Bfm :: I Love Kl

In this episode of I Love KL, we ruminate about Bukit Jalil and its status as KL’s sporting hub and whether they’re able to outgrow that identity moving forward. According to Elizabeth, it might be difficult as a lot of us vividly remember the Commonwealth Games back in 1998 and its close association with the National Stadium Bukit Jalil and the area. Tune in to hear more of our thoughts!image credit: Bartosz Sakwerda @ Wikipedia

Step into the whimsical realm of tufting as we sit down with the founder of Toui Studio, Jenna Loo Xin Xuan in this week's episode of I Love KL. Join us as we delve into the intricacies of this mesmerising textile art form, exploring the local tufting scene and inspiration behind Jenna's studio.

In this episode of I Love KL, we check out Urban Museum (or Ur-Mu), Bukit Bintang’s hidden museum that’s contemporary, eclectic and thought-provoking. Join us as its manager, Munira Huda leads us through the museum's history, its captivating collections, and its vision, offering a deeper insight into the cultural significance of this unique museum in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Hazazi Hamzah, one third of E9A Architecture, which I Love KL has featured before, joins us for an introspective look at the local architecture scene and the conversations that are happening (or not) over here. How do architects here look at design, and are we collectively doing a good job in conveying its supposed meaning to the public? We explore these themes and more in this episode.

Sometimes, in trying to aspire for a unifying narrative, we might forget to pay close attention to the smaller narratives from the less mainstream communities. Which is why maybe it’s a good time for us to consider including these narratives, via a more granular approach of cultural mapping? That’s what heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa is proposing, inspired by what the Philippines has recently done. Tune in to hear her thoughts on it.

Kuala Lumpur Design Festival returns for its second year, with the intention of making design at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts. Co-founders of the festival, Razif Nasruddin and Shafique Badril join us on the show to walk us through the philosophy behind the festival, why we should prioritise design and the potential that it has in contributing to the nation’s growth, as well as why design, creative and functional, should be celebrated. Kuala Lumpur Design Festival 2023 is happening on the 6th to the 15th of October 2023.

Recently, the government announced their intention to table an urban renewal act by next year, to make sure that future urban renewal efforts can be done in a more systematic and efficient way. Currently, the country does not have a specific act in place, and any redevelopment attempts fall under nine different laws and legislations. Is this a step in the right direction for our city and Kuala Lumpur, specifically? President of Pereka Bandar, Shuhana Shamsuddin shares her thoughts and potential concerns.

In the present time, buildings such as Sultan Abdul Samad, Carcosa Seri Negara and Central Market are considered heritage buildings and have been gazetted as such. But if we were to look into the future, 100 years from now, what other contemporary buildings, monuments and landmarks will be part of that elite group? Will the buildings we know and love now, like the KLCC Twin Towers and the upcoming Merdeka 118 be considered as heritage buildings in the next 100 years? Heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa chimes in with her own speculation.image credit: 123.rf

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of anime, comics, and gaming as we explore the vibrant tapestry of Animangaki 2023. Join us for an engaging conversation with Yvonne Sing, the founder and director, along with Jo Lynn Lim, the co-director of Animangaki. Together, we'll uncover the true essence of ACG culture and its significance, especially now that these conventions happen more frequently across the Klang Valley. How do they keep things fresh, and make sure that Animangaki is still relevant among fans? Tune in to hear their thoughts, perspectives and reflections on the ACG scene.

E9A Architecture is a research practice that tries to go against the grain. Not for the sake of it, but to truly reflect on the state of contemporary architecture and produce counter narratives, all while acknowledging the realities of modern urban fabric and architecture. The folks behind the practice, Alia Ahamad, Hazazi Hamzah and Nazmi Anuar join us on the show to share what inspired them to start this practice, what they’re grappling with in their field, as well as talk about their first project, Kisah Klasik Untuk Masa Depan: A Manifesto for Degrowth (which can be seen on their website, e9aarchitecture.com

Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia (PAM) is celebrating their 100th year anniversary this year, and to mark that momentous occasion, 2023’s edition of Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) has decided to set its sights on the next 100 years with 100 events and programmes around architecture planned throughout the calendar year. We speak to the director of the festival, Norzaini Mufti about his ambitious plan and the various themes that he has picked to make architecture more accessible and resonate with the larger community.

