Sacred Heart Chapel Report

DA HS H H HHHHHHHHH

Name of Building: Sacred Heart Chapel

Address: Lot 25, Jalan Tengkera, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia.

This report is submitted for the subject ARC 1215 / ARC 60305

Methods of Documentation and Measured Drawings to the School

of Architecture, Building and Design of Taylor’s University to obtain 5

credits for Practicum 1.

It is a group effort by:

Leader:

Seow Koji Takehira 0320816

Group Member:

Andy Heng Wee Xiang 0327152

Harwinder Singh Girn A/L Manjeet Singh 0319881

Heng Sy Hua 0321999

Ho Zi Yan 0323698

Hyunh Minh Nhat Dinh 0313309

Jack Chung Da Jie 0323948

Joey Lau Xin Jun 0323965

Noor Syahirah Binti Abdul Aziz 0326109

Nur Diyana Athirah Binti Abdul Khalid 0326114

Rhianna Mae Storey 0325369

Saw E Sean 0322003

Siti Nur Fatahiah Binti Md Ezamudin 0320595

Tan Yincy 0318355

Teoh Jun Xiang 0322099

Thareen Nujjoo 0324886

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Architecture

January 2017

Taylor’s University

Supervised by:

Dr. Camelia May Li Kusumo

DECLARATION I

II

Our team, Team Sacred Heart Chapel, would like to extend our

heartfelt gratitude to those who provided us valuable information and

knowledge which contributed to the completion of this report.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest

appreciation to our tutor, Dr. Camelia May Li Kusumo, for providing

guidance to our team throughout the course of the assignment and

also for sharing her valuable insights which benefited the outcome of

this report.

Moreover, we would like to thank Architect Hau Woon San, the owner

of Idea Workshop, as well as Ms. Jovina Ann Lee, an Idea Workshop

employee, for providing us the required documents and materials to

complete our report.

Lastly, the completion of this report would not have been possible

without the kind support of Mr Keith Tan, a Taylor’s University lecturer,

Mr Colin Goh, Mr Vincent Kang as well as other interviewees who were

willing to spend time to attend the interview sessions conducted by our

team. The kind support and patience displayed by these individuals

proved crucial for the completion of this report.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT II

This research report documents the overall information and data

obtained from the Measured Drawing activity conducted by our group,

Team Sacred Heart Chapel, on the Sacred Heart Chapel located at Lot

25, Jalan Tengkera, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia from the 20th to the 24th

of January 2017. The Sacred Heart Chapel is a heritage building

located along Jalan Tengkera, which was also known as Tranquerah

Road during the colonial era. The name of the road was derived from

the term “Tranquerah”, which meant a defence wall which was

constructed by the Portuguese to protect the Tranquerah suburb from

invaders. The Portuguese colonization contributed to the emergence of

the Portuguese-Eurasians in the suburb as well as the spread of

Roman Catholicism among the local community. It wasn’t until the

British colonial era that a plot of land was leased to the local

Portuguese-Eurasians to construct a religious building along Jalan

Tengkera. Thus, the Sacred Heart Chapel completed its construction in

1877, serving its function for 100 years till the 1970s. Since then, the

chapel was abandoned as the lease of the land expired in the 1970s.

Although the chapel is a historically significant building, formal actions

were not taken by relevant authorities to conserve and preserve it. As

such, this project is important as it allowed us to understand the

importance of documenting the assigned building in the form of

drawings, documentation video and a research report.

ABSTRACT III

This subject aims to develop an understanding of the principles of

building preservation and the methods of recording it through

documentation methods. As such, students were required to document

the historical, architectural and cultural significance of their respective

buildings in the form of as-built drawings. Numerous aspects of the

selected building were carefully observed, analysed and recorded in

the form of a research report, a photo book as well as a documentary

video.

Our team, Team Sacred Heart Chapel, conducted a site visit to

Malacca (Malay: Melaka) from the 20th to the 24th of January 2017 to

conduct on-site measuring activities in the Sacred Heart Chapel, which

is located at Lot 25, Jalan Tengkera, 75000 Melaka, Malaysia. Tasks

were divided among the group members fairly to increase the

productivity and effectiveness of the team.

INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH IV

Chapter 3 : History and Site Context

3.1 Historical Background

3.1.1 History of Sacred Heart Chapel 35-39

3.1.2 History of Sacred Heart of Jesus 40

3.2 Site Context

3.2.1 Location and Topography 41-42

3.2.2 Location within Malacca World Heritage Site 43-46

Declarations I

Acknowledgement II

Abstract III

Introduction to research IV

Table of Content V-VIII

List of Figures IX-XIII

List of Diagrams XIV-XV

Chapter 1 : Introduction

1.1 Aim and Objectives

1.1.1 Aim 2

1.1.2 Objectives 2

1.2 Task and Methodologies

1.2.1 Measuring and Drawing Process 3-6

1.2.2 Report and Literature 7-9

1.2.3 Videography and Photography Process 10-11

1.2.4 Model Making Process 12

1.3 Task Distribution 13-14

1.4 Limitations 15-16

1.5 Significance of Research 17

Chapter 2 : Historical Background of Malacca and Tranquerah

2.1 History, Geography and Economy of Malacca

2.1.1 Brief History of Malacca 19

2.1.2 Geography of Malacca 20

2.1.3 Economy 21

2.1.4 Effects of Geographical and Economic

Importance of Malacca

22-25

2.2 History, Significance and Development of Tranquerah

2.2.1 Origins of The Name “Tengkera” 26

2.2.2 Function 26-28

2.2.3 Development of Tranquerah Suburb 28-32

2.3 Conclusion 33

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IV

V

Buffer Zone

3.2.3 Relationship of Building to Surrounding 47-51

Chapter 4 : Architectural Styles and Concepts

4.1 Design Idea

4.1.1 Roman Catholicism 53-56

4.1.2 Personal Expression and Identification 57-58

4.1.3 Form 59-60

4.2 Spatial Analysis

4.2.1 Organization of Spaces 61-67

4.2.2 Spatial Hierarchy 68-70

4.2.3 Circulation to Use Space 71-72

4.3 Design Principle

4.3.1 Balance and Symmetry 73

4.3.2 Repetition 74

4.3.3 Unity and Harmony 75

4.4 Design Styles and Elements

4.4.1 Overview and Explanation 76-77

4.4.2 Iberian Style 78-80

4.4.3 Gothic Style 81-84

4.4.4 Romanesque Style 85

4.4.5 Other Elements 86-89

4.5 Orientation and Response to Climate

4.5.1 Orientation 90-91

4.5.2 Response to Climate 92-93

Chapter 5 : Construction Details and Materials

5.1 Terracotta Floor Tiles

5.1.1 Definition and Characteristics 95

5.1.2 Materials 95-98

5.1.3 Advantages and Disadvantages 99

5.1.4 Existing Condition 100

5.2 Load Bearing Walls

5.2.1 Definition and Characteristics 101

5.2.2 Materials (Dutch Bricks) 102

5.2.3 Bonding System 103


5.3 Semicircular Arches 105-106


5.4 Doors

TABLE OF CONTENTS VI

VII

TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS XI

TABLE OF CONTENTS VI

5.4.1 Battened, ledged and framed timber door 108

5.4.2 Framed Doors 109


5.5 Louvered Casement Windows 110


5.6 Timber Choir Loft and Staircase

5.6.1 Timber Choir Loft 112

5.6.2 Timber Staircase 113


5.7 Timber King Post Roof Truss System

5.7.1 Description 115

5.7.2 Components 115

5.7.3 Connection and Joints 116

5.7.4 Roof Tiles 117


5.8 Wall Anchor

5.8.1 Definition and Materials 119

5.8.2 Components 120


5.9 Altar & Pulpit

5.9.1 Altar 121

5.9.2 Pulpit 121


Chapter 6 : Cultural Attributes

6.1 Surrounding Community 124-125

6.2 Conditions of Chapel when It was in Use

6.2.1 Exterior 126-127

6.2.2 Interior 128-129

6.3 Activities 130-131

Chapter 7 : Comparison with Saint Peter’s Church

7.1 Introduction to Saint Peter’s Church 133

7.2 Architectural Style 134

7.3 Comparison 135

TABLE OF CONTENTS VII

Chapter 8 : Future Development 137-141

Conclusion 142

References 143-148

Glossary 149-151

Appendix

Scaled Drawings

TABLE OF CONTENTS VIII

Figure 1.1: Measuring tape used for measuring a crack on site. (Source: Ho, 2017) Figure1.2: Laser measure used for measuring. (Source: Lau, 2017) Figure 1.3: A4-sized clipboard used on site. (Source: Shutterstock, 2017) Figure 1:4 Camera and tripod were used to record and photograph the building (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 1.5: Drafting tools were used to record the measuremet (Source: Pinterest, 2017) Figure 1.6: A4-sized paper used for sketching. (Source: Ho, 2017) Figure 1.7: Ladder was used to measure certain elements at unreachable heights. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 1.8: Production of technical drawings using AutoCAD. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 1.9: Interview sessions conducted with Ar. Hau and Mr. Colin Goh. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 1.10: Discussion between group members and the tutor, Dr. Camelia. (Source: Khalid, 2017) Figure 1.11: The photography and videography team on site. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 1.12: Individual pieces of model produced on balsa wood. (Source: Aziz, 2017) Figure 1.13: Process of model-making. (Source: Aziz, 2017) Figure 1.14: Partially completed physical model. (Source: Khalid, 2017) Figure 1.15: The defects surrounding the pulpit (Source: Khalid, 2017) Figure 1.16: The defects surrounding the stairs (Source: Aziz, 2017) Figure 1.17: The defects on the wall (Source: Ho, 2017) Figure 1.18: Roofless building and rainy weather conditions (Source: Ezamudin, 2017) Figure 2.1: Portrait of Parameswara. (Source: Yoganathan, 2015)

Figure 2.2: Scene of the white mouse-deer kicking Parameswara’s hunting dogs. (Source: Lim, 2016) Figure 2.3: Malacca as a lowland area. (Source: Google, n.d.) Figure 2.4: International trade conducted at the port of Malacca. (Source: Google, n.d) Figure 2.5: Spices. (Source: Emaze, 2017) Figure 2.6: Malacca linking the trade routes of the East and West.. (Source: Saw, 2017) Figure 2.7: Portrait of Alfonso de Albuquerque. (Source: Alamy Stock, 2017) Figure 2.8: The Portuguese conquest of Malacca. (Source: Asienreisender, 2017) Figure 2.9: St. Francis Xavier. (Source: St. Xavier’s School, 2017) Figure 2.10: Portuguese-Eurasians. (Source: C. Pfeiffer, 2017) Figure 2.11: Dutch-era shophouses in Heeren Street, Malacca. (Source: heritage architecture: shophouses, 2017) Figure 2.12: Dutch bricks. (Source: Pixabay, 2017) Figure 2.13: General concept of an ancient wooden palisade. (Sauber, 2012) Figure 2.14: Present day Tranquerah Road. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 2.15: Map of Malacca during Dutch era. (1780) (Source: Colonial Voyage and Marco Ramerini, 2017) Figure 2.16: The map shows the area of reclamation land (Source: H.C.Lim and F.Jorge, 2006) Figure 3.1: Exterior façade of the Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: H.C.Lim and F.Jorge, 2006) Figure 3.2: Exterior view of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 3.3: Interior perspective view of Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017)

LIST OF FIGURES IX

Figure 3.4: Interior perspective view of Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 3.5: Existing condition of chapel’s interior wall. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 3.6: Exposed brickwork of facade. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 3.7: Exposed timber roof trusses above sanctuary (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 3.8: Jesus and His Sacred Heart. (Source: Battle Heads, 2015) Figure 3.9: Shophouses located on both sides of Jalan Tengkera. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 3.10: Parking lots situated in front of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 3.11: Panoramic view of shophouses around the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Kusumo, 2017) Figure 4.1: The holy water fonts situated in front of the Tuscan columns. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 4.2: The confession area as indicated by the highlighted area. (Singh, 2017) Figure 4.3: The timber choir loft as seen from above. (Seow, 2017) Figure 4.4: The pulpit in the chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 4.5: The altar of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 4.6: The narthex which is located under the choir loft is indicated by the highlighted area. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.7: The donation box slot as seen on one of the Tuscan columns. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 4.8: The nave is indicated by the highlighted area. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 4.9: The nave as seen from the sanctuary. (Source: Heng, 2017)

Figure 4.10: Windows at the side of the nave. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 4.11: Light penetrating a window located at the side of the nave. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.12: The sanctuary is indicated by the highlighted area. (Source: Saw, 2017) Figure 4.13: The large scale of the semi-circular-arched opening allows the sanctuary to be the point of focus no matter where one stands. (Source: Saw, 2017) Figure 4.14: The sacristy is indicated by the highlighted area. (Source: Saw, 2017) Figure 4.15: The side walkway of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 4.16: The floor plan for mostly Early Christian Church (Source: Wikipedia, n.d.) Figure 4.17: Door beside altar as seen from sacristy (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 4.18: Side door (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 4.19: Door at the back of the sacristy (Seow, 2017) Figure 4.20: Front door (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 4.21: Similar properties of stained glass pieces (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.22: Similar shapes of doors and windows of the front façade (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 4.23: Pointed arch louvered casement windows at the front facade of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.24: The stained glass pieces above a window in the Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.25: The variety of stained glass patterns that can be found in the chapel (Source: Singh, 2017)

LIST OF FIGURES X

Figure 4.26: Original pinnacles on the left of the chapel’s pediment (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.27: Restored pediment on the right of the chapel’s pediment (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.28: The semi-circular arch of the front gate in the Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 4.29: The semi-circular arch door of the front façade in the Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.30: The Romanesque-arched facade as seen from the sanctuary. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 4.31: The timber choir loft as seen from the sanctuary. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 4.32: Side view of the pulpit. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.33: Front view of the chapel’s altar. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.34: The IHS or JHS monogram on the altar’s mensa. (Source:Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.35: Stairs at the side of the altar. (Teoh, 2017) Figure 4.36: Semicircular arched opening at the side of the altar. (Source: Teoh, 2017)Figure 5.1: Terracotta tiles in Sacred heart Chapel (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.2: Close-up look of the terracotta Tiles in the building. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 5.3: Terracotta floor tiles in the chapel. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.4: Sunken terracotta floor tiles around the pulpit. (Source: Storey, 2017) Figure 5.5: Missing terracotta floor tiles at the nave. (Source: Storey, 2017) Figure 5.6: Load bearing walls as seen from the interior of the chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 5.7: Clay (Source: Micheal, n.d.)

