Limaspuri - Johore Architectural Heritage Reborn

Just short introduction for our friend from outside Nusantara. Johore is the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia, and is located between the 1°20"N and 2°35"N latitudes. Historically, it is the last kingdom from Srivijaya and Malacca linage that survive the colonial era, and the only nation in South East Asia, other than Rama Kingdom of Thailand that is always independent from any European occupation. In the past, its territory comprises most part of Sumatra and Malay Peninsular including Singapore and most of the islands at South China Sea. Its rich culture is made up of harmonious blend of various tradition from all place in Nusantara. Limas house is one of the many heritage of Johore. To learn about Limas House, you might want to read my older post on it. (Read it here).

For all peoples who had visited Johore several years back might be lucky to be able to see a replica of a Johore Malay Village located at Danga Bay, Johore Bahru. There were several pretty and unique traditional Limas houses in a kind of village setting, with a little shop, reflexology place, restaurant with a beautiful veranda and many more. The site can be spotted no more. It had been pulled down to ground to give way for a more expensive commercial development. Even I had no chance of seeing it. Realizing the missing of a place symbolising Johor’s Malay heritages at the heart of Johore capital, an effort had been made through a collaboration of the State Government of Johor and her subsidiary Cahaya Jauhar, with expertise of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia's Malay World Research Centre or Pusat Kajian Alam Melayu (KALAM) to build a new village of Malay Limas Houses. The project is called Limaspuri Melayu Johor.


Originally, Limaspuri was proposed to be build at Danga Bay near the old Limas villages site but then, it was given a bigger location at Linear Park (Qiblat Axis), Nusajaya near the state's new administrative centre, Kota Iskandar and Malaysian Legoland themepark. At least ten Johore Limas houses will be build based on the KALAM research on the existing traditional house in Johore. The project was scheduled to be launched during the Visit Johor Year 2015 and ready for opening by 2016. When it is completed, Limaspuri will has a gallery complete with a theatrette, exclusive Johore restaurant, hall and surau. It will embody the state's rich, varied and intricate artistic heritage, evident in everything from elaborately carved Malay motifs, exceptional woodwork and the exquisite expressions of master artisans and landscaping that harmoniously blends nature with man-made ingenuity.

The Limaspuri Melayu Johor is part experiential showcase, part edutainment hub and part theme park, a place where the past, present and future converge to inspire hearts, minds and spirits. There will be lot of fun activities to be done at each Limas house, and beside the Malay architectural amazes, visitors can also learn on the other aspect in Malay culture such as Silat, Malay cuisine, games, medicines, arts and artifacts.

For more information on Limaspuri Melayu Johore, updates, events and promotion, go to the official website at www.limaspuri.com

In another occassion, please take a moment of silence to recite al-Fatihah for the late Dato Wan Abdullah bin Wan Ibrahim, CEO/Managing Director of UEM Sunrise who passed away on the last 26th February 2014, two weeks post his last umrah trip. Dato Wan had been on sick leave since last December 2013.

For anyone who has nothing better to do today, please be invited to Nusajaya Affordable House Pre Launching at SMK Gelang Patah. Check out the tentative at my previous post