"Dewasa ini kita saling merayakan
kejayaan yang akhirnya membinasakan
Apalah gunanya kematangan fikiran
Bila dijiwa kita masih lagi muda dan mentah"
~Hijau by Zainal Abidin~
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Razak Mansion Photo Gallery
Razak Mansion, a low cost housing development built in 1962 by Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak to accommodate an increase in population moving into the city during post independence years, will soon be demolished to make way for new developments as planned by current Prime Minister, Najib Razak.
Razak Mansion is not merely an architectural icon in its aesthetics but is a success in the social and environmental aspects that architecture so often struggles with. A high level of community interaction can only be attributed to the large number of open spaces for children and adults and the close proximities allowed between each household, giving residents a "kampung halaman" feel where your neighbor is not merely a neighbor, but family.
With the loss of Razak Mansion and other successful low cost developments in Kuala Lumpur, one cant help but wonder - how will the architects of our future learn from the success of the past? Is it not clear to us that the root of a harmonious nation lies in the architecture of our upbringing? Is there room for the communal spirit of architecture to make a comeback when so few truly understand what it means to begin with?
The following photos of Razak Mansion portrays an almost abandoned building which now has its apartments slowly being emptied as the residents move to their new, high rise apartment down the road.
Disclaimer: I am not a professional photographer, just a sentimental citizen with a camera in hand. Kindly excuse the lack of photo quality =)
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| Leon Leong and Lisa Foo's Art Exhibition titled "Razak Mansion Inside Out" was showing at Block 4 Unit 4047 of Razak Mansion to pay tribute to the Mansion and its dwellers. |
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| Animals of Razak Mansion 01 |
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| Animals of Razak Mansion 02 |
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| Animals of Razak Mansion 03 |
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| Animals of Razak Mansion 04 |
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| Animals of Razak Mansion 05 |
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| Animals of Razak Mansion 06 |
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| Fencing for hoarding up and ready for demolishing schedule for May 2017 |
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| Razak City Residences - 658 three bedrrom apartments for the existing residents of Razak Mansion. 557 residents have been offered the units free of charge whilst the remaining 101 residents will receive the units at RM42,000 (source: TheStar). Residents will receive units which are larger than their existing units. But what they have lost is insurmountable. |
