Pre-war shophouses are a crucial part of Kuala Lumpur’s landscape, both in their cultural influence as part of the city’s fabric, as well as their commercial influence, then and now, in a more modern environment. Their continuous existence in this day and age is interesting, as there are concerted efforts by all the stakeholders involved to keep these buildings as they are, to preserve their value, both financially, and esoterically, to the city. I Love KL has always been focused on the intangib...
Feb 06, 2025•32 min
We start our monthly episode on iconic landmarks and monuments in the Klang Valley in 2025 by visiting the oldest secondary school in Kuala Lumpur, Victoria Institution. VI, as it’s more affectionately known by the public, is one of the more elite and prestigious schools in the city and has produced a long list of luminaries in various industries and fields. In this episode, heritage conservation expert Elizabeth Cardosa charts the journey of the school from its old location to its current one, ...
Jan 23, 2025•40 min
While there are other ways to write these days, the pen remains one of the most unique and powerful writing instruments. And the admiration for the instrument, specifically fountain pens, have led Lai Kim Hoong to set up PenGallery, a retail store that’s meant to supply these pens, and other materials, to enthusiasts. He joins us on the show to share the story of how he started PenGallery more than twenty years ago, how they pioneered e-commerce back when it was not as fashionable and mainstream...
Jan 16, 2025•47 min
We end 2024 by looking back at a monument that was once iconic but no longer around. If you’re of a certain generation, you might remember an upscale restaurant on Jalan Ampang in a mansion called Le Coq d'Or (The Golden Cockerel). But before becoming a restaurant that served KLites for over 40 years, the mansion was home to Chua Cheng Bok, a local millionaire and founder of Cycle & Carriage. After the restaurant closed down in 2001, Bok House became a subject of interest for developers look...
Dec 19, 2024•38 min
Nattukoothu Festival is an event to showcase Indian folk dances to the masses, especially as they’re not commonly practiced and well-known compared to classical Indian dances. The event is organised by a group of final year students, together with ASWARA as a way to educate the public on the nuances and the differences of these dances. Joining us to walk us through the curation process of an event of this nature are Event Manager, Saraventhiran Neelamalai, and the students’ supervisor, Faizal As...
Dec 12, 2024•34 min
Ahead of its fourth iteration since its inception in 2021, the folks behind KL Art Book Fair 2024, Driv Loo (Creative Director) and Brendan Chew (Program Director) join us to share the process of conceptualising a fair that’s meant to celebrate the world of printed matter and its many different disciplines, as well as foster collaboration between its community members across boundaries. What are the types of conversations happening at this festival, and what else can it do to help facilitate the...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min
Welcome, weary traveller, to the magical world of TTRPGs! Tabletop role-playing games have experienced a resurgence worldwide for their collaborative storytelling, creative exploration, and limitless possibilities that go beyond the boundaries of traditional gaming. Located in TTDI, board game store Here Be Dragons has made it their mission to create an inclusive environment where enthusiasts and newcomers alike can discover the wide and wonderful world of all things tabletop, with its neverendi...
Nov 28, 2024•49 min
KL Chinatown Festival 2024, the first of its kind, gathers a lot of different stakeholders, primarily driven by the businesses in Chinatown and spearheaded by the folks from Kwai Chai Hong, and REXKL- two spaces that, by now, are becoming modern landmarks in Kuala Lumpur. The founders join us in the studio to tell the story of their collaboration and their plan to get people from all walks of life to appreciate the past, but also look forward to the future, setting new narratives for Chinatown a...
Nov 21, 2024•42 min
In this episode of I Love KL, we explore the heartwarming journey of Little Giraffe Story House, a community library in Cheras, founded and designed by Lee Soon Yong. Originally a small book club housed in a shipping container, the library has now transformed into a vibrant space that offers over 3,000 books along with a café and event space, all aimed at fostering a love for reading among children. Soon Yong joins us today as he shares insights on the renovation process that involves the commun...
