KUCHING: Owner of the Kuala Lumpur-based Arkitek Shilpa Lim Take Bane has urged preservation of the legacy of the structures handed down from earlier generations for future generations.
He said this during a talk on “Urban Renewal Through Built Heritage Conservation” held by Sarawak Heritage Society at the Borneo Cultures Museum (BCM) on Saturday (July 30).
“One of the reasons is to record physically the relics and remnants of various civilizations which previously existed on Earth, so as to learn from the knowledge gained, and collective wisdom of humanity,” he explained.
Lim also emphasised that historical residential structures were created sustainably in accordance with local climatic conditions and the natural building materials that were sourced locally brought to a carbon-free practice.
“The lessons to be learnt from heritage buildings are priceless and perfectly relevant in today’s discussion on conserving heritage buildings and fine architecture.
“Heritage building is a main tourism attraction, we all travel to see great wonders of the world, to look at how other people lived in the past and present, through their built environment,” he added.
He added that it was also a way to see the magnificent structures that had withstood millennia of conflict, war, and peace, whether they be modest vernacular structures or fancy highfalutin rather pretentious structures used as examples of fine art.
“Authenticity is vital in heritage buildings not Disneyland fantasies, or a glamourisation of a distant past.”
Also present during the talk was Sarawak Museum Department director Tazudin Mohtar and Sarawak Heritage Society president James S L Yong.
