I Love KL

Generally, kindergartens are the first few public spaces where children will get to explore the world and mingle with the larger society outside of their families on their own. Therefore it’s extremely crucial for this educational institution to be designed accordingly to facilitate their growth and development properly. In this episode,  we look at the types of kindergartens that are generally av...

Last month, a number of incidents involving trees being uprooted due to bad weather and heavy storms led to various conversations surrounding trees and greeneries and their place in the overall city landscape. There were many suggestions and perspectives on the matter, and in this episode of I Love KL, we’ll be looking at the issue from an urban design perspective, emphasising on the importance of...

This episode of I Love KL looks at heritage conservation efforts and buildings and wonders whether there are “expiry dates” to them. Is there an end period where heritage buildings would eventually have to be demolished? Likewise, do we stop conserving these buildings once they’re no longer relevant, especially to the younger generations? We explore this with our resident heritage conservation exp...

How do you turn food waste from one of KL's busiest wet markets into natural dyes for art to tackle the city's perennial food waste issue? That's what DuniaMotif hopes to answer through its project and exhibition, the Kuala Lumpur Colour District. The exhibition, held earlier this month at the New Chow Kit Market, had visitors experience firsthand the process of collecting food waste from Pasar Ra...

KitaBina is a community-powered DIY and woodworking makerspace in KL that wants to furnish individuals with DIY skills by helping them realise their woodworking potential. We speak with KitaBina co-founder Jon to find out more about the space, how they're tackling the prevailing stigmas that DIY skills might still carry, and how they're getting people bitten by the woodcraft bug through Pesta Bina...

Bike Commute Malaysia (BCMY) is a grassroots NGO made up of architects, commuter cyclists, and urbanists, advocating for safer street design and low carbon mobility across Malaysia. The group aims to make streets more safer and inclusive to serve the needs of diverse mobility modes. Earlier this year, a pilot project was implemented in SK Danau Kota 2 to make streets around schools safer. The proj...

In conjunction with the upcoming by-election happening this weekend, I Love KL decides to travel out of Klang Valley slightly, to pay a figurative visit to Kuala Kubu Bharu. We look at the history of the place, what it’s known for now, and whether the negative aspects of development will ever come to this quaint little town. Photo credit: Selangor.travel See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

The Force is strong this month as Star Wars Malaysia Fan Club commemorates Star Wars Day on the 4th of May in the best way possible! It’ll be a month-long celebration full of events organised by the club and many of its associates. Expect screenings of Episode I: The Phantom Menace in conjunction with the film’s 25th anniversary, flea markets, and many more. Lau Chee Kin, the President of Star War...

Over the past four years, the Borneo Laboratory has woven together artists of diverse backgrounds and practices through their art. Aiming to bridge divisions and rekindle our shared roots through the ancestral wisdom drawn from Borneo's craft practices, Malayan communities, and global communities, the Lain Lain Project unveils these narratives through an evocative, thought-provoking exhibition, Th...

We might be tempted to believe that to set off some of the city's best pyrotechnic nighttime spectaculars, you just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. But what happens before the fuses are lit? This week on I Love KL, we're joined by fireworks programmer Jeffry Bahary, the man behind the 2017 SEA Games fireworks and countless more firework spectacles around the world. From inspiration to ign...

Part of the tradition of commemorating Hari Raya Aidilfitri is to get fresh attire in the form of Baju Raya. Traditionally, Baju Melayu is the go-to outfit for men, but these days, people look for other options too as alternatives. Then, there are also those that modernise the Baju Melayu in various different ways. Sometimes, to mass approval, and other times, to deafening criticism. In this episo...

Our conversations on heritage buildings have always had a mix of everything and is pretty even in its distribution, but for some people out there, their notion of heritage might tend to skew towards focusing on British colonial buildings, rather than vernacular or rural architecture. So, in this episode, to play a bit of a devil’s advocate, we decided to explore that question - do we focus too muc...

