Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
He grew up in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. Now architect Shin Chang is helping bring it back to life
Malaysian architect Shin Chang is helping revive Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, a neighbourhood where he grew up and later saw businesses and residents move away. His work aims to bring people back by adapting historic buildings for community use, showing how architecture and local businesses can contribute to renewed street life.
With design partner Penny Ng, Chang opened ChoCha Foodstore in a 1920s shophouse on Petaling Street in 2016, preserving features such as its mosaic floors and metal window grilles. The pair later opened Botak Liquor upstairs and set up their studio nearby; Chang also worked on the former Rex Cinema’s transformation into REXKL. He says the restaurant was a practical way to attract visitors to an area that had become quiet after dark.
In short
- Shin Chang is helping revive the Chinatown where he grew up.
- ChoCha brought visitors to a neglected Petaling Street shophouse.
- His work includes the former Rex Cinema, now REXKL.
Explained simply
Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown grew around Petaling Street, where generations of residents and traders lived and worked in historic shophouses. As businesses and residents moved elsewhere, parts of the area became quieter, raising questions about how to keep its buildings and street life in use.
Shin Chang is a Malaysian architect who grew up in the neighbourhood and works with design partner Penny Ng. Their projects include adapting old buildings for food, drink and community activities, while retaining features of their original design. Such efforts matter because they connect the area’s architectural heritage with the businesses and visitors that help sustain everyday life there.