Figure 5.8: Shale (Source: Collecting rocks and minerals, n.d.) Figure 5.9: Dutch bond System. (Source: Greenhalgh, 1926) Figure 5.10: Exposed Dutch bricks in the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.11: Exposed Dutch bricks due to the fallen off plaster. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.12: Visible cracks on the load bearing wall. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.13: The semicircular arched opening as seen from the altar. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 5.14: Crack present above semi-circular arched opening at the façade before the sanctuary (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.15: Exposed brickwork of semi-circular-arched door at the front of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.16: Cracks present near the semi-circular-arched door at the back of the sacristy. (Source: Seow, 2017 Figure 5.17: Battened, ledged and framed door at the front of the chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.18: L-shaped bolt latch of the chapel’s front door. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.19: T-shaped door hinge (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.20: Framed door in Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.21: Butt hinge of the chapel’s side door (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.22: The louvered window in Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 5.23: The butt hinge of a window in the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 5.24: L-shaped bolt latch of the chapel’s window (Source: Seow, 2017)

LIST OF FIGURES XI

Figure 5.25: Light grey pattern around a window in the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.26: Missing louvres of the sacristy’s timber window as seen from the exterior of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.27: Broken stained glass pieces of a window. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.28: Timber choir loft at Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 5.29: The front elevation of the stairs in Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.30: The elevation side of the stairs in Sacred Heart Chapel (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.31: Missing timber floor joist of the choir loft exposes the hole made on the wall. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.32: Missing timber plank as seen from the back of the staircase. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.33: Small pieces of paint coatings left on the staircase treads. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.34: Timber king post roof truss system of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.35: Round-headed iron bolts. (Source: blacksmithbolt, n.d.) Figure 5.36: U-shaped clay roof tiles found in No. 8, Heeren Street (Source: Christopher, 2014) Figure 5.37: Broken timber rafter suspended on top of the sacristy. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 5.38: The smaller-sized timber purlins used on the timber roof trusses amongst other larger-sized purlins. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.39: Existing condition of the chapel’s wall anchor. (Source: Singh, 2017)

Figure 5.40: The altar of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.41: Terracotta tiles at the altar. (Source: Ezamudin, 2017) Figure 5.42: The pulpit of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017) Figure 5.43: Timber template.used to construct curved brick structures. (Source: The Brick and Brickwork, n.d.) Figure 5.44: The pulpit which is slightly detached from the wall of the chapel. (Source: Ezamudin, 2017) Figure 5.45: Candle waxes present at the edge of the altar. (Source: Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.46: Missing floor tiles at the altar’s platform. (Source: Lau, 2017) Figure 6.1: The chapel’s front gate (Source: Seow, 2017) Figure 6.2: The belfry of the chapel. (Source: Singh, 2017) Figure 6.3: The Donation Box Place (Source: Aziz, 2017) Figure 7.1: Front façade of St Peter’s church Figure 7.2: Front façade of Sacred Heart Chapel Figure 7.3: Front façade of St Peter’s Church (Source: K.sini, 2017) Figure 7.4: Interior of the church (Source: Wikimedia Commons, 2017) Figure 8.1: Cover page of the conservation report prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017) Figure 8.2: Page 4 of the conservation report prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017) Figure 8.3: Page 7 of the conservation report that shows the historical research prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017) Figure 8.4: Page 15 of the conservation report that shows the dilapidated state prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

LIST OF FIGURES XI

LIST OF FIGURES XII

Figure 8.5: Page 16 of the conservation report that shows the dilapidated state prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017) Figure 8.6: Land grant of Sacred Heart Chapel 1 (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017) Figure 8.7: Land grant of Sacred Heart Chapel 2 (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017) Figure 8.8: Land grant of Sacred Heart Chapel 3 (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

LIST OF FIGURES XIII

Diagram 2.1: Interpretation of the location of the Tranquerah suburb based on Eredia’s Map of Malacca. (Saw, 2017) Diagram 2.2: Interpretation of the location of Tranquerah based on the map of Malacca produced by Mao Kun during the early 15 century. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 2.3: Interpretation of Portuguese suburbs based on Eredia’s Map of Malacca(Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 2.4: Intermarriage of Portuguese men and local women. (Saw, 2017) Diagram 2.5: Map of Malacca during Dutch era (1780) (Source: Colonial Voyage and Marco Ramerini , 2017) Diagram 2.6: Interpretation of the location of Tranquerah Road during the British era (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.1: Essential Roman Catholic elements and spaces provided within the chapel. (Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.2: The combination of the forms that shape the chapel’s outlook (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram4.3: The plan of the chapel was influenced by the rectangular plot of land on which it was constructed. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.4: The transformation of the chapel from a 2-dimension plan into a 3-dimensional form. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 4.5: The organization of spaces in a linear sequence (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.6: Spatial hierarchy of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.7: The circulation of users in the chapel. (Source: Saw 2017) Diagram 4.8: Symmetry shown by the front elevation of the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Diagram 4.9: Symmetry shown by the back elevation of the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.10: Symmetry of the chapel’s floor plan (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.11: Symmetry of the facade before the sanctuary as shown by the section. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.12: Repetition of elements is present on the 3 highlighted components of the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.13: Repetition of elements is shown by the highlighted areas. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.14: The front facade of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Measured Drawing Team Sacred Heart Chapel, 2017) Diagram 4.15: The front facade of the Basilica of Bom Jesus. (Source: Divakaran, 2005) Diagram 4.16: The front façade of the Ruins of Saint Paul’s Church (Source: Macao Arts Festival, 2011) Diagram 4.17: Orientation of chapel which faces Jalan Tengkera. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 4.18: Circulation of flow into the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 4.19: Ventilation flow into the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 4.20: Sun path and ventilation on site. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 4.21: Sun path across the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 4.22: Penetration of sunlight from the left of the chapel in the morning. (Source: Huynh Dinh, 2017) Diagram 4.23: Penetration of sunlight from the right of the chapel in the evening. (Source: Huynh Dinh, 2017)

LIST OF DIAGRAMS XIV

Diagram 5.1: Existing condition of terracotta floor tiles (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.2: Existing condition of building as seen from the chapel’s section (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.3: The dimensions of the terracotta floor tiles used in the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.4: The distribution of materials in the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 5.5: Load bearing walls indicated by highlighted area. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.6: Dimensions and texture of a Dutch brick found on site. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.7: Components of a semi-circular arch (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 5.8: Components of a centering structure (Source: Pinterest,n.d.) Diagram 5.9: Components of the chapel’s framed door. (Source: Saw, 2017) Diagram 5.10: Butt hinge of the chapel’s framed door. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.11: Components of the timber choir loft in the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.12: Components of the timber staircase in the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.13: Components of the timber king post roof truss system. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.14: Timber crossed half lapped joint. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017) Diagram 5.15: The use of the wall anchor in building construction. (Source: History of the Dutch in Malaysia, 2007)

Diagram 8.1: Page 24 of the conservation report that shows the measured drawing of side elevation prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

LIST OF DIAGRAMS XV

1.1.1 AIM

The aim of this project is to help students to develop an understanding

of the process of building preservation and the methods of recording it

using various documentation methods. It also allows student to explore

various measuring techniques and to discover the unique architectural

elements and context of the heritage buildings in Malaysia.

1.1.2 OBJECTIVES

The objective of this project is to document the significance of the

selected heritage building and to produce accurate measured drawings

for future uses. Besides that, the project intends to enable students to

analyse the relationship between architecture and the significance of

the building as well as its inhabitants.

1.1 AIM & OBJECTIVES 2

1.2.1 MEASURING AND DRAWING PROCESS

a) Before site visit

Before the start of the site visit to the Sacred Heart Chapel in Malacca,

we studied a few measuring techniques in order to familiarise

ourselves with on-site measuring techniques. Measuring equipment

and materials were carefully analysed and prepared in order to obtain

the most accurate measurements of the building.

The selected equipment are as follows:

Metal measuring tape:

A standard measuring tape is a rigid, retractable and lockable

measuring tool. It is especially useful for measuring room interiors.

1.2 TASK & METHODOLOGY 3

Figure 1.1: Measuring tape used for measuring a crack on site.

(Source: Ho, 2017)

Laser measure:

Laser measures were provided by the module lecturers for each and

every group prior to the respective site visits. It is a simple yet accurate

measuring tool to measure the height and length of the exterior and

interior of the building.

Clipboard:

A4-sized clipboards were prepared by each and every group member

to allow them to secure their sketching and drafting papers when

measuring on site.

Cameras and tripod:

DSLR and digital cameras were prepared to take photographs on site

to be used as references during CAD-ing sessions. Tripods were also

prepared to secure the DSLR cameras at perfect positions to take

photographs and videos.


Figure1.2: Laser measure used for measuring. (Source: Lau,

2017)

Figure 1.4: Camera secured on tripod was used to record and photograph the building (Source: Heng, 2017)

Figure 1.3: A4-sized clipboard used on site. (Source: Shutterstock, 2017)

Drafting tools:

Drafting tools such as pencils and erasers were prepared by each and

every group member to allow them to record measurements made on

site in the form of sketches and annotations.

Papers:

A4-sized blank papers were prepared to allow members to record their

measurements and findings on site.


Figure 1.6: A4-sized paper used for sketching. (Source:

Ho, 2017)

Figure 1.5: Drafting tools such as eraser and pencil were used to record measurements. (Source: Pinterest,

2017)

b) During site visit

During the site visit, we applied all the techniques we have learned to

measure our assigned building. All members were assigned to

measure certain parts of the building, which are the interior, exterior as

well as the details. Our group members also took related photographs

of the parts of the building measured by them to act as useful

references in the future. Metal rulers with 30cm length were also

placed beside the measured elements when the photographs were

taken to act as scaling references during the drawing sessions. A

ladder, which was provided by Idea Workshop, was also used to reach

and measure certain elements located at unreachable heights.

c) After site visit

After the completion of the site visit, our group members compared and

standardized the recorded measurements together and to translate

them into proper technical drawings. To complete this task, we used

digital drawing software called Autodesk AutoCAD to produce accurate

and systematic drawings. A modelling software named 3ds Max was

also used to produce 3-dimensional models of the original conditions of

the chapel to be used in the report and documentary video.


Figure 1.7: A ladder was used to measure certain elements at unreachable heights. (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure 1.8: Production of technical drawings using AutoCAD. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

1.2.2 REPORT AND LITERATURE RESEARCH


Before the site visit to Malacca was conducted, group members were

assigned to research on the related information of the building. As

there was limited information about our building both online and offline,

alternative methods were discussed and executed to obtain the

relevant information of the building.

Besides literature books regarding church typologies, our group

members sought after articles, journals and other literature sources

which encompass a broader range of information that may benefit the

outcome of the research. Interviews were also conducted with a

Taylor’s University lecturer, Mr. Keith Tan, to have a better

understanding of the chapel and its context before the site visit was

conducted. An interview was also arranged with Architect Hau, the

owner of Idea Workshop, who is currently conducting restoration works

on the Sacred Heart Chapel. The interview questionnaires were

prepared and printed before the site visit. (Appendix 4)


1


During our site visit in Malacca, our group members conducted an

interview with Architect Hau to familiarise ourselves with the

conservation and restoration processes of the chapel. With the kind

help of Architect Hau, we arranged another interview with Mr Colin

Goh, who wrote an article regarding the building back in 2011. (Goh,

personal communication, 22nd January 2017) As Mr. Colin once spent

his childhood days in the chapel, his answers helped us to understand

the conditions of the chapel when it was in use. Several other

interviews were also conducted with the business owners along Jalan

Tengkera. All interview answers were recorded in the form of written

notes, videos and audio recordings to be used as future references.


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Figure 1.9: Interview sessions conducted with Ar. Hau and Mr.

Colin Goh. (Source: Seow, 2017)

c) After site visit

After returning from the site visit, we gathered and organised all the

information obtained from the interviews to be inserted into the report.

A report guideline was then written to list out all the topics which were

to be covered by respective members of the report team. After the

members submitted their respective works in the group’s Google Drive,

they then proceeded with the compilation of the report. Design and

modelling softwares such as Photoshop CC and 3ds Max were used to

compile the report, to produce related diagrams as well as to produce

the photobook for the final submission.