Somewhere In The Kuala is an illustrated children's book that follows two kids, Han and Mina, on their whimsical, curious, sometimes even treacherous, adventure as they run around KL. The book, written and illustrated by Lisa Goh and William Chew, features no words or dialogue, but paints a wondrous picture of our city, its iconic buildings and areas, and the people that make up the city's unique...

Pertubuhan Cahaya Hawwa, or Percaya, is an NGO dedicated to uplifting and empowering women in need. Despite still being in its infancy, the three women behind the organisation are no strangers to community work, having organised the Sebalang Kasih initiative annually since 2016, which aims to ensure the poor and the less fortunate have kuih raya during the festive Raya period. As we look to "Inves...

If you’re looking to learn more about the many architectural gems in KL, consider dropping by Singgah KL 2024! This third edition of guided tours organised by Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM) will explore 20 built environments in Kuala Lumpur, from high rise condominiums to contemporary office buildings, event spaces and even a mall! We speak to its convener, Almaz Rahim, to learn more about the c...

The recently completed Merdeka 118 and The Exchange 106 continue Kuala Lumpur’s trend of developing buildings that are meant to be the tallest in the country, region and the world. It’s interesting to note that once upon a time, Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad was the tallest building in KL. It’s inevitable that progress and development have to happen a certain way, but that does not stop us from refl...

This week on I Love KL, we immerse ourselves in the fantastical world of "Piying Dream", a brand-new immersive art exhibition at REXPERIENCE KL. The immersive exhibition, created by China-based immersive digital art exhibitor Temple of Light, is a digitally animated showcase of Chinese shadow puppetry that weaves together over 3,000 shadow puppet artefacts to create an audio-visual experience audi...

From the outside, the world of bodybuilding might look very masculine, intimidating and vain, focusing on only aesthetics. But the truth is far from that as it’s a world filled with determined individuals that are very consistent, disciplined and meticulous in their routine. Joining us in this episode to dispel myths and misconceptions about bodybuilding and strength training is Kumareswarren Rama...

In a move that’s considered pretty regressive, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Land Executive Committee is planning to degazette the land around Sungai Bunus flood retention pond, less than 4 years after gazetting it as an impounding reservoir. Despite claiming that the degazettement will be done purely to amend the land status to “Flood Retention Pond and Open Area” from solely “Flood Reten...

Explore the fascinating history and complex narratives of Malaysia's new villages on this week's episode of "I Love KL." Join us as we ponder and navigate their origins, evolution, complexities and larger relationships with our society, then and now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five-foot ways, known as 'kaki-lima', refer to five-foot-wide covered walkways extending along the fronts of shop houses or buildings. They serve as pathways for pedestrians and spaces for various transit activities. This week on I Love KL, we engage in a discussion with Camelia Kusumo and Lee Sze-ee, the authors of 'Kaki Lima Stories - Life In The Five Foot Ways of Downtown Kuala Lumpur', explori...

When our Tugu Negara was bombed by the Communist in 1975, the government enlisted the help of an Australian sculptor, Christopher Carney to help restore it back to its original state. Christopher was a lecturer at UiTM then, and he decided to get three of his students - Abdul Mansoor Ibrahim, Abdul Mufti Jantan and Zolkeply Maulana - to help him out. They worked on the project for a year and manag...

To some, twirling pens comes subconsciously and more of a way to kill time or to just fool around. For Marcus Ling, it became more than that, as his competitive edge of wanting to be better than his friend led him down the path of becoming very skillful at it. Joining us in his capacity as a moderator of Malaysia Pen Spinning Community (MYPSC), he shares the journey of getting into the hobby, what...

Rumah Tangsi, nestled at Lot 10 on Jalan Tangsi in Kuala Lumpur, stands as a heritage building steeped in history. Once the residence of Loke Chow Kit, a prominent entrepreneurial figure in early 20th-century Kuala Lumpur, this mansion boasts a bright yellow exterior and embodies European architectural styles. Its name, "Rumah Tangsi," reflects its location on Jalan Tangsi, previously known as Bar...

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 cr...