherstained early-20th Century facades of the historic colonial buildings that are either abandoned or occupied with tenants that take little or no effort to maintain them. In fact, this is the condition of the majority of the colonial buildings in Yangon that used to be the testaments of the ‘golden’ period of colonial Burma. The heritage buildings that are left from the colonial era face a plethora of issues that threaten the mere existence of these buildings and the historical legacy of one

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“Yangon today has everything to gain and everything to lose.

Now is the moment to set the city in a new direction and avoid the mistakes of its regional neighbors. Now is the moment to begin turning Yangon into Asia’s most livable city.�

-Yangon Heritage Trust

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HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Political and Economic Turbulence Myanmar has a long history of political and economic turbulence which affected its progress as a country radically. During the 1960s,Myanmar was in the totalitarian one-party state ruled by the Burma Socialist Programme Party. Under its rule, Myanmar went to economic isolations which led it to become from one of the wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia to be one of the poorest countries in the world1. Nationwide protest and civil unrest broke out in 1988, which was also known as The 8888 Uprising. The uprising ended with the bloody military coup which lasted for 60 years. Many countries, including the United Nations and European Union refused to acknowledge the coup and started imposing economic and trade sanctions2 in a bid to force the military to give up the power. Although the military rule has finally ended in 2011 and the sanctions has been suspended, decades of political and economic turbulence have greatly weakened 1. McGowan, W. (1993). Burmese Hell. Retrieved from http://williammcgowan.com/pdf/WorldPolicyJournal-BurmeseHell.pdf 2. Factbox: Sanctions imposed on Myanmar. (2011, October 11). https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-sanctions/factbox-sanctions-imposed-on-myan-

Urbanization & Development Pressure When Myanmar finally opened up to the world in 2011 after decades of military rule and diplomatic isolation, foreign investments sprung in, increasing the demand for residential and commercial spaces. Developers and landowners were fixated on building cheaper,larger and newer structures and destroying old buildings to make money. Based on the survey done by the Yangon Heritage Trust (YHT), an nongovernmental organization, as much as 35% of downtown Yangon (around 1800 buildings) were destroyed between 1990 and 20111 to make way for new development projects. With many cheap buildings that are springing up, conservationists are facing a hard time preserving the historic Yangon. As

1. Heijmans, P. (2015, February 9). The struggle to save Yangon’s architectural heritage. Retrieved from https:// www.bbc.com/news/business-31146066 2. Oxford Business Group. (n.d.). The Report: Myan-

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Lack Of Conservation Management Plans & Heritage Impact Assessments A proper Conservation Management Plan (CMP) is a crucial part of the conservation process before any development works are undertaken. It is also fundamental when it comes to master planning for a heritage site, establishing priorities and understanding the place before the major proposal for the heritage site is prepared.

However,in Myanmar, it is only drawn up during or after major decisions have been established.1 A Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) indicates and analyses the impact the developmental process will have on the Heritage Significance of the site. It is now a mandatory requirement of the authorities in some parts of Asia (e.g.

Hong Kong). Sadly, the Secretariat Building in the only building in Yangon that has a Conservation Management Plan to oversee the conservation works today. Without these management plans and assessments, 1. Vines, E. (2015, April). Yangon, Myanmar Heritage Legislation Framework (Recommendations).

Retrieved from http://www.yhtliveableyangon.org/ wp-content/uploads/online_annexes/YHS_OLA7.

Complicated Legal Challenges Legal complexities such as land ownership issues and lease agreements of the century-old colonial buildings make the people who are interested in the revitalization plans discouraged and put them in the red tape. The ownership of many of the buildings is ambiguous, often with landlords who are either absent or cannot be contacted. Government owned buildings are also not clearly assigned to any government agency.1 These issues prevent signatories from investing in the upkeep of their buildings. Since there are no proper legal initiatives, the landowners will often let the heritage buildings become dilapidated in the hope of getting the approval from the government so that they can then partner with developers and tear down the building, making way for more new and profitable structures. The landowners will then refuse the tenants or the initiatives to revitalize the building so that they can better convince the authorities to allow them for demolition 1. Waldie, P. (n.d.). Unlocking the Economic Potential of Residential Buildings in Yangon’s Heritage Zone. Retrieved from http://www.yhtliveableyangon.org/wp-content/uploads/online_annexes/