Figure 1.10: Discussion between group members and the tutor,

Dr. Camelia. (Source: Khalid, 2017)

1.2.3. VIDEOGRAPHY AND PHOTOGRAPHY PROCESS


Before the site visit to Malacca was conducted, group members under

the videography team held several meetings to discuss about the

outcome of the video. Thorough research was conducted to decide

which information should be included in the video and the script, which

contains the main ideas and information of the video, was generated.

Videos produced by students from previous batches were also used as

references to decide the style and outcome of the video.


During the site visit, the videography team and photography team

explored the building to plan the best angle, timing and lighting to take

photographs and videos of the interior and exterior of the building. This

was done to ensure that the essence evoked by the sense of place can

be precisely documented. All photos and videos taken on site were

reviewed later at night to ensure that all aspects of the building were

well documented.


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Figure 1.11: The photography and videography team on site.

(Source: Seow, 2017)

c) After site visit

After the visit, the video clips taken on site were reviewed to select the

best footage for the documentary video. Audio recordings were also

made to include narrations in the video. In addition to that, photos

taken were carefully selected and edited using Photoshop CC to

produce the photobook.


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1.2.4 MODEL MAKING PROCESS

i. Balsa wood with different pieces and sizes were purchased.

ii. Completed CAD drawings converted into specific files to be used for

laser cutting.

iii. Balsa wood were engraved and cut using laser cutting machine in

Taylor’s University engineering workshop.

iv. Individual pieces were organized according to their categories and

glued into components.

v. Components were combined and glued to create the physical model.


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Figure 1.14: Partially completed physical model. (Source: Khalid,

2017)

Figure 1.12: Individual pieces of model produced on balsa wood.

(Source: Aziz, 2017)

Figure 1.13: Process of model-making. (Source: Aziz, 2017)

TEAM VIDEO REPORT PHOTOBOOK PHYSICAL MODEL

MEASURED DRAWINGS

Leader Saw E Sean Teoh Jun Xiang Harwinder Singh Tan Yincy Andy Heng

Koji Seow

Members involved Teoh Jun

Xiang

Hyunh Minh

Nhat Dinh

Ho Zi Yan

Saw E Sean

Hyunh Minh Nhat

Dinh

Diyana

Syahirah

Harwinder Singh

Amelisa Heng

Teoh Jun Xiang Joey Lau

Koji Seow

Siti

Amelisa Heng

Harwinder Singh

Rhianna

Thareen

Siti

Jack Chung

Joey Lau

Teoh Jun Xiang

Ho Zi Yan

Saw E Sean

Hyunh Minh Nhat Dinh

Diyana

Syahirah

Harwinder Singh

Amelisa Heng

1.3 TASK DISTRIBUTION 13

1

DRAWINGS MEASURED BY DRAWN BY

FLOOR PLAN KOJI, RHIANNA KOJI, RHIANNA

NORTH

ELEVATION

DINH, HARWINDER

DINH,

HARWINDER

SOUTH

ELEVATION

ZI YAN, AMELISA ZI YAN,

DIYANA,

AMELISA

EAST ELEVATION DIYANA, SYAHIRAH DIYANA,

SYAHIRAH

WEST ELEVATION ANDY, JACK, THAREEN ANDY, JACK

LONGITUDINAL

SECTIONS

ANDY, JACK, TEOH,

SEAN

ANDY, JACK,

TEOH, SEAN

TRANSVERSE

SECTION

DINH, KOJI, SYAHIRAH,

DIYANA

DINH, KOJI,

SYAHIRAH,

DIYANA

DRAWINGS MEASURED BY DRAWN BY

WINDOWS THAREEN, YINCY THAREEN,

YINCY

DOORS SYAHIRAH, ANDY, JACK SYAHIRAH,

THAREEN

CONSTRUCTION

DETAILS

RHIANNA, HARWINDER,

TEOH

JACK, JOEY,

HARWINDER,

TEOH

ROOF TRUSSES ZI YAN ANDY, KOJI

STAIRCASE JACK, ANDY JACK, SEAN

MEZZANINE

FLOOR PLAN

HARWINDER, JACK ANDY, KOJI

ALTAR & PULPIT JOEY, SITI, AMELISA, JOEY, SITI

12

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1.3 TASK DISTRIBUTION 14

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Many challenges were faced throughout the process of completing the

project. Firstly, as the Sacred Heart Chapel was abandoned for

decades, there were no maintenance works conducted on the building.

As such, its conditions worsened over the years, and numerous

defects can be seen both on the exterior and the interior in the building.

These defects included walls with fallen off plaster pieces, cracks on

the walls and other structures, fading colours of paint finishings, broken

door and window pieces, broken stained glass pieces and a broken

choir loft. (Figure 1.15, 1.16 and 1.17) These defects posed some

difficulties with the works conducted on site as our group had to

document and measure each and every defect accurately to produce

as-built drawings of the building.

Moreover, as the timber choir loft had missing floor panels, our group

members could not stand on top of the structure to measure it as it was

too dangerous to do so. As such, to place ourselves on top of the choir

loft, we had to position our legs on two separate floor joists with great

caution.

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1.4 LIMITATIONS 15

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Figure 1.15: The defects

around the pulpit. (Source:

Khalid, 2017)

Figure 1.16: The defects

around the narthex. (Source:

Aziz, 2017)

Figure 1.17: The defects on the chapel’s back wall. (Source: Ho,

2017)

In addition to that, the building is roofless as it was undergoing

restoration works which will be completed in one year’s time. As such,

conditions on site were constantly affected by natural weather

conditions such as the direct heat and blinding light rays of the sun,

which caused great discomfort when measurements were taken. On

top of that, rainy weather conditions on the last three days of the site

visit also deterred us from conducting on-site measuring activities,

which eventually delayed the progress of our work.

Lastly, there was minimal information on our building available online

and in literature works. Although the building is more than a century

years old, little documentation of its history and architectural

significance has been made by various parties, causing many setbacks

to the progress of the report’s completion. As such, our group

members had to seek for historical literature works which focuses on a

broader range of topics to obtain as much information as possible.

Multiple interviews were also conducted with local residents of Malacca

who reside or work near our building in hopes of gathering the

necessary information of the building.

1.4 LIMITATION 16

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Figure 1.18: Raining and roofless conditions on site. (Source:

Ezamudin, 2017)

This report will be a significant endeavour in promoting one of the

heritage buildings of Malacca by relating its architectural style to the

historical and cultural significance of its time. Moreover, the completion

of this project will definitely enhance the students’ appreciation towards

the historical and cultural values of the heritage building.

The Sacred Heart Chapel is indeed a historically significant building

which relates to the history of its context and the culture of its previous

occupants. As such, the documentation of the building in the form of

measured drawings and a detailed research report will not only benefit

our group members, but also other parties who seek to understand the

building in a much deeper manner. As minimal efforts have been made

by relevant authorities to document the building, the outcome of this

project will unveil the architectural, historical and cultural significance of

the building for the first time.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH 17

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2.1.1 BRIEF HISTORY OF MALACCA

Before Malacca (Malay: Melaka) was founded, it was a fishing village

occupied by some local Malays as well as Orang Laut. (National

Library Board Singapore, 2017) Its establishment began with the story

of a Palembang prince known as Parameswara in the 14th century.

(Figure 2.1) While Parameswara was escaping from the Javanese

enemy, he first settled down in Temasik (present day Singapore) and

established himself as king. Unfortunately, he was driven away from

Temasik due to the invasion of the Siamese troops. Parameswara,

together with his followers, escaped to Muar and then stopped near the

mouth of a river called Bertam for a hunt. It was during the hunt that

Parameswara witnessed a white mouse-deer kicking one of his hunting

dogs. (Figure 2.2) Impressed by the bravery of the mouse-deer, he

decided to build a new city on the location. He then named the city

‘Melaka’, which was derived from the name of the Melaka tree he was

resting at.

2.1: HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY & ECONOMY OF MALACCA 19

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Figure 2.1: Portrait of Parameswara.

(Source: Yoganathan, 2015)

Figure 2.2: Scene of the white mouse-deer kicking

Parameswara’s hunting dogs. (Source: Lim, 2016)

2.1.2 GEOGRAPHY OF MALACCA

Malacca is a Malaysian state located at the Western region of the

Malaysian peninsular, next to the Strait of Malacca. The state is

bordered to the north and the west by the state of Negeri Sembilan as

well as to the south by Johor.

There were various reasons as to why Parameswara decided to

establish his new settlement at Malacca. Firstly, Malacca was situated

at the side of the Strait of Malacca, one of the busiest and most

important strait in the world. This meant that the strategic location by

the side of the sea made it a suitable location for maritime trade to take

place.

Moreover, Malacca is generally a lowland area with an average

elevation which is lower than 50 meters above sea level, as shown by

Figure 2.3. The flat and wide condition of the land is suitable for the

development of a settlement as the community could access the place

easily with minimal effort. As the Strait of Malacca joins the Indian and

Pacific Oceans, it linked the trade route from China to India and the

Near East. As such, Malacca was perfectly positioned as a centre for

maritime trade. (Figure 2.4)

2.1: HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY & ECONOMY OF MALACCA

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Figure 2.3: Malacca as a lowland area. (Source: Google, n.d.)

Figure 2.4: International trade conducted at the port of

Malacca. (Source: Google, n.d)

2.1.3 ECONOMY

The strategic geographical location of Malacca allowed it to emerge

from a humble fishing village to become a major center of the spice

trade. The city grew rapidly, and within fifty years it had become a

wealthy and powerful hub of international commerce, with a population

of over 50,000. Being an international port, Malacca attracted

numerous ships each year to trade goods and valuable items.

The trade of valuable goods and items such as silk, gold and spices

allowed local and international traders and merchants to make

considerable amount of profits, contributing to the wealth of the local

society and government.

Besides acting as a port city that conducts regional trade, Malacca also

attracted Western traders, such as European seafarers, to visit the port

located at the mouth of the Malacca River, allowing it to be dubbed as

the “Venice of the East”. Eventually, Malacca had turned from a

maritime port into an entrepot.


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Figure 2.6: Malacca linking the trade routes of the East and West.

(Source: Saw, 2017)

Figure 2.5: Spices. (Source: Emaze, 2017)

2.1.4 EFFECTS OF THE GEOGRAPHICAL AND

ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF MALACCA

a) Portuguese colonization

According to Norazlina, Ravi and Lee (2012), the Portuguese were the

first colonial power to set sail to the East in the 15th century. In 24

August 1511, the Portuguese, under the command of Alfonso de

Albuquerque (Figure 2.7), conquered Malacca after a series of attacks.

(Figure 2.8)

During the time of the Portuguese occupation, 3 suburbs were

developed outside of the fortified city centre of Malacca. Costanca

(2015) stated that one of the three suburbs were Upe (Upih), which

was generally known as Tranquerah (modern day Tengkera). The

other two suburbs were Yler (Hilir) or Tanjonpacer (Tanjung Pasir) and

the suburb of Sabba.


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Figure 2.7: Portrait of Alfonso de

Albuquerque. (Source: Alamy Stock, 2017)

Figure 2.8: The Portuguese conquest of Malacca. (Source:

Asienreisender, 2017)

Of the three suburbs, Tranquerah was the most important. The suburb

was the main residential quarters of Malacca city and one of the types

of people residing in the suburb were the Kristang community. (Figure

2.10) The Kristang, also known as Portuguese-Eurasians, are an

ethnic group of mixed Portuguese and Malay decent which started to

emerge in Malacca as a result of intermarriages between Portuguese

men (sailors, soldiers, traders, etc.) and local native women.

According to Koepping (2008), the spread of Roman Catholicism

started in Malaya during the Portuguese occupation as well, when the

first Catholic priests landed in Malacca as military chaplains to the

Portuguese. In the mid-16th century, St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit

missionary, preached in Malacca in 1545, 1546, and 1549. (Figure 2.9)

His preaching of the gospel in Malacca helped spread the Roman

Catholic faith among the local and Portuguese-Eurasian community.


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Figure 2.10: Portuguese-Eurasians. (Source: C. Pfeiffer, 2017)

Figure 2.9: St. Francis Xavier.

(Source: St. Xavier’s School, 2017)

b) Dutch colonization

In 1641, the Dutch captured Malacca from the Portuguese after a five

month long siege. Colonial Voyage (2017) stated that the Dutch

protected Malacca from invasions for more than a century. As a result,

most of the buildings in Malacca were reconstructed and new buildings

were built. The city structure during the Dutch colonization was more

organized and the road network was clearer than before. The

construction of buildings, such as shophouses and townhouses, were

based on the road system at that time. (Figure 2.11)

According to De Witt (2007), the Dutch introduced Dutch building

materials into the urban landscape of Malacca, such as Dutch clay roof

tiles, terracotta floor tiles and most of all, Dutch bricks. The introduction

of Dutch bricks allowed many brick masonry buildings to be

constructed. (Figure 2.12) The use of Dutch bricks can also be seen in

the Sacred Heart Chapel, although the building was built in a

completely different period of time. This indicated that the construction

knowledge of the Dutch had been passed on and implemented into the

construction of British era buildings.

2.1: HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY & ECONOMY OF MALACCA

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Figure 2.11: Dutch-era shophouses in Heeren Street, Malacca.