Nov 14, 2024•34 min
Sin Sze Si Ya Temple, the oldest Taoist temple in Kuala Lumpur, was established in 1864 by Kapitan Yap Ah Loy. This historic temple honours the deities Sin Sze Ya and Si Sze Ya, who have guided Yap during the civil wars back in the day. In this episode of I Love KL, we delve into the temple's evolution from being a place of worship for the Hakka Chinese community to a vibrant cultural heritage site and tourist attraction today. Tune in as we discuss how the temple remains a symbol of resilience ...
Nov 07, 2024•36 min
Prominent theatre producer and the Chairman of Persatuan Angkatan Seni Lakon Interaksi, Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (ASLI) Goh You Ping joins us as we delve into the history of modern Chinese theatre in Kuala Lumpur, exploring its evolution from a nearly non-existent scene in the 1990s to the vibrant community it is today. Goh shares his personal journey as one of the few students who dared to pursue theatre during its formative years, recounting the challenges he faced such as juggling a day job ...
Oct 24, 2024•44 min
The Urban Redevelopment Act proposed by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) aims to inject new life into the city, especially into the areas deemed dilapidated and worn down. While the intention is great on paper, it has received opposition from some quarters, especially among home owners. They’re against the proposal to lower the consent threshold for the redevelopment of old buildings, which is currently set at 100%. Professor Ainul Jaria Maidin joins us to unpack the conversation...
Oct 17, 2024•40 min
For more than 20 years, local studio Canvas Art has been restoring old photographs through digital techniques - fixing discoloration, damage and even editing people in and out of photos, such as the inclusion of a deceased loved one. Managing Director Faye Lim joins us on I Love KL today, sharing her journey in the field of photo restoration. Focusing on the intersection of art, technology and nostalgia, today’s episode highlights the meticulous process behind restoring images and the impact of ...
Oct 03, 2024•38 min
In this episode of I Love KL, we recall the late Loke Yew’s contribution in developing KL, and the legacy that he left behind, including his rubber estate in Wangsa Maju, the Hawthornden Estate. He was buried in this estate, which was then acquired by the Ministry of Defence in the early 80s. The whole area then grew to become what we now know today as Wangsa Maju. Heritage conservation expert Elizabeth Cardosa walks us through the whole story. Photo Credit: Publisher Zamilyn Sdn Bhd, F.M.S. Sur...
Sep 26, 2024•23 min
Architects’ role in developing communities cannot be understated, and at Shift 2024, an international conference that gathers architects from around the world, this point will be reemphasised again. This two-day event will gather creative architects from different contexts and perspectives to unpack this year’s theme - Rebuilding Communities - a theme that’s more relevant than ever now, post-pandemic. Veronica Ng, Head of School of Architecture, Building & Design, Faculty of Innovation and T...
Sep 19, 2024•26 min
Kembara Stories and Food Trail returns for the second year, after a successful outing last year. Project coordinators Kevin Bathman, David Tneh, and Swagata Roy, together with Bangladeshi storyteller Nadia join us on I Love KL to share the journey of bringing this walking tour to life, and the importance of sharing the stories of these migrant communities to the larger public. They also speak about the collaboration process with these communities, and the blindspots that we might have missed or ...
Sep 12, 2024•45 min
The recent sinkhole incident at Jalan Masjid India has raised concerns about urban safety here in Kuala Lumpur - Dr. Lim Choun Sian, Chief Research officer at UKM joins us to share his insights on the situation, discussing our capital city’s topography along with its susceptibility to sinkholes. From the geological factors such as limestones potentially being the cause, to the complexity of our underground piping system and the preventive measures we can take as citizens to mitigate future risks...