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RESEARCH DIRECTION So, how can we help the colonial buildings that are in desperate need of assistance? Traditionally, retrofitting and conservation of these buildings are extremely costly and requires consistant maintenance. It is so much cheaper to demolish them and rebuild better and stronger buildings in replacement of them. Why conserve an old building, when it is easier and cheaper to build a new one? These are the typical questions raised whenever conservatory efforts are mentioned in the nation-building process.

How can the architects, the urban planners and the government convince the people to take in the conservation of the built heritage more seriously? The fact is that the issue of decaying colonial buildings cannot be solved alone by the government. Private sectors, various stakeholders and the community must come together to treat this as a national issue. How do we ensure that we still continue to preserve the colonial heritage while promoting the modernisation of Yangon in an architecturally sensitive way? How do we inject life into the dilapidating buildings so that they remain relevant and even contribute to Modern Yangon? These are the questions we must kept asking to ourselves so that we truly understand and examine the depth of this

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THESIS QUESTION 1) How do we ensure that we still continue to preserve the colonial heritage while promoting the modernisation of Yangon in an architecturally sensitive way?

2) How do we inject life into the dilapidating buildings so that they remain relevant and even contribute to Modern Yangon?

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THESIS STATEMENT The goal of this thesis is to investigate the essence of colonial buildings in Yangon, recognise the qualities of these buildings that can potentially be conserved or further enhanced when retrofitting or readapting.

The thesis will also be exploring flexible museum typology using kit-of parts as a more sustainable solution for revitalization of the heritage homes and buildings where the buildings are able to adapt to the occupants’ needs and wants.

This new museum-structure-reuse-project proposal hopes to serve as a model to inspire future conservation works in other heritage buildings in order to save the crumbling Burmese Colonial Heritage.

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BRIEF HISTORY ON COLONIALISM The British Colonial rule in Myanmar started in 1824 with the First AngloBurmese War. By 1886, the British had gained control of all of present-day Myanmar and had established it as a province of British India. Myanmar was then known as British Burma. At times, Myanmar was also called the “Scottish Colony”, as the Scotsmen played a significant role in colonizing and running the country.

Second Anglo-Burmese War followed 1824

First Anglo-Burmese War broke out

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King Mindon (1853–1878) transfers the Burmese capital to Mandalay.

Ayarwaddy Bank Image Source: Marcin Konsek

U Thant House Image Source: Yangon Heritage Trust

Embassy of India Image Source: Architectural Guide Yangon

Rosewood Hotel Image Source: Rosewood Hotel Website

Governor Residence Hotel Image Source: Architectural Guide Yangon

Myanmar Agricultural Development Bank Image Source: Architectural Guide Yangon

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Timeline Source: Emanuelle. Burma (Myanmar) history and timeline. https://www. insightguides.com/destinations/ asia-pacific/burma-myanmar/his-

All of Burma fell under British control.

The Burmese king was sent into exile.

1885

Bogyoke Aung San, independence hero led the army to retake Burma.

1947 1948 1942-1945

1861 Japanese Occupation

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Myanmar became an independent country.

Burma under the British Rule

Strand Hotel Image Source: Architectural Guide Yangon

Myanmar Economic Bank Branch 2 Image Source: Architectural Guide Yangon

Under the British rule, Burma underwent major transformations from a traditional, subsistence-oriented indigenous society into one of the wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia. The main economy then was the export of goods such as rice, rubies and teak. The economic development, however, mainly benefited the British who formed the elite classes while the Burmese remained low-class workers. A notable English writer, George Orwell, who also served under British Empire, described the relationship between the Burmese and the British as slave and master. Nonetheless, the British colonialism made significant changes to the city of Yangon that laid the foundation for modern-day Myanmar. A master plan for Yangon was established with road networks that formed a grid system in the downtown Yangon. A great number of majestic buildings in the style of Victorian, Queen Anne, Art Deco, British Burmese and Neoclassical were built for administrative and commercial purposes. Some of these buildings are still standing tall today as government offices, embassies, the stock exchange, even shops and cafĂŠs.