(Source: heritage architecture: shophouses, 2017)

Figure 2.12: Dutch bricks. (Source: Pixabay, 2017)

c) British colonization

In 1824, the Anglo-Dutch Treaty was signed between the Dutch and

the British. As a result, Malacca was ceded to the British. UK Essays

(2017) indicates that the British administration did not place a lot

attention on the development of Malacca as their main focus was on

Singapore.

Majlis Perbandaran Melaka Bandaraya Bersejarah (n.d) states that

during the British administration, Malacca Town was divided into two

parts, namely the European Town and the Native Town. The Native

Town, which was located at the west bank of the Malacca River was

home to the Portuguese-Eurasians, Chinese, Malays, Indians and

many more.


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2.2.1 ORIGINS OF THE NAME ‘TENGKERA’

As the Sacred Heart Chapel is located at Jalan Tengkera, it is

important to understand the history and significance of the term

“Tengkera”. Tranquerah is a term originated from the Portuguese word

“Tranqueira”, which means palisade or rampart. Time passes, but the

word “Tranqueira” still remains in use till today. However, people

usually pronounce it as Tranquerah or Tengkera (in Malay).

2.2.2 FUNCTION

a)Tranquerah gate and wall

At the early stage, the name Tranquerah was used to refer to the

shielding fence built by the Portuguese in the first half of the 16th

century at the northwest direction of the Malacca River. It was a

wooden fence positioned along a line which covered the area at the

northeast direction of the River of Malacca to protect it from invaders

(Figure 2.13).

2.2 HISTORY, SIGNIFICANCE & DEVELOPMENT OF TRANQUERAH 26

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Figure 2.13: General concept of an ancient wooden palisade.

(Source: Sauber, 2012)

Diagram 2.1: Interpretation of the location of the Tranquerah

suburb based on Eredia’s Map of Malacca. (Source: Saw, 2017)

As shown by the interpretation of the location of the Tranquerah suburb

based on Eredia’s Map of Malacca, the Tranquerah was extended to

the point where the Porta da Tranquerah (Tranquerah gate) is located.

According to Lim and Jorge (2006), the location of the gate is roughly

located at the northern end of the present day Heeren Street.

Based on the statements made by the Dutch Commissioner Joost

Schouten in 1641, the wooden palisade was destroyed to expand the

Tranquerah suburb due to the increase in population. The palisade

was later replaced with stone.

b) Tranquerah Suburb

Since the purpose of the Tranquerah is to protect the Upeh suburb, the

fence became the boundary of the suburb. Manuel de Eredia, who

produced the Map of Malacca in the 1600s, remarked that Upeh

suburb was sometimes called Tranquerah suburb as it is the area in

which the Tranquerah covers.

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2.2 HISTORY, SIGNIFICANCE & DEVELOPMENT OF TRANQUERAH

c) Tranquerah Road

By observing the Dutch map prepared in 1780, it is evident that a road

which extends from the Tranquerah gate to the north is present.

(Figure 2.15) This road was then addressed as Tranquerah Road, or

present day Jalan Tengkera. During the British era, the Tranquerah

gate was demolished and the Tranquerah Road became important for

the city’s expansion to establish schools and colleges (Lim and Jorge

2006). The Tranquerah Road was since used till today and functions

as a residential and commercial area. (Figure: 2.4)

2.2.3 DEVELOPMENT OF TRANQUERAH SUBURB

a) Sultanate of Malacca

During the Sultanate of Malacca, development was only focused on the

south bank of the River of Malacca. According to De Witt (2017), the

area at the north of the river, which includes the Tranquerah suburb,

was later developed to cope with the increase in population and to act

as a trading port. (Diagram 2.2)


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Figure 2.4: Present day Jalan Tengkera. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Diagram 2.2: Interpretation of the location of Tranquerah based on

the map of Malacca produced by Mao Kun during the early 15 th

century. (Source: Saw, 2017)

b) Portuguese Era (1511- 1641)

In 1511, the Portuguese successfully captured Malacca. Three

suburbs, namely Tranquerah, Sabba and Yler were arranged by the

Portuguese to house the local community. (Diagram 2.3) Among these

three suburbs, Tranquerah is the most important urban residential

area. The name of the suburb was derived from the Tranquerah, and it

was during that time as well that the Portuguese conquerors

encouraged their people to marry the local women in the Tranquerah

suburb. The purpose of this act is to establish a mixed community to

increase the population within the suburb (Source: Tan, personal

communication, 19th January 2017). Thus, the intermarriage between

the Portuguese men and local women formed a Portuguese-Eurasian

community within the suburb. (Diagram 2.4)

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Diagram 2.3: Interpretation of Portuguese suburbs based on

Eredia’s Map of Malacca. (Saw, 2017)

Figure: Portuguese suburbs based on Eredia’s Map of Malacca

(Saw, 2017)

Diagram 2.4: Intermarriage of Portuguese men and local

women. (Saw, 2017)

c) Dutch Era (1641- 1826)

During the Dutch era, the urban structures in the Tranquerah suburb

were arranged in a more organized manner. (Figure 2.15) A road

which extends from the Tranquerah Gate to the north was established.

This road was named as Tranquerah Road (present day Jalan

Tengkera) and it was connected with Heeren Street (present day Jalan

Tun Tan Cheng Lock) (Diagram 2.5) Due to its strategic location next

to the sea, residential areas started to develop around Tranquerah

Road and the surrounding population increased. The Portuguese-

Eurasians were also one of the groups of people who moved and

settled along the road. As the Portuguese-Eurasians were known for

their fishing culture, the location of the Tranquerah Road beside the

sea may have attracted them to settle there. Lim and Jorge (2006)

suggests that the Tranquerah Road was later developed into a key

trunk route, connecting Malacca's town centre on the south of the River

of Malacca with the suburbs, clubs and resorts along the northern

coast.


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Figure 2.15: Map of Malacca during Dutch era. (1780) (Source:

Colonial Voyage and Marco Ramerini, 2017)

Diagram 2.5: Interpretation of the location of Tranquerah Road.

(Source: Saw, 2017)

d) British Era (1824-1957)

At 1824, Malacca was ceded to the British by the Dutch. As the British

focused their attention on the development of Singapore at that time,

minimal changes were made on the urban structure of the Tranquerah

suburb. The British demolished the Tranquerah Gate and wall and

since then, the concept of the Tranquerah suburb ceased to exist.

Although the concept of the suburb no longer exists, the Tranquerah

Road still remains in use. According to Lim and Jorge (2006), the

British saw the potential of the Tranquerah Road and established

schools and colleges along it at that time. (Diagram 2.6) As such, the

road played an important role in the city’s expansion.

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Diagram 2.6: Interpretation of the location of Tranquerah Road

during the British era (Source: Saw, 2017)

Figure: Map of Malacca during British era (Source: Idea

workshop, 2017)

e) Present day (1957- present)

After the independence of Malaysia, Malacca was finally free from the

control of European forces and was later developed rapidly. The rapid

growth of Malacca’s economy resulted in the scarcity of land in the

state. As such, the state government decided to reclaim land along the

seaside of the Strait of Malacca. (MPMBB,n.d). The reclamation works

conducted robbed the sea view from the pristine shorelines of

Tranquerah Road. (Figure 2.16)

At the same time, many residents around the area moved out in search

of better living and working conditions elsewhere. (Kang, personal

communication, 23rd January 2017). Since then, the population around

the area decreased, which also included the Portuguese-Eurasian

community.

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Figure 2.16: Interpretation of the reclaimed land near the Strait of

Malacca. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Tranquerah was once a defence wall constructed by the Portuguese to

protect the community of the Tranquerah suburb from invaders. The

community consisted of the Portuguese-Eurasians, who emerged as a

result of intermarriages between the Portuguese men and local

women. The colonization of the Portuguese not only gave birth to the

Tranquerah suburb and the Portuguese-Eurasian community, but it

also signified the spread of the Roman Catholic faith among the locals.

It wasn’t until the Dutch colonial period that a road was established

outside the Tranquerah Gate, linking Heeren Street with the newly

developed residential area outside of the defence wall. The street,

which was later named Tranquerah Road, allowed the Portuguese-

Eurasians to settle along it. When the British extended their power into

Malacca, the Sacred Heart Chapel was built along Tranquerah Road

(present day Jalan Tengkera) to serve the Catholic Portuguese-

Eurasian community. As such, by tracing the origins of Tranquerah, it

is evident that the construction of the chapel is very much linked to the

historical significance of the area.

2.3 CONCLUSION 33

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3.1.1 HISTORY OF SACRED HEART CHAPEL

The Sacred Heart Chapel is a Roman Catholic chapel located at Lot

25, Jalan Tengkera, 75200 Melaka, Malaysia. The building’s existence

is mainly due to its connection to the history of Jalan Tengkera, which

was also known as Tranquerah Road back in the colonial era.

As mentioned in Chapter 2, Jalan Tengkera is located in a suburb

called Tranquerah which existed since the occupation of the

Portuguese. The suburb was built to serve as the main residential

quarters of Malacca city, and, over the years, the suburb underwent a

lot of changes during the Dutch and British colonization, especially in

terms of the realignment of streets and alleyways. (Goh, personal

communication, 22nd January 2017).

3.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 35

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Figure 3.1: Exterior facade of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source:

Heng, 2017)

Figure 3.2: Exterior view of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source:

Heng, 2017)

Moreover, Constanca (2015) stated that the Portuguese-Eurasians in

Malacca, which was also known as the Kristang community, resided in

the Tranquerah suburb as a result of intermarriages between

Portuguese men and local native women. The Portuguese were also

credited for spreading Roman Catholicism in Malacca when the first

Catholic priests landed in Malacca as military chaplains to the

Portuguese. The teaching of the Gospels by Catholic priests allowed

the local and Portuguese-Eurasian community to adopt the Roman

Catholic faith.

It was during the British era that this area began to be cleared and a

designated road with houses on the side was built. Middle-class people

and other local communities, began to reside along the road known as

Jalan Tengkera. (Goh, personal communication, 22nd January 2017)


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Figure 3.3: Interior perspective view of Sacred Heart Chapel.

(Source: Heng, 2017)

Figure 3.4: Interior perspective view of Sacred Heart Chapel.


In the 1860s, the British granted a lease of 99 years for a plot of land

on Jalan Tengkera for a religious building to be built. Thus, the Sacred

Heart Chapel’s construction started in the year of 1875 or 1876, and,

its construction was completed in 1877 to serve the large Catholic

Eurasian community residing along the main road of Jalan Tengkera

as well as in Tranquerah Pantai One and Two, Captain Lane and Dato

Manilla Lane. The decision to build a Catholic chapel along the road

was not only to serve the local community, but also to reduce the

hassle of the community to travel long distances to Saint Peter’s

Church Malacca, Malaysia’s first functioning Roman Catholic Church.

The chapel was first administered by Saint Peter’s Church, which was

under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Macau. Since then, the building

played a significant role to represent the identity of the Portuguese-

Eurasian community and their faith in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The

Sacred Heart Chapel initially functioned as a religious center for the

Portuguese-Eurasians, and later it served Roman Catholics of other

races for a period of 100 years.


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Figure 3.5: Existing condition of the chapel’s interior wall. (Source: Heng,

2017)

It wasn’t until the 1970s, when the lease expired and the Sacred Heart

Chapel was forced to be returned to state ownership. According to Goh

(2017), the chapel applied for an extension, however, the state

government refused to grant them a renewal of the lease despite the

appeals that were made to extend it. By that time as well, the local

community started to decrease as they moved elsewhere for better job

opportunities. This caused the chapel to be abandoned and its

conditions deteriorated till this day. Since the abandonment of the

chapel, its roof has collapsed and the interior of the building is but an

empty musky shell. Although the chapel’s roof was replaced later,

nothing much has been done to preserve and conserve the building.

Goh (2017) suggests that the Melaka Heritage Trust once proposed to

convert the building into a research center, however, there were no

further developments based on this proposal.

3.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

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Figure 3.6: Exposed brickwork of facade. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 3.7: Exposed timber roof trusses above sanctuary.

(Source: Teoh, 2017)

The land of the Sacred Heart Chapel was purchased and owned by

Beauty Garden Homes Sdn. Bhd. in 2014, and, since then,

applications were made to obtain the approval from the authorities by

their partner company Idea Workshop Sdn. Bhd. to conserve and

preserve the building.. After the application made was approved by the

authorities, conservation and preservation works started in December

2016. According to Hau (2017), the restoration works are scheduled to

be completed in a year’s time. Architect Hau also stated that the chapel

would most likely be converted into an event space to hold weddings,

talks and to be used as a restaurant or an art gallery. (Appendix 4)

Although the future of the building has not been finalized, formal

actions were finally being taken to conserve and preserve this

historically significant religious building.


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3.1.2 HISTORY OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

The Sacred Heart Chapel is a chapel which was dedicated to the

Sacred Heart of Jesus. As such, it can be said that the building’s name

was derived from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion of the

Sacred Heart began in 1672 when Jesus had appeared to a visitation

nun, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in France. As he appeared, he

explained to the nun about the devotion of his Sacred Heart for the

people who believed in him to practise it.

The symbol of the Sacred Heart of Jesus includes a heart which is

encircled with a crown of thorns with flames shooting from the top and

also shining with divine light. The heart is pierced by the lance-wound

and surmounted by a cross and bleeding. (Figure 3.8) The Sacred

Heart actually represents the unmitigated love, compassion and long

suffering of Jesus towards humanity.


