Celebrating unique charm of Penang houses

Lim (right) and Cheng-Hopkins during the launch of ‘The Penang House – Rise of the Malaysian Architect 1887-2017’.

BUILDINGS are such a ubiquitous element of the urban environment that few give a second thought to how they were designed and constructed.

From the inception of an idea on paper and then brick, there are countless processes and influences involved, especially in places like Penang which was at the crossroads of global trade by the turn of the 20th century.