Construction began at the 6,760 square meters (1.67 acres) plot of land on top of the Robson Heights, near the Lorong Bellamy in 1981. The site looks over the Jalan Syed Putra or the federal Highway. The building that was constructed was the Thean Hou Temple. The temple is a Chinese temple and has six levels. Construction at the site was completed in 1987; however the Thean Hou Temple was formally opened to the public in 1989. The Thean Hou Temple is situated in the city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and is a major attraction.
The land and building is owned by the Persatuan Hainan Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan or in English known as the Selangor and Federal Territory Hainan Association, and the site is also maintained by this same group. The Thean Hou Temple was constructed by the Hainanese community that lives in the city of Kuala Lumpur. The Thean Hou Temple is consecrated to the Chinese goddess Tian Hou who known as the Heavenly Mother.
The Thean Hou Temple combines architectural elements of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. The grandiose architecture is a major attraction to the tourists. The Taoism temple itself is a combination of contemporary and ancient architectural styles.
The Thean Hou Temple consists of a Prayer Hall, a Wishing Well, Chinese Medicinal Herbs Garden, a Tortoise Pond, statues of the goddess Tian Hou and various other depictions and also a statue set among the rocks near a waterfall of the goddess Guan Yin. The goddess Guan Yin is the goddess of Mercy.
There are many festival and special event held at the temple. So if one is in the area and planning to spend a few nights there then obviously one should find a serviced residence in Kuala Lumpur. A good place that offers Kuala Lumpur serviced apartments is the Ascott Kuala Lumpur.
By: Naveen Marasinghe
Archive for October, 2009
Thean Hou Temple, a Synergy of Architectural Styles
October 24th, 2009Posted in Articles
Tags: Architectural Elements Architectural Styles Ascott Ascott Kuala Lumpur Chinese Goddess Chinese Medicinal Herbs Chinese Temple Federal Territory Goddess Of Mercy Grandiose Architecture Guan Yin Heavenly Mother Herbs Garden Jalan Syed Putra Naveen Prayer Hall Serviced Apartments Serviced Residence Thean Hou Temple Wilayah Persekutuan
Light Tables for the Contemporary Home
October 24th, 2009Who would’ve thought that lighting and furniture would be a convenient and highly functional option to have in your home? Light tables which are usually catered to design related industries such as drafting, architecture and even graphic design are essential products that are important to their industry. However, not everyone in the general public has been exposed to this uniquely functional furniture item. But with modern and contemporary design becoming more popular in households, what’s not to like about a table that lights up?
Light tables, as mentioned before, are familiar to those who work in the drafting and architecture industry. For those of you who aren’t familiar with light tables, they’re basically large, rectangular tables that have a glass top with fluorescent lights that run underneath it. I was lucky enough to use a light table in one of my art classes back in high school; they’re also known as tracing tables, which particularly come in handy when you need to make adjustments to a design.
Nowadays furniture designers are taking the idea of a light table and running with it by making extraordinary coffee tables and end tables. It’s amazing that just with the addition of a fluorescent bulb underneath a table top will create an ethereal appearance that’s both cosmopolitan and high end. Let’s not forget the awesome feature that comes with these light tables – the built in light! No longer would you have to invest in an extra lamp to place upon your light-coffee table; all you have to do is just flip the switch that’s either on the side or underneath the table.
Another great thing about light tables is that with just a flip of a switch they’ll make coffee table items look like works of art. Face it, anything that’s being bathed in a glow of light looks both expensive and brilliant. Creating the perfect atmosphere for soirees, romantic nights in, or just an ethereal atmosphere for your home, contemporary light tables are an essential to have for the fashion forward decorator.
By: Vicki Duong
Posted in Articles
Tags: Appearance architecture Art Classes Coffee Table Coffee Tables And End Tables Contemporary Design Essential Products Ethereal Atmosphere Fluorescent Lights Functional Furniture Furniture Designers Graphic Design Households Light Coffee Light Tables Lighting Related Industries Romantic Nights Soirees Works Of Art
Best of Contemporary India
October 23rd, 2009Thanks to architect Hafeez Contractor, I first heard of Trident Hilton, Gurgaon. Our magazine was hosting an architecture award ceremony in Delhi, and Trident was his choice for an overnight stay of all Delhi hotels. In the subsequent years, I visited the hotel on a number of occasions. Often to interview golfer Jeev Milkha Singh! It is easy to see why these achievers opt for this lovely property just across the Delhi border. Its layout and architecture at once transport the visitor to an urban oasis. The infinity pool at the entrance instantly alleviates fatigue levels – mental and physical alike. The scale of the structures, their soothing neutral tones, huge water bodies, room windows looking into numerous water pools make it one of the classiest city hotels in India. It could in fact give many a leisure resort a complex.
The main structure, next to the infinity pool, houses the reception area and restaurants to the left. To the right is one wing of rooms. But walking straight ahead, this structure opens out to the courtyard. And yet again one is swept away by terraced landscaping comprising water bodies, flowering champa trees and blazing mashalls (vertical metal stands) with fire bellowing from top. The last feature comes alive after sun down. Needless to say, fire and water make for a potent visual treat.
The only other hotel in Delhi, or more appropriately National Capital Region (NCR), that comes close to this property is the historic Imperial hotel bang in the heart of town. The portals of this historic hotel have been graced by some of the giants of history. None more so than Mahatma Gandhi! During the lead up to India’s independence from the colonial yolk, Imperial was the venue for many a meeting for both Indians such as Jawahar Lal Nehru, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Sardar Patel among others, and the likes of then viceroy, Louis Mountbatten. Discussion on the partition of India and creation of Pakistan first took place here.
Inaugurated by Lord Willingdon in 1936, the hotel today is a fine confluence of a
rich history and cutting edge international appeal. Its architectural style is a playful blend of Victorian, Old Colonial and Art Deco. The Imperial was the first amongst the legendary “Four Maidens of the East”, that included The Strand hotel in Rangoon, Raffles Hotel in Singapore and the Great Eastern & Oriental in Calcutta. The hotel retains its prima donna position among art & culture aficionados.
These two hotels symbolize the best of modern India.
By: Rajesh
Posted in Articles
Tags: Architect Hafeez Contractor Architecture Award Creation Of Pakistan Fatigue Levels Hotel In Delhi Infinity Pool Jawahar Lal Nehru Jeev Milkha Singh Lord Willin Louis Mountbatten Mahatma Gandhi Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali Jinnah Partition Of India Pool Houses Sardar Patel Trident Hilton Urban Oasis Vertical Metal Water Pools