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Figure 3.8: Jesus and His Sacred Heart. (Source: Battle Heads,

2015)

3.2.1 LOCATION AND TOPOGRAPHY

The Sacred Heart Chapel is located at Lot 25, Jalan Tengkera, 75000

Melaka, Malaysia and its geographical location is 2°11'58.4" N

102°14'27.5" E. The building is located 1.1 kilometres from the

Sthadhuys (Diagram 3.1) and approximately 122 kilometres from Kuala

Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. (Diagram 3.2)

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Diagram 3.1: Location between the Sacred Heart Chapel and the

Sthadthuys. (Source: Google Maps, 2017)

Diagram 3.2: Location between the Sacred Heart Chapel and

Kuala Lumpur. (Source: Google Maps, 2017)

Generally, the topographic conditions of the area around the Sacred

Heart Chapel is flat, as the percentage of the slope is 0.53 %.

According to Diagram 3.3, the slope starts from the area located near

Hang Tuah Stadium and Jalan Kubu. From there, the gradient of the

slope decreases minimally in the South West direction (direction

towards the sea), covering the areas surrounding Jalan Ong Kim Wee

and Jalan Tengkera. The flat and wide conditions of a land allows the

community to access the place easily with the least effort. This allows

the community to gather easily at a specific location for social, political

or economic purposes. Hence, it means the users of the Sacred Heart

Chapel, which were the Catholic Portuguese-Eurasians and Catholics

of other races can access and use the building easily.

According to Chambless (2015), the construction ground provides

basic support for a building. As such, multiple considerations should be

made when designing a building on a piece of land. In the case of the

Sacred Heart Chapel, the plot of land which was given by the British to

construct the building was flat. Hence, minimal considerations were

made, and, as a result, the construction of the chapel could be

completed in a faster and easier manner. (Diagram 3.4)

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Diagram 3.3: Topographical conditions of the area around the

Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Contour Map Creator, 2017)

Diagram 3.4: Flat topographic condition of the area in which the

chapel is located. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

3.2.2 LOCATION WITHIN MALACCA WORLD HERITAGE SITE BUFFER ZONE a) Introduction

According to AJM Planning and Urban Design Group (2011), Malacca

was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO

World Heritage Committee in 7 July 2008. The World Heritage Site is

divided into two zones; the Core zone (45.3 hectares) and Buffer Zone

(242.8 hectares).

b) Core Zone

The Core Zone of the Malacca World Heritage Site comprises of two

major areas: The first is St. Paul's Hill Civic Zone which has a number

of government buildings, museums, churches, urban square and

original fortress town from the 16th century Portuguese and Dutch

Period. Second is The Historic Residential and Commercial Zone,

which has more than 600 shop houses, commercial and residential

buildings, religious buildings and tombs on four main streets.

c) Buffer Zone

The Buffer Zone comprises of zones located around the Core Zone

with the purpose to protect the Core Zone from any changes to the

building qualities and values. (Diagram 3.5) As one of the boundaries

of the Buffer Zone is Tengkera Police Station, and, as such, the Sacred

Heart Chapel is located within the Buffer Zone. This automatically

allows it to be included as one of the protected historical buildings that

needs to be restored to its original condition.

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Diagram 3.5: The Core and Buffer Zones of Malacca World Heritage Site. (Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 2017)

3.2 SITE CONTEXT 44

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Today, Jalan Tengkera functions as a residential and commercial area.

(Figure 3.9) A few shophouses still serve as the residences of the local

Chinese community, and some shophouses were abandoned or not in

use for a long period of time, which explains their dilapidated state.

Parking lots are present along Jalan Tengkera and they were provided

by Majlis Bandaraya Bersejarah Melaka. (Figure 3.10) The parking lots

allow the owners, employees and customers of the surrounding

businesses to park their vehicles conveniently and access the shops.

At the end of the shophouses, a police station by the name of Balai

Polis Tengkera is present.

Moreover, a variety of businesses are present on both sides of Jalan

Tengkera where the chapel was located. (Diagram 3.6) The business

types are as follows:

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Figure 3.10: Parking lots situated in front of the chapel. (Source:

Teoh, 2017)

Figure 3.9: Shophouses located on both sides of Jalan Tengkera.


3.2 SITE CONTEXT

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Diagram 3.6: Existing services along Jalan Tengkera. (Source: Saw, 2017)

3.2.3 RELATIONSHIP OF BUILDING TO SURROUNDING

As mentioned before, the Sacred Heart Chapel is located along Jalan

Tengkera, a present day residential and commercial area consisting of

shophouses on both sides of the road. The shophouses that are

located along Jalan Tengkera consist of a variety of styles, which is

identifiable by the design of their facades. Today, the shophouses are

used to serve a variety of functions, such as business premises,

residential areas, clan associations and more. As such, to understand

the relationship of the Sacred Heart Chapel to its surroundings, one

must first understand the different styles of the surrounding

shophouses.

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Figure 3.11: Panoramic view of shophouses around the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Kusumo, 2017)

b) Shophouse styles and year of construction

As indicated by K. S. Kamal (2008), the shophouses constructed in Malacca can be classified into at least 9 major styles depending on the design

of their facades and their construction period:

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c) Relationship of building to surroundings

After understanding the styles of the shophouses on both sides of

Jalan Tengkera, we can now analyse the relationship of the building

with its surroundings.

Based on Diagram 3.7, the 4 shophouses at the southeast direction of

the Sacred Heart Chapel are shophouses designed using the early

shophouse style. As such, it can be concluded that these shophouses

were constructed during the period of 1800 to the 1850s, which is

before the construction of the Sacred Heart Chapel.

Moreover, the 2 shophouses at the northwest direction of the chapel

were designed using the early transitional style. As such, in can be

concluded that these shophouses were constructed during the period

of 1840 – 1900s, which is before the construction of the Sacred Heart

Chapel.

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Diagram 3.7: Types of shophouses located along Jalan Tengkera. (Source:

Saw, 2017)

As the Sacred Heart Chapel was constructed after the completion of

the row of shophouses on both its sides, it can be concluded that the

physical characteristics of the chapel were affected by the physical

characteristics of the shophouses. Considerations were made during

the design stage of the chapel to allow it to fit perfectly into the

surrounding context. Hence, the chapel’s height is almost similar to the

surrounding shophouses. (Diagram 3.8)

Rather than overpowering the built environment around it, the Sacred

Heart Chapel respects the site context by maintaining the skyline of

Jalan Tengkera. The rhythm created by the shophouses’ roofline was

not interrupted, however, it was maintained as the chapel’s height was

designed to be almost similar to its surrounding. This results in a

consistent flow of skyline, and, as such, a sense of harmony was

created, which allows the Sacred Heart Chapel to relate to its context

in a humble and fashionable manner.

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3.2 SITE CONTEXT

Diagram 3.8: The chapel has an almost identical height with the surrounding shophouses. (Source: Saw, 2017)

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4.1.1 ROMAN CATHOLICISM

The Sacred Heart Chapel was originally built to serve the Portuguese-

Eurasian community that settled along Jalan Tengkera (Tranquerah

Road). The decision to build a Catholic chapel along the road was not

only to serve the local community, but also to reduce the hassle of the

community to travel long distances to Saint Peter’s Church, as

mentioned in chapter 3.

The design of the church is simple and made to suit the basic

requirements of a religious building, and, in this case, a Roman

Catholic chapel.

According to Filbert (2011), in most Catholic churches, the holy water

fonts are placed near the entrance to allow the building’s occupants to

make the Sign of the Cross upon entering the building. Following this

concept, the holy water fonts in the Sacred Heart Chapel were placed

in front of two Tuscan columns in the narthex, facing the direction of

the entrances. (Figure 4.1)

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Figure 4.1: The holy water font situated in front of the Tuscan

column. (Source: Heng, 2017)

Diagram 4.1: Essential Roman Catholic elements and spaces provided within the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)


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A Catholic chapel would not be complete without the choir that aims to

create beautiful music to glorify God. As such, a choir was established

in the Sacred Heart Chapel to fulfil that need. However, what sets the

Sacred Heart Chapel different than other chapels is that a choir loft

was provided in the building to house the musicians during services.

This allows it to become the significant element of the chapel as it is

rare for chapels to feature choir lofts due to the lack of space within the

building.

Moreover, to allow chapel users to sit during the congregation, timber

church pews were provided in two rows on both sides of the nave.

Today, the church pews were dispersed all over Malacca Town.

(Appendix 4.)

A confession area was also provided in the chapel to allow the priest to

sit and hear the confessions of confessors. As such, confession

wooden panels were provided to act as a separation between the

priest and the penitents. The exact location of the confession areas is

the two rectangular-shaped openings at the façade before the

sanctuary. (Figure 4.2)


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Figure 4.2: The confession area as indicated by the highlighted

area. (Source: Singh, 2017)

Figure 4.3: The timber choir loft as seen from above. (Source:

Seow, 2017)

In addition to that, the pulpit was designed at the corner of the nave to

allow the priest to deliver sermons. The sacristy, a room that allows the

priest and his attendants to vest and prepare before the service, was

also provided at the back of the chapel.

Last but not least, the altar, a significant element of worship, was also

provided in the building to allow Roman Catholics to pray upon it.

(Figure 4.5) The altar was also designed to allow candles and offerings

to be placed during services and ceremonies.


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Figure 4.4: The pulpit in the chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017)Figure

Figure 4.5: The altar of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Seow,

2017)

4.1.2 PERSONAL EXPRESSION AND IDENTIFICATION

Till today, it remains a mystery as to who was the one responsible for

the construction of the chapel. It could possibly be the representatives

of the Bishop of Macau or the local Portuguese-Eurasian community.

Although it is difficult to justify as to why the chapel is a hybrid

architecture, it could be said that the simplicity of the chapel’s design

and the lack of the ornate ornamentations within the small confines of

the building may indicate that the building was designed by the local

Portuguese-Eurasians.

In the past, the houses constructed by the Portuguese-Eurasians were

simple structures which were made from timber and covered using

attap roofs. (Appendix 4). These structures were continued to be used

till the era of the British. As such, it is evident that an ethnic group as

young as the Portuguese-Eurasians may not have a rich history in

terms of the development of their architectural style, culture and

tradition. When the time came to a religious building that specifically

served their own ethnic group was built, the Portuguese-Eurasians

may have taken the opportunity to express themselves in the form of a


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simple chapel. (W. S. Hou, personal communication, 20th January

2017)

In addition to that, the Portuguese-Eurasians have always been a poor

community. (K. Tan, personal communication, 2017) As such, the

simplicity of the chapel’s design may reflect the economic conditions of

the surrounding Portuguese-Eurasians as they may have paid for the

construction of the chapel. The simplicity may also be due to the

scarcity of architectural traditions among the Portuguese-Eurasian

community.

Moreover, the application of a mixture of architectural elements in the

design of the chapel may be guided by the Portuguese-Eurasians’

intention to express their architectural creativity so that the masterpiece

is easily identified by the surrounding community.

Whatever the reasons are, the Sacred Heart Chapel fulfilled the needs

of the surrounding Roman Catholic community for as long as a century,

defining the history of the Portuguese-Eurasians as well as Jalan

Tengkera.

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4.1.3 FORM

a) Prisms

The Sacred Heart Chapel’s overall form is the result of the combination

between a triangular prism on top and a cuboid at the bottom.

(Diagram 4.2)

The triangular prism was formed by the timber king post roof trusses

when they are repeated along the width of the chapel from the front to

the back.

The form at the bottom, which is the cuboid, is bounded by the walls on

four sides. Although the form is simple, it serves as the main body of

the building and to allow multiple spaces to be organized in it to fulfil

their functions.

Besides these two major forms, two identical triangular prisms were

also found at the sides of the front façade. These prisms act as

pinnacles to increase the verticality of the building, contributing to the

elegance of the chapel’s design.


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Diagram 4.2: The combination of forms that shape the chapel’s

outlook. (Source: Saw, 2017)

b) Simple form

The adoption of 3 simple forms in the building’s design is mostly due to

the fact that it is a chapel, as it is defined as a smaller building used for

Catholic worship.

The simplicity in the chapel’s overall design may indicate that it was

designed and constructed by the local Portuguese-Eurasians as

mentioned earlier in this chapter. As the Portuguese-Eurasians did not

have a rich architectural tradition and lacked huge amount of funds due

to their poor economic status, a simple chapel design may be the only

choice of architecture they could afford at the time.

The simple cuboid design which functions as the main body of the

chapel was influenced by the shape of the plot of land given by the

British to construct the religious building in the 1860s. As the land

given by the British was in the form of a rectangle, a simple linear

rectangular plan was opted. (Diagram 4.3) Thus, by transforming the

simple 2-dimensional shape into a 3-dimensional form, a cuboid was

thus created.(Diagram 4.4)


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Diagram 4.3: The plan of the chapel was influenced

by the rectangular plot of land on which it was

constructed. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Diagram 4.4: The transformation of the chapel from a 2-

dimension plan into a 3-dimensional form. (Source:

Huynh Minh, 2017)

4.2.1 ORGANIZATION OF SPACES

a) Spatial organization

The spaces within the chapel are organized in a linear manner. The

spaces in the chapel start with the narthex, followed by the nave (with

the aisle in the centre), the sanctuary and lastly the sacristy. (Diagram

4.5) The linear arrangement of spaces allows a continuous movement

within the chapel in a sequential manner from the front door to the

sanctuary, optimizing the flow of the worshipers within the building. The

linear shape of the building’s plan also ensures that the vision of the

users is focused on the altar, ensuring that it becomes the focal point

of attention within the building.