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YANGON AT THE END OF COLONIAL ERA By the end of the British colonial era, Burma was the wealthiest country in Southeast Asia. It was the largest rice exporter in the world, with teeming ports and busy railways. The colonial architecture of Rangoon, which some of them are standing today, spoke of the golden period of Myanmar where it went into a period of great modernization.

King’s Residence (Demolished)

Accountant General Building (Still Standing)

Secretariat Building (Still Standing)

Clockwise from left:Unknown (demolished),Rowe and Co (left) (Still Standing), Emmanuel Baptist Church (Still Standing)

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Images Source:

Bogyoke Aung San Market (Still Standing)

Unknown Church (demolished)

Yangon High Courts (Still Standing)

Former Rowe and Co (Still Standing)

Yangon Hight Courts (Still Standing) and Fytche Square (Still Standing)

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COLONIAL DOWNTOWN DISTRICT

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Yangon General Hospital

Rosewood Yangon

Strand Hotel

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Yangon City Hall

Ayarwaddy

The Secretariat Building

Sule Pagoda

High Court of Yangon Region

Mahabandoola Park

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HISTORIC BUILDINGS CONDITIONS 60% of downtown Yangon is typical tenement buildings (‘shop houses’ with commercial function on ground floor and residential on the upper floors1, with a significant heritage value but generally poor living conditions. Many of the typical tenement buildings - in particular the ones built in the 1990s - have a contributing value to the historic street scape and some even individual heritage significance. Years of underinvestment have left most of these buildings in dilapidated condition and, hence, these buildings are in serious need of repairs. The Pre-Feasibility Study done by the Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) has shown that roof leakage, plumbing/ drains and back alley rubbish are the resident’s main concerns for their heritage buildings.1 Apart from a decline in aesthetic value, the deferred maintenance of these buildings can also pose a serious safety hazard to the residents and the pedestrians.

The roofs are covered with rust, which is indicative of little or no maintenance.

The plasters and the paint have been long gone and the building is left to gather dust.

Inappropriate placement of advertisement boards that upsets the facade of the historic building

Some of the buildings are covered with creepers or moss on the walls.

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1. The Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA). (2016, April 8). Heritage-led Urban Regeneration in Yangon: Pre Feasibility Study in three pilot areas. http://urbandiscovery.asia/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/2016-YANGON-URBAN-REGENERATION-PRE -FEASIBILI-

Improper placement of satellites Nonchalant placement of airconditioners boxes on the facade of the building

Improper placement of electrical wires which can pose serious threats to the pedestrians and the building itself

Unauthorized roadside vendors setting up their shops next to the building

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PROTO-STRATEGY

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Stage 1:

Prefabricate Necessary Components

All the components necessary for the establishment of the museum such as structural components, lighting, acoustics, electrical wiring components, display components and furniture will be prefabricated in advance according to the size of the venue. The parts should be modular and collapsible for easy assembly and transportation.

Stage 2:

Package into Museum “Kit-of-Parts�

Once the parts have been fabricated, they will then be packaged together according to the similar categories. The packages will also consist of instruction manuals so that user of the buildings can easily set up the museum and utilize the components.

Stage 3:

Transport to the Designated places

The packages will then be delivered to the respective places. The kits are targeted at the abandoned or derelict colonial apartments and the buildings where there may be potential occupants.

Stage 5:

A fully refurbished and mixed use colonial building

With the kits, the once abandoned or dilapidated colonial buildings are given with a new lease of life. Through the museum, history can be preserved and retold. Through the other uses of the building, it can be ensured that the building will stay relevant and continue to serve the people.

Stage 4:

Adaptive Reuse

Before the installment of the museum kits, the venue will firstly be restored and enhanced for the benefit of the owners and the visitors. Once the place has been fully refurnished, the museum kit-of-parts will be installed so that the place can be turned into a museum during the day and return to the original or other use at night.

