Two Houses

2 houses were on my mind when I was up in Fraser's Hill on Sunday. One was the charming Olde Smokehouse on Fraser's Hill, erected in 1924 and easily the best architecture on these mountains (why do they call it a "Hill" when it's more than 1,500m high here? A "hill" is like Bukit Timah, all of 100m high.)

The other is the historic Bok House in the heart of KL, which sadly succumbed to the bulldozers on 15 Dec (reported in Star and NST on 16 Dec) in spite of widespread efforts to have it preserved. The Bok House is also about 80 years old, having been built between 1926-29 by Chua Cheng Bok, the founder of Cycle & Carriage. It was designed by Swan & McClaren, Malaya's premiere architects of those decades. Its location on Jalan Ampang is priceless, and that is the cause of its fate. I've always admired it and was hoping it'll be preserved, but all is lost now. It's a real pity. Hopefully, it will galvanise the Heritage movement in Malaysia to do more for other monuments.

By contrast, the afternoon at the Olde Smokehouse was delightful. It was the right style for the right place; sturdy and cosy, with real fireplaces and timber details. The light was wonderful. They are modulated by the high windows so that there is a real sense of shadows and depth. For the Bok House, I can imagine the owner telling the architects to "make it grand, make it grand, it must impress the father of the girl I want to marry..." The message is "I have arrived, respect me." But for the Smokehouse, the message is "welcome, the gardens are in full bloom, the fireplace is warm, make yourself comfortable." It was not built for the vanity of an individual (although I have nothing against that), but with the funds raised from WWI veterans, or so the sign at the entrance said. The owners of the Smokehouse are a Chinese couple, who are probably in their late-30s. It is part of the "Smokehouse" chain of hotels and restaurant, something on-going since 1937. Visit their website at www.thesmokehouse.com.my.

We had Devonshire tea and scones and stayed long enough for me to sketch out its floor plan. I was reminded of Alain De Botton's book titled "The Architecture of Happiness". There are paintings on the walls (real walls, not the glass boxes modernist love), food on the table, books on the shelves, and a soft drizzle outside. I was happy. My cousin said he'll stay there the next time he brings his family up. So will I. Hopefully, they'll gazette it to monument status soon.

Chup