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Diagram 4.5: The organization of spaces in

a linear sequence. (Source: Saw, 2017)

b) Relationship between function and space (Interior)

• Narthex

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica (2017), the narthex is an

architectural element of the church which was traditionally located at

the Western end of the nave. Its purpose was to act as a transitional

space and to separate the non-faithful from the general congregation.

A baptismal font is present at the narthex to allow infants as well as

adults to be baptised before entering into the nave.

In the case of the Sacred Heart Chapel, the narthex is located directly

after the entrance to function as a transitional space between the

exterior and the interior of the chapel. The space is defined by the

position of two Tuscan columns at its end as well as the timber choir

loft above it. (Figure 4.6)

Two holy water fonts are present in front of the Tuscan columns and

they were used to allow the chapel’s users to make the Sign of The

Cross before entering the chapel to attend services. The inclusion of

the holy water fonts at the narthex fulfils the need of the Roman

Catholic building to feature furniture which contains holy water.

4.2 SPATIAL ANALYSIS

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Figure 4.6: The narthex which is located under the choir loft

is indicated by the highlighted area. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 4.7: The donation box slot as seen on one of the Tuscan

columns. (Source: Seow, 2017)


• Nave

According to Carr (2016), a nave is the centre part of the church

building which was designed to accommodate most of the

congregation. Naves in traditional Western churches are rectangular in

shape and are separated from the adjacent aisles by the position of

pillars.

In the case of the Sacred Heart Chapel, the nave was designed using

a linear rectangular shape. (Figure 4.8) However, the chapel has only

one aisle situated in the middle of the nave. Although pillars are not

present in the building, there were once two rows of timber pews on

the left and right side of the nave which covers the majority of the floor

surface area, leaving the middle area empty to act as the aisle.

To occupy a large number of people at a single time during services,

the nave featured a long space with narrow width. The width of the

space was influenced by the limitations of the rectangular piece of land

given by the British to construct the building. Nonetheless, the narrow

width helps to limit the width of the worshippers’ view to the front,

allowing them to focus their attention to the altar in the sanctuary.


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Figure 4.9: The nave as seen from the sanctuary. (Source: Heng,

2017)

Figure 4.8: The nave is indicated by the highlighted area. (Source:

Singh, 2017)

The nave was designed to allow the worshippers to sit and hear the

preaching of the priest. As such, a pulpit was designed to be located at

the side of the nave to allow the preacher to deliver sermons. The

angle in which the preacher stands affects the acoustic performance of

the chapel. As such, the position of the pulpit beside the chapel’s left

wall encourages the preacher to speak at an angle that focuses

inwards, diagonally facing the congregation. This enhances the

acoustic performance within the chapel, allowing the worshippers to

hear the voice preacher loud and clear during services.

As the nave was designed to house a large number of people during

services, maximum comfort is a top priority to enhance the user’s

experience within the chapel. 3 louvered casement windows as well a

pointed arch door were provided at each side of the nave to provide

maximum ventilation and lighting for the chapel’s interior. (Figure 4.11)

Stained glass pieces were also placed above the louvered casement

windows to allow natural light to penetrate them and create a holy

atmosphere within the building.


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Figure 4.11: Light penetrating a window located at the side of the

nave. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 4.1.: Windows at the side of the nave. (Source: Heng, 2017)

• Sanctuary

The sanctuary is the place in a church where the altar is located. It

houses the element of worship and is regarded as a sacred area within

the church.

In the case of the Sacred Heart Chapel, the sanctuary is located after

the nave. (Figure 4.12) The altar which is located at the centre of the

sanctuary features a semicircular arched shape in the middle, with two

triangular pointed structures at both its sides. Besides functioning as a

holy place which houses the altar, the sanctuary is also the place

where the priests once sat to listen to the confessions of the penitents.

The confession area in the Sacred Heart Chapel is located at the

rectangular-shaped openings on the left and right of the semicircular

arched opening, whereby the confessors would kneel towards the

wooden confession panels and confess their sins to the priest sitting

behind the panels.

As the altar is located in the sanctuary, a great deal of effort was given

during the design stage to emphasize its holiness. Elements placed

inside as well as in the front of the sanctuary, such as the altar and the

semi-circular arched opening on the façade, were designed and


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Figure 4.13: The large scale of the semicircular arched opening

allows the sanctuary to be the point of focus no matter where one

stands. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Figure 4.12: The sanctuary is indicated by the highlighted area.

(Source: Saw, 2017)

constructed using a larger scale to allow the space to be the focal point

of attention. (Figure 4.13) The large scale of the elements captures the

attention of the chapel’s users as they were easily noticeable and had

a majestic outlook.

• Sacristy

According to Meehan (1912), the sacristy, by definition, is the room

where the priest and church attendants prepare and vest before the

service. It is also the venue where they return at the end of the service

to remove their vestments and to store the vessels used during the

service. Additionally, the altar linens as well as hangings are also

stored here. The sacristy is placed at the very end of the chapel as it is

a space used to store important relics of the chapel. (Figure 4.14) As

such, the space was made invisible to the public to safeguard the

properties of the chapel. Moreover, the secluded location of the

sacristy provides more privacy for its users and ensures that they are

able to work in a peaceful environment.




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Figure 4.14: The sacristy is indicated by the highlighted area.

(Source: Saw, 2017)

c) Relationship between function and space (Exterior)

• Side passageways

Side passageways are formed at the sides of the Sacred Heart Chapel

as the building was not built to share common party walls with its

neighbouring shophouses. Instead, it was designed to have a setback

from the party walls to allow the chapel to create its own personalised

space.

The side passageways form a connecting path between the front yard

and the backyard. (Figure 4.15) Moreover, the connection path formed

also links the pointed arch doors at the side of the chapel, allowing the

chapel’s users to access the chapel from the sides as well. In the past,

when the chapel was in use, the side walkways were used to allow the

congregation to move around the building.

As the walkways were used as circulation paths, their conditions were

ensured to be flat to allow users to experience a smooth flow of

movement from one point to another.


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Figure 4.15: The side passageway of the Sacred Heart Chapel.


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4.2.2 SPATIAL HIERARCHY

The Sacred Heart Chapel, like most churches, is built upon a

longitudinal axis and has similarities with the simple rectangular floor

plan of an Early Christian church, (Figure 4.16)

a) Public

The public areas of the chapel comprise of the front yard, narthex,

nave and the aisle in the centre of the nave, the passageways at the

side of the chapel as well as the backyard of the chapel. (Diagram 4.6)

The public spaces were designed to be concentrated near the main

access route, Jalan Tengkera, to allow them to be highly accessible

and visible. The nave and aisle are also public spaces which were

designed to house a high number of people during services. The high

concentration of users at the space encourages a high degree of

interaction among them, allowing the space to fulfil its function for the

public. The passageways at the side of the chapel as well as the

backyard are spaces which can be accessed by the public easily as

there are no physical boundaries to restrict their use of the spaces.


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Figure 4.16: The floor plan of a typical Early

Christian church (Source: Bible Artists, 2011.)

b) Semi-public

The semi-public space of the chapel includes the sanctuary. (Diagram

4.6)

The sanctuary, the space where the altar is located, is situated at the

end of the nave. A façade with a semicircular arched opening as well

as rectangular openings on both its sides separates the sanctuary from

the nave, allowing the sanctuary to have its own definitive boundary..

Although the altar is highly visible from all parts of the chapel, the

inclusion of the façade acts as a form of visual boundary.

In the past, when the chapel was in use, the spaces around the altar

were only accessible by the priest and the attendants.

The semi-public properties of the sanctuary were also characterised by

the position of the timber communion rails underneath the semicircular

arched opening when the chapel was still in use.

.

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Diagram 4.6: Spatial hierarchy of the Sacred

Heart Chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)


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c) Private

The private space within the chapel is the sacristy. (Diagram 4.6)

Situated at the very end of the chapel, the sacristy is only accessible

via the two semicircular arched openings at both sides of the altar as

well as the semicircular arched opening at the back of the room. The

space can be categorised as a private space as it located behind the

sanctuary and is bounded by walls at all sides with minimal openings.

Moreover, as the space is only accessible by authorised personnel of

the chapel, the general public cannot access the room.


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4.2.3 CIRCULATION TO USE SPACE

The circulation of the chapel is shaped by the linear organization of

spaces within the building. (Figure 4.7) Users can access the building

via the doors at the front of the chapel. Once they step into the

building, the linear organization of spaces directs users to walk from

the narthex to the nave and the sanctuary, allowing a continuous

movement in the building in a sequential manner. Openings within the

chapel also connect one space to another, allowing users to access

the spaces in a sequential manner. In addition to that, the stairs

available at the side of the pulpit as well as the timber choir loft also

allow users to access the structures which are located higher than

other structures within the chapel. A small flight of brick stairs was also

present beside the altar to allow the authorities of the chapel to climb

up and conduct maintenance works on the altar.


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Figure 4.7: Circulation of users in the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Besides the semi-circular arched doors at the front of the chapel

(Figure 4.17), the pointed arch doors at the sides of the chapel (Figure

4.18) and the semicircular arched door at the back of the sacristy

(Figure 4.19) connect the chapel to the exterior environments. These

openings are all connected by the side walkways of the chapel, which

start from the edge of the front yard leading all the way to the

backyard. On the exterior of the chapel, concrete pavements extend

from the front yard to the side walkways and ends at the centre of the

pointed arch doors.

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Figure 4.19: Door at the back of

the sacristy. (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure 4.20: Front door. (Source:

Heng, 2017)

Figure 4.18: Side door. (Source: Heng,

2017)

Figure 4.17: Door beside altar as

seen from sacristy. (Source:

Seow, 2017)


4.3.1 BALANCE AND SYMMETRY

Symmetry is shown by the design of the front and back facades, the

façade before the sanctuary, the altar as well as the plan of the

building, whereby the left and right sides are symmetrically balanced.

(Diagram 4.8, 4.9, 4.10 and 4.11) By imagining a vertical axis on the

facades as well as the floor plan, it is evident that the composition

created is balanced as the type and amount of elements used as well

as their orientation is similar. This allows the composition to be

aesthetically and visually pleasing.

4.3 DESIGN PRINCIPLES 73

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Diagram 4.8: Symmetry shown by the front elevation of

the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Diagram 4.10: Symmetry of

the chapel’s floor plan,

(Source: Saw, 2017)

Diagram 4.9: Symmetry shown by the back elevation of

the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Diagram 4.11: Symmetry of the facade

before the sanctuary as shown by the

section. (Source: Saw, 2017)

4.3.2 REPETITION

Repetition is shown by the use of the shape of the altar. The shape of

the altar is first seen on a larger scale on the exterior façade, with the

pediment at the centre and the two pinnacles at the side. (Diagram

4.13)

The pediment as well as the belfry are repeated at the façade before

the sanctuary. The semicircular arched openings with two pinnacle-

shaped openings at the side are present on the façade. The elements

mimic the shape of the exterior façade.

The semicircular arched openings with two pinnacles on the side are

finally repeated on the altar’s design. In some Catholic churches the

shape of the altar is similar to the design of the church as the altar is a

significant element of worship within the building. (Appendix 4)

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4.3 DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Diagram 4.13: Repetition of elements is shown by the highlighted

areas. (Source: Saw, 2017)

Diagram 4.12: Repetition of elements is present on the 3

highlighted components of the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)

4.3.3 UNITY AND HARMONY

A sense of unity and harmony is evident throughout the chapel despite

the use of a variety of design elements. The architectural styles and

elements present within the building include the Iberian (Portuguese)

style, the Romanesque style as well as the Gothic style. The elements

which were combined together at specific areas were able to relate to

one another to create a unified whole.

Unity and harmony is best reflected at the front façade as the elements

of all 3 architectural styles are present here. Although the pointed arch

windows and the semicircular arched doors are designed using

different architectural styles, their placements close to one another

creates a harmonious feeling as they have identical characteristics in

terms of the openings’ shape and orientation. (Figure 4.22 and 4.21)

In addition to that, the stained glass pieces which form the tympanums

of the pointed arch windows and doors at both sides of the chapel

create visual harmony. Although different coloured glass pieces were

placed together to form the tympanums, their luminescent properties

and illuminative functions relate them to one another.

4.3 DESIGN PRINCIPLES 75

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Figure 4.22: Similar shapes of doors and windows of the front facade.

(Source: Singh, 2017)

Figure 4.21: Luminescent properties of stained glass pieces. (Source:

Teoh, 2017)

4.4.1 OVERVIEW AND EXPLANATION

Till today, it remains a mystery as to who was the one who designed

the chapel. It could possibly be the Bishop of Macau, or the local

Portuguese-Eurasian community. As such, it is hard to explain the

reason behind the adoption of a hybrid of architectural styles in the

chapel’s design.

One possible explanation could be that the local Portuguese-Eurasian

community were trying to represent and to showcase their identity

through the design of the chapel. As the Portuguese-Eurasians of

Malacca did not have any significant architectural works to represent

their identity, the construction of the chapel may provide the perfect

opportunity for them to design a building that stands out among the

architecture of local communities. As such, the fusion of two or more

architectural styles may create an original and unique architectural

expression that solely belonged to the Portuguese-Eurasians of

Malacca.

