17 Dec 2016: Yangon Echoes: Inside Heritage Homes December 29, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

“The rich tapestry of multicultural Yangon is reflected wonderfully in this brilliant book, a fusion of intangible and tangible heritage that is often overlooked in architectural studies of cities.” – William Logan, Professor Emeritus, Deakin University, Melbourne My first reaction to Rangoon, now a sad and skeletal city renamed Yangon, was disbelief. There was a human pathos in a city that had faded in the years I’d been away, something more elderly, almost senile… The decrepitude…

10 Dec 2016: Megat Terawis – Journey to Our Roots December 14, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

There have been insinuations that Megat Terawis was ‘a soldier of fortune’, someone who would do anything for reward, or that he acquired the ofﬁce of Perak Bendahara by force of arms, as told by R. O. Winstedt and R. Wilkinson in their 1934 work, A History of Perak. The author of this week’s featured book, Megat Terawis: Journey to Our Roots, contends that this description is unlikely. Her search to uncover the history of her…

01 Dec 2016: The Sustainability Shift – Refashioning Malaysia’s Future December 5, 2016 – Posted in: Newsletters

Following the successful launch on 29 November of its latest publication The Sustainability Shift: Refashioning Malaysia’s Future in Kuala Lumpur, Areca Books hosted the Penang launch on 4 December with Emeritus Professor Mohd. Nordin Hasan, Director, International Council for Science Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ICSU–ROAP). About the book The threats of environmental degradation, climate change and imminent ecological collapse faced by humanity today demand an urgent response from individuals, industries and national governments. Yet, in most…

12 Nov 2016: Road To Dawn《夜‧明》commemorative DVD (2016) – Posted in: Newsletters

In commemoration of Dr Sun Yat Sen’s 150th birthday on 12 November 2016, the Sun Yat Sen Museum Penang is proud to present the new Road To Dawn《夜‧明》commemorative DVD (2016), a 2007 Chinese historical film depicting an episode in the great leader’s revolutionary life, when he sought refuge in Penang from July to December 1910. Shot exclusively on location in Penang under the direction of Hong Kong filmmaker Derek Chiu, the film has garnered several prestigious…

30 Oct 2016: Two biographies – Mubin Sheppard & Ezrin Arbi – Posted in: Newsletters

Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so. – Charles de Gaulle ‘Two biographies – Mubin Sheppard & Ezrin Arbi‘, the subject of our weekly newsletter, refer to two names indelibly linked with architecture in Malaysia. They are also the ‘stars’ of our featured books this week. While one specialised in development, the other found his métier in conservation. Dr. Zuraini Ali’s…