Sep 05, 2024•20 min
Stadium Merdeka opened its doors to the public again recently, marking the stadium’s next chapter in its life serving the nation. In conjunction with Malaysia’s National Day, I Love KL goes back to the beginning to chart the stadium’s explosive beginning as that iconic location where the country marked and celebrated its independence, as well as the journey it went through afterwards, including hosting a plethora of sporting events, concerts and even grassroots-level activities. Heritage conserv...
Aug 29, 2024•43 min
Filled with loads of tradition, Petaling Street has been regarded as a heritage site with its historical buildings, traditional trades and rich history. Taking note of the clash of modernisation and inhibitors maintaining their traditional practices, arts-and-culture initiative Project Future Malaysia (PFM) introduced its latest project - “Traditions in Transition”, a book and video series featuring the stories of these traders. Joined by project manager Kevin Bathman, local author Francis Nanth...
Aug 22, 2024•35 min
The Forest Learning Centre, the latest addition in Perdana Botanical Garden, was set up recently to make learning about our forest more accessible and approachable. They do that by offering guided tours, focusing on our local plants, trees and fruits, as well as exhibitions that are meant to bridge the gap between art and creativity with technical knowledge and jargon. Joining us to talk more about The Forest Learning Centre and what they plan to achieve to make our forest more accessible for al...
Aug 15, 2024•39 min
Human Edition is Shi Han’s attempt at deconstructing people and peeling away that veneer that we sometimes simplistically latch on to when it comes to perceiving others. Human Edition came to be amidst Shi Han’s struggles with her own career and life, and using her own experience as a reference point, she aims to tell the stories of others from a more empathetic point of view. She joins us on the show to share the behind-the-scenes challenges of running Human Edition, her thoughts on the technic...
Aug 08, 2024•33 min
Popa Nota is David Ho’s attempt at expressing his creativity and love for design in multiple shapes and forms. Combining typography, origami and paper engineering, he produces pop-up art that looks at alphabets and letters from a perspective that’s not only three dimensional, but also very tactile. David joins us on the show to share the story behind Popa Nota, his experience with multidisciplinary design, and the mathematics and intricate artistic processes behind pop-up art, as well as his fut...
Aug 01, 2024•26 min
Documentary filmmakers UNI Gallery are committed to capturing the stories and people behind Malaysia's traditional trades. Also known as 有你, or "Together With You", the team have created a vast library of documentaries, shining a spotlight on over 150 businesses and traditional practitioners - many of whom are "uncles and aunties" keeping generations-long traditions alive. UNI Gallery producer Daniel Lim shares the editorial and production process behind documenting these untold stories and thei...
Jul 18, 2024•33 min
Inspired by the waste found on the beaches of Langkawi, Rebecca Yau, founder of social enterprise Ekha Langkawi wants to make upcycling fun through arts and crafts by turning waste - primarily plastic bags and discarded cotton t-shirts - into sustainable fashion. With the launch of the Ekha Hub in Central Market earlier this year, they're aiming to conduct upcycling workshops, community programmes, and sustainable fashion retail to kickstart the movement towards sustainability. We speak to Rebec...
Jul 11, 2024•33 min
We head to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya to reflect on the history, growth and future trajectory of these two places with our resident heritage conservation expert, Elizabeth Cardosa. We start the conversation by reflecting on what Kuala Lumpur was like in the early 90s and the catalyst to move our administrative capital over to Putrajaya, as well as unpack how these two places are designed to project Malaysia’s aspiration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 04, 2024•38 min
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 available in Malaysia and whether we’re doing enough to create a conducive learning and growing environ...
Jun 27, 2024•38 min
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 trees in our cities and proper upkeep and maintenance as part of the solution to the problem. Photo...
Jun 13, 2024•23 min
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 expert, Elizabeth Cardosa. Photo credit: sconzani.blogspot.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...
Jun 06, 2024•32 min
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 Raja Bot and repurposing it into materials for art displays by participating artists in an effort to r...
May 30, 2024•38 min
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 - their woodworking festival that promises to equip you with the basics in just one hour. Photo cre...
May 23, 2024•37 min