4.4 DESIGN STYLES & ELEMENTS 76

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According to Mr. Keith Tan, a Taylor’s University architecture lecturer,

the fact that the Sacred Heart Chapel has a mixture of architectural

styles may indicate that it has been locally designed. As there were

hardly any recorded documents of the chapel, it is hard to determine

who was the designer or architect of the building. The chapel may not

necessarily be designed by architects at all, and there may also be a

possibility that it was designed by local artisans. The local artisans,

who may not receive any formal architectural education, may use a

mixture of architectural styles and elements they find interesting to

decorate the exterior and interior of the chapel.

Nonetheless, as simple as the chapel may be, there are quite a few

architectural styles and elements that can be found within the building,

notably the Iberian influence, the Romanesque style, the Gothic style

and many more.


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4.4.2 IBERIAN STYLE

Firstly, the Iberian architectural style is evident in terms of the chapel’s

façade treatment. According to Borschberg (2004), Iberian architecture

refers to the architectural styles which can be found in the Iberian

Peninsula, which consists mostly of Portugal and Spain. However, in

the case of the Sacred Heart Chapel, our research will focus solely on

the Portuguese architectural influence on the chapel’s design.

The front façade of the chapel consists of 3 colonnaded tiers, in which

the ground floor contains 3 similar semicircular arched doors and the

first floor contains 3 similar pointed arched windows. (Diagram 4.14)

The pediment, which can also be found in some Portuguese churches,

crowns the chapel. A pediment is defined as a triangular space formed

by the raking cornices (sloping sides) and horizontal cornice of a

gabled structure.

A belfry is also situated in the middle of the pediment. Poole (1907)

stated that a belfry is a structure which encloses the bell chamber, the

room in which the bells are housed, and its walls are pierced by

openings which allow the sound to escape.


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Diagram 4.14: The front facade of the Sacred Heart Chapel.

(Source: Measured Drawing Team Sacred Heart Chapel, 2017)

Lastly, the IHS monogram is located at the apex of the pediment,

symbolising that the building is a Roman Catholic chapel. Gothic

pinnacles can also be seen at both sides of the pediment.

Such a phenomena is evident in Portuguese colonial architecture on a

bigger scale, such as the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa and the Ruins

of Saint Paul’s Church in Macau. In the case of the Basilica of Bom

Jesus in Goa, India, the front façade of the basilica consists of 3

colonnaded tiers. (Diagram 4.15) The ground floor consists of 3

elegant entrance gates. The first floor consists of 3 windows matching

to the three gates of the ground floor and the second floor consists of 3

spherical windows. The fourth segment, also crowns the chapel with an

extravagant quadrangle decorated with arabesque art, however, unlike

the Sacred Heart Chapel, the pediment consists of a combination of

the Renaissance architectural style and the Baroque style. The IHS

monogram is present in the middle of quadrangle segment and ornate

decorations were used to decorate the monogram. Stout pinnacles

were also used to decorate the pediment, two of which are located at

both sides of the pediment and five of which were used to decorate the

triangular-shaped pediment.


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Diagram 4.15: The front facade of the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

(Source: Divakaran, 2005)

In the case of another Portuguese colonial architecture, which is the

Ruins of Saint Paul’s Church in Macau, the Baroque-styled façade

consists of a five-tiered structure. (Diagram 4.16) The first tier

comprises ten ionic columns with 3 entrances. The “MATER DEI” is

carved on the lintel of the front door and two other entrances on each

side are decorated with the HIS monogram. The second tier consists

of ten Corinthian columns with three windows. The third tier, however,

shows the “Virgin Holy Days” scene with a statue of Madonna in the

middle. On the fourth tier, a stone figure of Jesus is present. Finally,

the fifth tier features a pediment.

Both these Portuguese colonial architecture were designed using a

larger scale as well with more elaborate decorations.


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Diagram 4.16: The front facade of the Ruins of Saint Paul’s

Church, Macau. (Source: Macao Arts Festival, 2011)

4.4.3 GOTHIC STYLE

Gothic architectural elements are present in the chapel through the use

of pointed arched windows and doors. Timber pointed arched window

frames were used to design the windows at the front façade as well as

the side walls.

Moreover, trefoils, which are present at the tympanum of the pointed

arched windows, are also present at the chapel’s front façade as a

symbol for the Holy Trinity. (Figure 4.23) According to LaChiusa, “foil”

means “leaf” in French. As the number of foils is indicated by a prefix,

trefoil means “three leaves”. Chuck (2002) states that foil motifs may

be used as part of the heads and tracery of window lights, complete

windows themselves, the underside of arches, in heraldry, within

panelling, and as part of any decorative or ornamental devices.

Besides being a symbol of the Holy Trinity, LaChiusa (2002) also

claims that the trefoil is a symbol of perpetuity, with the three leaves

representing the past, present and future. It is also sometimes a

symbol of fertility and abundance.


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Figure 4.23: Pointed arch louvered casement windows at the

front facade of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Stained glass is also present on both sides of the chapel to allow a

certain amount of light to illuminate the chapel’s interior depending on

the different times of the day. Traditionally, stained glass windows were

used in churches to beautify and to provide narrative information to

those who looked at them. However, in the case of the Sacred Heart

Chapel, the stained glass pieces do not serve to translate certain

biblical messages, but were used as mere decorations. After stepping

into the chapel, one would notice that stained glass pieces of different

colours would be used to decorate the underside of the pointed arched

window frames. (Figure 4.24) The tympanum of the pointed arched

window frames will be subdivided into 13 parts using timber frames to

allow the stained glass pieces to be placed. Notably, stained glass

pieces of different colours and patterns were mixed and matched to

create a variety of luminescent patterns within the chapel.

Additionally, Hami (2014) suggests that the luminescent beauty of the

stained glass has different symbolism behind the usage of certain

colours. For example:


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Figure 4.24: The stained glass pieces above a window in the

Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

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Red: represents the blood of Christ, it indicates strong emotions such

as love or hate; it serves as a reminder of Jesus' suffering and

sacrifice, it also often associated with the martyrdom of saints.

Blue: the colour of the sky symbolizes heaven, hope, sincerity, and

piety. The colour is often associated with the Virgin Mary.

Green: the colour of grass and nature is an indication of spring, growth

and rebirth, life over death; it symbolizes faith, immortality, and

contemplation.

White: the colour that represents chastity, innocence, and purity is

often associated with God.

4.4 DESIGN STYLES & ELEMENTS

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Figure 4.25: The variety of stained glass patterns that can be found in the

chapel. (Source: Singh, 2017)

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Last but not least, pinnacles are also present on both sides of the

chapel’s pediment. According to Encyclopedia Britannica (2009), a

pediment is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or

crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at

the corners of towers and in many other situations. Traditionally,

pinnacles were used in Gothic churches for two reasons: ornamental or

structural.

However, the pinnacles were used in the Sacred Heart Chapel to

increase its verticality. The pediments of the Sacred Heart Chapel are

made up of triangular prisms and feature a star in the middle of the

structure. (Figure 4.26) As the chapel was abandoned for decades, the

pediment at the right corner of the building was missing and later

restoration works conducted replaced the missing structure with a new

one, which explains the contrast of texture and colour. (Figure 4.27)


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Figure 4.27: Restored pediment on the right of the chapel’s

pediment. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 4.26: Original pinnacle on the left of the chapel’s pediment.


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4.4.4 ROMANESQUE STYLE

Romanesque architectural elements can be seen in the use of

semicircular arches, which are present at the front gate, (Figure 4.28)

the three doors of the front façade (Figure 4.29) as well on the façade

before the sanctuary (Figure 4.30) One notable characteristic of

Romanesque arches is that the semicircular arches are supported by

capitals of columns or pilasters.


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Figure 4.30: The Romanesque arched opening of the facade as

seen from the sanctuary. (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure 4.28: The semicircular arched front gate of the chapel.


Figure 4.29: The semicircular arched door

at the front facade in the chapel. (Source:

Teoh, 2017)

4.4.5 OTHER ELEMENTS

a) Timber choir loft

The Sacred Heart Chapel features a timber choir loft, which is raised

above the chapel’s narthex and connected by a flight of timber stairs.

(Figure 4.31)

The choir loft was used to house musicians or singers performing

during church services, and, it was said that the timber choir loft was

able to accommodate an approximate number of 20 people. (Appendix

4). The structure is significant as most chapels do not feature choir

lofts due to the lack of space within the buildings. Two Tuscan columns

were used to support the beams of the timber choir loft, and two holy

water fonts were positioned in front of the columns in the direction

facing the semicircular arched doors. Repetition of the Tuscan

columns’ design is present on the holy water fonts at a much smaller

scale, creating a sense of visual harmony at the narthex.


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Figure 4.31: The timber choir loft as seen from the sanctuary.


b) Pulpit

In addition to that, a pulpit is present at the side of the nave and is

accessible via a flight of brick stairs. (Figure 4.32) The structure is

present in churches to allow the preacher to deliver sermons.

c) Altar

One of the most significant elements of the Sacred Heart Chapel is the

altar. The altar sits majestically in the middle of the sanctuary, allowing

it to become the visual focus of the chapel’s users. It features a

semicircular arched shape in the middle, with two pinnacle-shaped

structures at both its sides. (Figure 4.33) Three statues were once

placed on the altar in the sanctuary, in the centre was the statue of

Jesus since the chapel was dedicated to his Sacred Heart and to the

right and left were statues of St. Sebastian and St. Anthony of Padua,

two favoured saints of the Portuguese-Eurasians in Malacca.

(Appendix 4). The 13 stars which were uniformly distributed around the

semi-circular arched shape symbolises Jesus Christ and his 12

apostles.


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Figure 4.32: Side view of the pulpit. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 4.33: Front view of the chapel’s altar. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

In addition to that, the IHS or JHS monogram, an abbreviation for the

name of Jesus Christ, was also inscribed in the middle of the mensa,

or altar table. (Figure 4.34) The IHS or JHS monogram was first seen

on the exterior above the pediment and later on the altar. According to

Maere (1910), the monogram is a combination of letters that forms an

abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ and is traditionally used as a

religious symbol within the Christian Church. As the name of Jesus is

spelt "ΙΗΣΥΣ" in Greek capitals, the abbreviation “IHS” was thus

formed.

As the Christian liturgy was mainly conducted in Latin in medieval

Western Europe (and so among Catholics and many Protestants

today), the most common Christogram became "IHS" or "IHC",

denoting the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, IHΣΟΥΣ,

iota-eta-sigma, or ΙΗΣ. The Greek letter iota is represented by I, and

the eta by H, while the Greek letter sigma is either in its lunate form,

represented by C, or its final form, represented by S. Because the

Latin-alphabet letters I and J were not systematically distinguished until

the 17th century, "JHS" and "JHC" are equivalent to "IHS" and "IHC".


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Figure 4.34: The IHS or JHS monogram on the altar’s mensa.


Stairs are available at the right side of the altar to allow people to

access the upper parts of the altar and conduct maintenance works.

(Figure 4.35) Smaller semicircular holes are present at both side of the

altar, which allows the administrators of the chapel to view the statue of

Jesus from the side and conduct cleaning works. (Figure 4.36)


Figure 4.35: Stairs at the side of the altar. (Teoh, 2017)

Figure 4.36: Semicircular arched opening at the side of the

altar. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

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4.5.1 ORIENTATION

The front façade of the chapel faces the direction of North East 35

degrees. Unlike other churches, in which their entrances were

designed to face the East, the Sacred Heart Chapel’s unique

orientation is solely based on the orientation of the plot of land given by

the British during the time of its construction.

The orientation of the building also influenced the position of the belfry

in the building. According to Poole (1907), the belfry, which encloses

the bell chamber, allows the sound of the bell to escape and to inform

the surrounding Catholic community to attend services held. The belfry

was designed to be located on the front façade, which directly faces

Jalan Tengkera, to allow the sound of the bell to be transmitted directly

to the open road and to ensure that there were no interruptions.

(Diagram 4.17)

4.5 ORIENTATION AND RESPONSE TO CLIMATE 90

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Diagram 4.17: Orientation of chapel which faces Jalan Tengkera.

(Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

In addition to that, the planning of the access points within the building

was also influenced by the orientation of the building.

Access points, such as the front doors and entrances, were designed

to directly face the main access route of the area, which is Jalan

Tengkera, to allow a smooth circulation of flow from the main road into

the compounds of the chapel. (Diagram 4.18) The multiple entrances

which face Jalan Tengkera also meant that multiple access points are

available at the front of the chapel to allow a huge number of people to

access the building at a single time, preventing heavy congestions

which may disrupt the smooth flow of people.


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Diagram 4.18: Circulation of users into the chapel. (Source: Huynh

Minh, 2017)

4.5.2 RESPONSE TO CLIMATE

According to the interview conducted with Mr. Colin Goh, a senior

citizen who once spent his childhood days in the chapel, the building

was well-lighted and cool in the morning. This statement proves that

the chapel’s design effectively copes with the climatic conditions of its

surroundings, providing maximum comfort to its occupants.

As stated by World Weather Online (2017), the climate of Malacca is

characterised as hot and humid all year long with abundance of rainfall.

As such, louvered casement windows were designed to be placed

around the chapel. According to Encyclopedia Britannica (2010) a

louver is a window shutter with horizontal slats that are angled keep

out rain and direct sunshine, yet, at the same time, admits air into and

out of the building to provide ventilation. Bradnam's Windows & Doors

(2017), states that louvered windows provide more ventilation than

other windows, making it a suitable choice of windows to be placed

within a tropical building.

