The Bok House was an old mansion on Jalan Ampang in
Kuala Lumpur
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Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, demolished in 2006. The compound where the building stood is a block away from the
Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC Twin Towers, ( Malay: ''Menara Berkembar Petronas'') are 88-storey supertall skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, standing at . From 1998 to 2003, they were officially desig ...
, owned by a private trustee managed by the Bok family.
History
The mansion was designed by Swan & Maclaren in 1926 and it was completed in 1929 for a local millionaire, the
Cycle & Carriage owner Chua Cheng Bok. In the 1958 and up until its closure in 2001, the mansion housed an upscale restaurant and bar called the ''Le Coq d'Or''.
Demolition and controversy
In 2001, the building was abandoned by the restaurant operator. Being located on a high-value land, plan for redevelopment emerged but it was opposed by local conservation groups. Initially, the local government denied there were plans to redevelop the land and hence, the possibility of demolishing the building. Local conservation groups later tried to lobby the government to gazette the mansion for its historical value but to no avail.
On December 15 2006, the mansion was demolished, resulting in public outcry. The building was 77 years old when demolished.
After demolition of the mansion, on 21 December 2006 Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister
Datuk Seri
The Malay language has a complex system of styles, titles and honorifics which are used extensively in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines.
Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and several provinces in Indonesia regul ...
Dr
Rais Yatim
Tan Sri Dato' Seri Utama Dr. Rais bin Yatim ( Jawi: رئيس بن يتيم; born 15 April 1942) is a Malaysian politician who is now serving as the 18th President of the Dewan Negara since September 2020. He was a Cabinet Minister in mul ...
challenged dissenters to prove that Bok House is of historic value. According to him:
"The cost of rehabilitating Bok House will be high and there is no significant history or aesthetic value attached to the building"
"The Government could also not save Bok House from being demolished because it is owned and not registered as a heritage building."
The list of registered heritage buildings in Malaysia is in fact determined by the government.
The plot of land where Bok House once stood remain vacant till late 2012, when it was boarded up and construction on a proposed
W Hotel
W Hotels is an American upscale lifestyle hotel chain owned by Marriott International that is marketed towards a younger age group.
History
W Hotels was launched in 1998 with W New York, a conversion of the former Doral Inn hotel on Lexington ...
commenced. The W Kuala Lumpur Hotel was opened in 2017.
References
{{reflist
* Badan Warisan Malaysia.
The Day Bok House Died (Updated)'. December 15 2006.
* Llew-Ann Phang. The Sun.
Bok House: End of a Legacy'. December 15 2006.
*
The Star.
Bok House on Jln Ampang demolished'. December 15 2006.
* Azrul Kevin Abdullah's
' September 2001
External links
Houses in Malaysia
Demolished buildings and structures in Malaysia
Buildings and structures completed in 1929
Buildings and structures demolished in 2006