I Love KL decides to venture out slightly and talk about Gombak, a place where we actually struggle to characterise due to its size and various landmarks, natural and otherwise. We end up ruminating about the area, its distinct qualities and why it’s crucial in shaping Kuala Lumpur’s identity.Image Credit: 123.RF

Art of Speed zooms in again this year for its 12th iteration, and ahead of the event happening at the end of this month,  the brainchild behind this annual Kustom Kulture convention, Asep Ahmad Iskandar drops by our studio to share what it’s been like to create a space where this unique community can gather every year to exchange ideas and geek out over their love for custom cars, motorcycles and the different subcultures around it. Asep also talks about how they’ve survived the pandemic, the necessity of innovating and offering something new every year, as well as how much the community he serves has grown and changed after more than a decade of Art of Speed.

The world of tabletop games is diverse, distinctive and wonderful, if you’re willing to go down the rabbit hole and spend enough time. Any Games Con 2023 is a perfect place for you to discover, and perhaps embark on the journey, if you haven’t already! We speak to the event organiser, Lai Chung Sen to discuss the scene’s relevance, especially now, and how vibrant the local communities and creators are, ahead of the event at the end of this month.

Despite the plethora of hobbies that exist these days, trading card and board games, once thought of as relics of the past, especially in this digital age, are still pretty much relevant, and in fact, continuing on, strong as ever! What’s the scene like these days? I Love KL paid a visit to Invictus Forge, a trading card and board games cafe in Tropicana Gardens Mall to speak to its director  and learn how well the trading card scene is currently thriving, how lucrative these cards are as a form of investment, and the intricacies of grading these cards for value preservation.

Hamdan Abdul Majeed, Managing Director of Think City joins us on the show to talk about two grants that they are currently offering to revitalise Downtown Kuala Lumpur. The grants - Creative KL Grants Programme and Think City Urban Challenge - will hopefully encourage potential applicants to come forward and help think of ways to breathe new life into the part of the city that has seen better days, due to many factors.

The various development projects (especially the mega ones) taking place across KL has got us wondering - is that the only approach that should be taken when it comes to utilising heritage spaces? Should we take a slightly different approach that is perhaps more subtle, sustainable and sensitive to the local nuances? Heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa joins us to reflect on this.image credit: ©alexpunker/123RF.COM

Rumah Minangkabau is synonymous with Negeri Sembilan, Sarawak has Rumah Panjang while traditional Malay houses in Melaka have concrete stairs that are decorated with marble tiles. These are some examples of regionalism in architecture that essentially not only showcase distinctive aesthetics, but also functional features that respond to the local climate, geography and topography. Have we adopted this approach in modern architecture, especially in Malaysia? Alice Sabrina Ismail, Director of Architecture from the Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia joins us in this episode of I Love KL to help break down this concept and reflect on where we are with regard to this.

15-minute cities gained a bit of attention recently among conspiracy theorists that argue that this is another attempt by the powers that be to control people and restrict their movements. But beyond that noise, what is a 15-minute city and is it actually a very practical solution to the kind of problems we have been seeing with our cities and the way they’re designed, especially here in Malaysia? We unpack this concept, its pros and cons, as well as its feasibility with president of Pereka Bandar, Shuhana Shamsuddin.

The recent fire incident at KL’s popular shopping destination, Mid Valley Megamall has got us wondering about the history of the mall and its surrounding areas, before it became what it is now. Our resident heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa reminisces about that area prior to the mall’s existence, and charts its growth throughout the years.