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FUNCTIONAL AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS functional

seats

exhibition furniture

storage

technical

wifi

electrical outlets

projection

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shelves

panels

acoustics

surveillance

display

lighting

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CATALOGUE

EXHIBITS

FURN

frames

stora

platforms

shel

showcases

tables an

NITURE

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SPACE DIVIDERS

age

mobile walls

lves

screens

nd seats

hanging panels

curtain

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KIT OF PARTS SEATINGS

EXHIBITION SHELVES

TABLES

EXHIBITION PLATFORMS

RECEPTION DESK

EXHIBITON SHOWCASES

COUNTER

BOOKSHELVES/STORAGE UNIT

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MOBILE WALLS

PROJECTOR

SCREENS

PROJECTOR SCREENS

HANGING PANELS

LIGHTING FIXTURES

CURTAIN

ELECTRICAL POWER POINTS

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KIT OF PARTS DISPLAY LIGHTS

SPEAKERS AUDIO DEVICES

SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

MODULAR JOINTS

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CEILING GRID

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THE CEILING GRID traditional patterns

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hanger wire main tee

cross tee

20 mm C-shaped thick aluminium slab

metal hook wooden panels expansion anchor with tire-wire head coloured cable tension wire

hanger wire 5mm diameter threaded eyehook metal hook metal block slider

section details

coloured cable tension wire

slider details

metal block slider

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THE CEILING GRID Pole to connect to the ceiling grid

track wall panels

wall panels

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track

runner curtain

Partition Wall Hook

hanging panels

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MODULAR FURNITURE SYSTEM goals 1.

easy to build without special tools, techincal expertise 2.

modular, with many variations 3.

multi-purpose

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types of joints 2 connections 90°

120°

45°

30°

180°

3 connections

4 connections

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30

100

90 30

120

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dimensions

60 30

40 90

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170

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95

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85

85

90 30

261

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30

53 29

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30

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183

234

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146

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90 11

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90

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6

30

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234

30 90

30

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160

chairs

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90

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65

120

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5

10

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120

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53

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102

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29

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177

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9036

5

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90

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45

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3

30

45

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220

90

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85

110

90

45

130

130

45

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30

100

120

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tables

counters

showcases

sto

90

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30 30

220

90

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85

170

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40

90 30

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220

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40 50

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30

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90

0

29

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65

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90

177

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90 11

58

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41

65

90 30

6

30

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30

11

90

146

121

30

50

50 170

160

orage

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58

90

90

90

10

90

30

30

shelves

mobile walls

shelves

6

183

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41

30

30

30

90

90

41

5

90

30

90

97

0

30

12

102

50

30

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76

93

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261

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10

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97

90

30

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53

30

90

97

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177

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90

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30

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THE BURMESE WAY MATERIALS & THEIR PATTERNS EXPLORATION Palm Leaves

Bamboo

Rattan

Textile

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mobile walls

hanging panels

screens

furniture

showcases

shelves

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THE USER MANUAL GUIDE

INDEX

STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

BUILD YOUR OWN MUSEUM INSTRUCTION MANUAL

CEILING GRID

SCREENS

HANGING P

LIGHTING

DISPLAY LIGHTS

ELECTRICAL WIRES SYSTEM

CABLES

ELEC

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PG 05-25

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ACOUSTICS

PG 35-40

AUDIO DOMES

MOBILE WALLS

SURVEILLANCE

SPEAKERS

PG 40-42

SECURITY CAMERAS

PG 42-45

DISPLAY

PROJECTOR SCREEN

PROJECTOR

PG 45-60

FURNITURE

PANELS

CURTAINS PANELS

PG 25-30

STORAGE

SHELVES

FRAMES

LIGHTING FIXTURES

CTRICAL POWER POINTS

PG 30-35 TABLE AND SEATS

SHOWCASES

PLATFORMS

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FURNITURE MOBILE WALL Difficulty:

Estimated time taken: 45 min

Manpower: 1 pax

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED

screws

drill gun

pencil

screwdriver

staple gun

IN THIS KIT, THERE ARE:

(1)

(2) steel roller wheels- 2 pcs

joints: (1) - 2pcs (2) - 2pcs

(1)

(2)

rattan pattern piece-1 pcs

(3)

Steel tubes: (1)1400mm x 30mm- 2pcs (2)2020mm x 30mm- 2pcs (3)600mm x 30mm- 2pcs

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, CALL 065135924 OR EMAIL MUSEUMKIT@OUTLOOK.COM OR VISIT WWW.MUSEUMKIT.COM.MM

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4.

