Earlier this year, I paid a visit to Ipoh, specifically the old town district. On my arrival, most of the surrounding streets were still alive as crowds were queuing in front of some of the best authentic local Chinese restaurants in Malaysia. However, the liveliness seemed short-lived; by 4pm [when I started taking photographs], it seems the majority of the life in the district had left.

The empty streets did give me an opportunity to find what I was looking for; to capture the aging and decaying surroundings - the rustic charm that the old town has now been known for - and how Sekeping Kong Heng fits to it.

With the old timbers windows, darken brick, and exposed concrete walls, Seksan Design's intention to preserve as much of the original essence of the existing building as possible are clearly visible where every additional architectural intervention are kept minimal as to not overpower its former identity.

If you're looking for something different or hoping to get a taste of Ipoh's history, I recommend a short stay at the heart of it all - Sekeping Kong Heng.