Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Pekeliling Flats - Urban Soul of KL

Old places speaks volumes some people say. It could be the feeling one gets when you're at a place that has seen countless births and deaths, or that the imprint of humanity has stained the hallways that it just resonates even after all its inhabitants have left or you could gleam the past from the remnants as a soothsayer reads the patterns of entrails from a sacrifice. The empty hallways and deserted rooms at Pekeliling Flats reveals a lot about the lives that has passed through these blocks of dwellings. A lone building block shows that a child ones played with it when they were growing up in these cramped walls, graffiti speaks volumes as one ticks off the names of would be footballers so clearly preserved even now, or dried leaves hanging from the rafters of a doorway signals that a Hindu family once lived here or even the beautiful writings of khat to signify a Muslim home and a discarded red alter marking a Chinese family. Walking through, one feels akin to an archaeologist digging up the past to tap into the soul of what must be the core identity to Kuala Lumpur's populace, a microcosm of the tapestry that makes up this city. The halls are now silenced but walk by and you may be able to glance at a slice of the past.

Building-Blocks


A child's toys may signal the reconstruction of a new life somewhere better, Pekeliling flats, Kuala Lumpur.

Stairs

The steps now leads to nowhere but rows upon rows of vacated abodes, Pekeliling flats, Kuala Lumpur.

Team

Reminder of more innocent days, list of a local team football roster, Pekeliling flats, Kuala Lumpur.

Dried-Leaves

Dried mango leaves signifies the house once belonged to Hindu family, Pekeliling flats, Kuala Lumpur.

Rubbish-Strewn

Rubbish were strewn all over, Pekeliling flats, Kuala Lumpur.

Hallway

The empty corridors of what was once a bustling flat, Pekeliling flats, Kuala Lumpur.

2 comments:

Buster Stronghart said...

this chair could sell in ABC Stores in the United States for a couple of hundred dollars, believe it or not.

BusterStronghart@gmail.com

Your photos are intriguing.

WY said...

it's beautiful. may i suggest a series of pictures to document the demise of the Pekeliling flats. THanks!