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THE DAILY CYCLE

8 HO

6PM CLOSING OF MUSEUM

1 TALK/ PERF

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8PM OME

1PM FORMANCES

9AM SETTING UP OF MUSEUM

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PROGRAM MATRIX program type

activity

gallery

Short-Term Exhibitions Long-Term Exhibitions Digital Display

event & performance

Exhibition Space Event Space Performance Space Guest talks Workshops Tours

kid zone

Family Programmes School Programmes Playscape

youth social & recreation

Teen Center Teen Tech/ Video Games School Programmes

elderly-friendly corners

Training Programmes Workshops

social media venues

Feature Walls/ Corner Special Exhibitions Special Programs

storage

Storerooms

fu

unctional requirements

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technical requirements

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SCENERIO 1: HERITAGE APARTMENT Location: Latha Street, Yangon Year Built: 1930s Previous Use: Old apartment owned by three generations of family

TYPICAL CONDITIONS &

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20TH STREET

LATHA STREET

MAHABANDOOLA ROAD

ARCHED DEPRESSIONS ON THE WALL

MEZZANINE LEVEL

Legend River Road Network Downtown Conservation Area Chosen Building Legend

LIVING CONDITIONS INSIDE

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& CHARACTERISITCS

CLASSIC ARCH WINDOWS

WOODEN DOORS

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Level 4 (Private Bedroom Space) Scale- 1:500

Level 3 (Event Space) Scale- 1:500

Level 2 (Cafe Mezzanine Level) Scale- 1:500

Level 1 (Cafe) Scale- 1:500 Museum Space Private Space Cafe

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Level 3 (Event Space) Scale- 1:500

Level 3 (Museum Space) Scale- 1:500

Level 3 (Workshop Space) Scale- 1:500

Level 3 (Private Living Space) Scale- 1:500

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PERSPECTIVES

Event Space

Museum Space

Level 1 Cafe

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Living Room Space

Workshop Space

Level 1 Cafe

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SCENERIO 2: DERELICT COLONIAL BUILDING (BALTHAZAR’S BUILDING) Location: Bank Street, Yangon Year Built: 1905 Previous Use: Department Store Current Use: Housing Law firms and Residences

CURRENT CONDITIONS & CH

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34TH STREET

33RD STREET

MERCHANT ROAD

Legend

LIVING CONDITIONS INSIDE

UNAUTHORISED STREET VENDORS

River Road Network Downtown Conservation Area Balthazar’s Building Legend

Victorian Style Windows and Steel Framed Portic

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HARACTERISITCS

s co

FEATURE STAIRCASE COURTYARD

ELECTRIC LIFT

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Level 3 (Office and Residential Level) Scale- 1:500

Proje Level 2 (Museum) Scale- 1:500

Level 1 (Museum and Cafe) Scale- 1:500

Museum Space Private Space Cafe Corridor

Atrium

Office

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Digital Display Senior Citizens’ LEVEL 3 PRIVATECorner SPACE

ector Room

Event Space

LEVEL 2 MUSEUM SPACE

Light Installation Room Cafe

Permanent Exhibition Space

Cafe

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PERSPECTIVES

Atrium

Permanent Exhibition

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ADD HUMANS

Temporary Art Exhibition

Digital Display

Light Installation

Projector Room

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WALKTHROUGH VIDEO

https://youtu.be/pSWnebazqzo

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Edited by: Shoon Lei Khin Mentored by: Daniel Joseph Whittaker (PHD) Master of Architecture Thesis Part 2