In addition to that, WeatherSpark (2017) suggests that the majority of

wind direction in Malacca is from the northeast. As such, the

orientation of the chapel, which faces the northeast direction, allows a

high amount of air to flow into the building. Interestingly, the front

façade of the chapel features a high amount of openings, such as the

pointed arch windows and semicircular arched doors, which proves

that the building corresponds well with the climate. (Diagram 4.19)

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4.5 ORIENTATION AND RESPONSE TO CLIMATE

Diagram 4.19: Ventilation flow into the chapel. (Source: Huynh

Minh, 2017)

Diagram 4.20: Sun path and ventilation

on site. (Source: Saw, 2017)

The orientation of the chapel also allows the position of the sun at

different times of the day to illuminate the chapel’s interior. In the

morning, the position of the sun allows sunlight to penetrate the

windows and stained glass pieces on the left of the chapel (Diagram

4.22), whereas the position of the sun in the evening allows light to

penetrate the windows and stained glass pieces on the right of the

chapel. (Diagram 4.23)

Lastly, the chapel once featured a gable roof which was covered using

Dutch clay roof tiles. The gable roof was opted as the roof type in the

chapel as it is easier to be constructed and requires a lesser amount of

construction cost. Roofing Calculator (2017) suggested that gable roofs

easily shed large amounts of precipitation, protecting the building from

corrosion.


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Diagram 4.23: Penetration of sunlight from the right of the chapel

in the evening. (Source: Huynh Dinh, 2017)

Diagram 4.22: Penetration of sunlight from the left of the chapel in

the morning. (Source: Huynh Dinh, 2017)

Diagram 4.21: Sun path across the chapel.

(Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

5.1.1 DEFINITION AND CHARACTERISTICS

The type of floor tiles that is used in Sacred Heart Chapel is terracotta

floor tiles. (Figure 5.1) Matthews (2015) states that terracotta tiles are a

type of clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic tiles available in a

variety of colors and designs. Terracotta is normally used in sculpture-

making and also in building construction as they are strong and

durable. Moreover, the tiles are fire resistant and can be molded into a

variety of shape.

The dimensions of the floor tiles in the chapel are 350mm X 350mm

(Diagram 5.1), with a 10 mm gap in between the tiles.

5.1.2 MATERIALS

Terracotta tiles mainly consist of clay and water.

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5.1 TERRACOTTA FLOOR TILES 95

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Figure 5.1: Terracotta floor tiles in the Sacred Heart Chapel (Source:

Singh, 2017)

Diagram 5.1: The dimensions of the terracotta floor tiles

used in the chapel. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

Diagram 5.2: Existing condition of terracotta floor tiles. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)


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Diagram 5.3: Existing conditions of building as shown by section .A-A’. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)


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Diagram 5.4: The distribution of materials in the chapel. (Source: Saw, 2017)


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5.1.3 ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

a) Advantages:

One of the advantages of terracotta tiles is that they are durable, which

is evident as most of the tiles were still left intact when the site visit was

conducted. The red and brown color of the tiles gives off an earthy and

rustic feel, which enhances the classic and luxurious aesthetics of the

building.

b) Disadvantages:

As terracotta tiles differ in terms of shade and texture, it is burdensome

to seek for a replacement which matches its existing colour and

texture, making restoration works hard.


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Figure 5.2: Close-up look of the terracotta Tiles in the building.


Figure 5.3: Terracotta floor tiles in the chapel. (Source: Singh,

2017)

5.1.4 EXISTING CONDITION

As the building is in an abandoned state, there are numerous defects

which can be found in the building. Most of the terracotta tiles in the

chapel are covered with dust and dirt. Moreover, some of the floor tiles

are damaged and in a sunken condition. (Diagram 5.2)

In addition to that, some of the tiles present in the sanctuary are

missing. The tiles at the sacristy, are all covered with pebbles, stones

and grass.


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Figure 5.5: Missing terracotta floor tiles at the nave. (Source:

Storey, 2017)

Figure 5.4: Sunken terracotta floor tiles around the pulpit.

(Source: Storey, 2017)

5.2.1 DEFINITION AND CHARACTERISTICS

The Sacred Heart Chapel’s support structures are load bearing walls.

According to Muscato (n.d.) a load bearing wall is a type of wall which

supports the weight of other elements above it, such as the roof, walls

and floor joists.

5.2 LOAD BEARING WALLS 101

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Diagram 5.5: Load bearing walls in the chapel indicated by the

highlighted area. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

Figure 5.6: Load bearing walls as seen from the interior of the

chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017)

5.2.2 MATERIALS

Dutch bricks are used as the main building material of the Sacred

Heart Chapel. According to De Witt (2007), the colonization of Malacca

by the Dutch introduced Dutch bricks as a building material in many

buildings. De Witt (2007) also suggests that when the chapel was built

during the British era, the Dutch bricks which were produced locally

were produced locally, indicating that the construction knowledge of

the Dutch had been passed on and implemented into the construction

of British era buildings.

The Dutch bricks are durable and known for their appearance. They

are characterised as bricks with a long length and short width and

height. The dimensions of the bricks used in the chapel were 240mm X

120mm X 30mm. (Diagram 5.6)

Ingredients of a typical Dutch bricks include clay and shale. (Figure 5.7

and 5.8) The materials are put in a kiln and heated to form bricks.

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5.2 LOAD BEARING WALLS

Figure 5.7: Clay (Source: Micheal, n.d.)

Figure 5.8: Shale (Source: Collecting rocks and

minerals, n.d.)

Diagram 5.6: Dimensions and texture of a Dutch

brick found on site. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

5.2.3 BONDING SYSTEM

The bonding system used to construct the load bearing walls is the

Dutch bond. (Figure 5.9) The bricks are laid by filling mortar between

the layers of bricks. Different types of mortar were used to lay bricks,

such as cement mortar, lime mortar or mud mortar.

Advantages:

The advantages of Dutch bricks are durable and fire resistant. They

require less maintenance as it does not rot or need to be painted. They

produces less environmental pollution during the manufacturing

process.

Disadvantages:

The disadvantages of Dutch bricks are that they absorb water easily

and they have very less tensile strength. They may cause mildew

growth when it is not properly cleaned and it is not that easy to clean

the bricks.


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Figure 5.9: Dutch bond system (Source: Greenhalgh, 1926)

Figure: Picture example of Dutch bond. (Source: Building

Educator Volume 5, R Greenhalgh, 1926)

Figure 5.10: Exposed Dutch bricks in the Sacred Heart Chapel


5.2.4: EXISTING CONDITION

The wall of the Sacred Heart Chapel is left in a dilapidated state due to

its abandonment. (Diagram 5.3) The plaster of the exterior and interior

walls have fallen off due to the damp conditions of the chapel’s

surroundings as it was fully exposed to weathering conditions. (Figure

5.11) Moreover, small and large cracks on the walls and pilasters

expose the Dutch bricks within. (Figure 5.12) As such, the existing

cracks on the walls have left an unremovable mark on the face of the

chapel.


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Figure 5.12: Visible cracks on the load

bearing wall. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 5.11: Exposed Dutch bricks due to the fallen off plaster.


Semicircular arches are used as openings at the chapel’s front and

interior facades.

Description of the components:

• Intrados: interior surface of the arch.

• Extrados: exterior surface of the arch.

• Springing: the point from which the arch begins or springs.

• Voussoirs: each of the stone wedges that make up the arch.

• Keystone: wedge-shaped stone in the center of an arch whose

function is to balance the network of voussoirs.

• Crown: the highest point of the arch.

• Haunch: the sides of the arch from the springing line half way up to

the crown.

The semicircular arch can also be seen in the form of the Romanesque

arch, which is present on the facade in front of the sanctuary. A

distinctive feature of a Romanesque arch is that the arch is supported

on top of capitals of columns or pilasters.

5.3 SEMICIRCULAR ARCH 105

97

Figure 5.13: The semicircular arched opening as seen from

the altar. (Source: Seow, 2017)

Diagram 5.7: Components of a semicircular arch. (Source:

Saw, 2017)

105

93

The method used to construct the semicircular arches is called

centering. The temporary timber centering structure was used to

support the brick arch during construction. (Diagram 5.8)


98

Diagram 5.8: Components of a centering structure (Source: Huynh

Minh ,n.d.)


As the plaster of the chapel’s front facade has fallen off, the brickworks

of the semicircular-arched doors are fully exposed. Timber tympanums

are also missing from the semicircular-arched doors at the front of the

chapel. (Figure 5.15) In addition to that, cracks are also present above

the semicircular-arched opening at the façade before the sanctuary.

Cracks are also present at the semicircular-arched door at the back of

the sacristy. (Figure 5.16)

Figure 5.16: Cracks present near the semicircular arched door at

the back of the sacristy. (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure 5.14: Crack present above semicircular arched opening

at the façade before the sanctuary. (Source: Heng, 2017)

Figure 5.15: Exposed brickwork of semicircular

arched door at the front of the chapel. (Source:

Teoh, 2017)


98

5.4.1 BATTENED, LEDGED AND FRAMED DOOR

The type of door that is installed in the Sacred Heart Chapel’s front

facade is the battened, ledged and framed door. These doors, which

are situated beneath semicircular arches, include battens and ledges

with frameworks added on it. (Figure 5.17)

The hinges that connect the battened, ledged and framed doors to the

walls are T hinges. (Figure 5.19) Characterised by their T-shaped

appearance, the hinges were hand forged by a blacksmiths. The

hinges can support the door along its width, allowing them to swing

while remaining attached to the walls.

L-shaped bolt latches were installed at the back of the doors to allow

the doors to remain closed when locked. (Figure 5.18)

5.4 DOORS

Figure 5.17: Battened, ledged

and framed door at the front of

the chapel. (Source: Heng, 2017)

Figure 5.19: T-shaped door hinge. (Source: Heng, 2017)

108

80

60

1

60

1

Figure 5.18: L-shaped bolt

latch of the chapel’s front

door. (Source: Heng, 2017)

5.4.2 FRAMED DOOR

There second type of door that is used in the Sacred Heart Chapel is

the framed door which is situated at both sides of the building.

The hinges at the side doors are called butt hinge. It is a piece of metal

mechanism that allows the doors to swing open and closed while being

attached to the walls.

Similarly, L-shaped bolt latches are installed on the doors to allow them

to be locked.


Generally, the paint coatings of the doors have fallen off. Most of the

doors are still functionable, except for the missing right door at the front

façade.

Figure 5.20: Framed door in

the Sacred Heart Chapel.


Diagram 5.9: Components of the

chapel’s framed door. (Source: Saw,

2017)

Figure 5.21: Butt hinge of the

chapel’s side door. (Source: Heng,

2017)

Diagram 5.10: Butt hinge of the

chapel’s framed door. (Source:

Huynh Minh, 2017)

5.4 DOORS 109

80

60

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60

1

The type of window installed in the Sacred Heart Chapel is the

louvered casement window. Casement windows are windows which

consist of two halves and are hinged at the side of the frame. When

louvers are added into the windows, it is called louvered casement

windows.

The frames of the windows in the chapel are timber pointed arch

frames. Vibrant stained glass pieces were used as decorations

underneath the arched frames. The type of hinge used for the louvered

casement windows is the butt hinge. L-shaped bolt latches were also

installed to allow the windows to be secured from the interior.

Advantages:

The louvred casement windows in the chapel help to keep out rain and

direct sunshine, yet, at the same time, admits air into and out of the

building to provide ventilation.

Disadvantages:

The louvered casement windows have size limitations as they are only

designed to crank outwards. As such, the windows used cannot be too

large or heavy.

Figure 5.22: The louvered

window in Sacred Heart

Chapel (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure: The louvered window

in Sacred Heart Chapel

(Source: Koji, 2017)

Figure 5.23: The butt hinge of

a window in the Sacred Heart

Chapel. (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure: The butt hinge of the

windows in Sacred Heart

Chapel. (Source: Koji, 2017)

Figure 5.24: L-shaped bolt latch of the chapel’s window .(Source:

Seow, 2017)

5.5 LOUVERED CASEMENT WINDOWS 110

80

60

1

60

1


Most of the louvered casement windows in the chapel are still

functionable, except the windows on both side of the sacristy. (Figure

5.26) However, the painted area around the windows have fallen off,

revealing the light grey plastered wall at the back. (Figure 5.25) As for

the stained glass pieces above the windows, some of them are still

present within the timber frames, while others are missing or broken.

(Figure 5.27)

5.5 LOUVERED CASEMENT WINDOWS

Figure 5.27: Broken stained glass pieces of a window. (Source:

Teoh, 2017) Figure 5.25: Light grey pattern around a window

in the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

Figure 5.26: Missing louvres of the sacristy’s timber window

as seen from the exterior of the chapel. (Source: Teoh, 2017)

111

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60

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5.6.1 TIMBER CHOIR LOFT

The timber choir loft is raised above the chapel’s narthex and is

supported by two Tuscan columns. (Figure 5.28)

Components of the timber choir loft:

• Timber floor beam

• Timber floor joist

• Timber plank flooring

• Timber guardrail

• Timber balustrade

• Timber bottom rail

• Timber staircase

Figure 5.28: Timber choir loft at Sacred Heart Chapel (Source:

Seow, 2017)

107

101

5.6 TIMBER CHOIR LOFT & STAIRCASE

Diagram 5.11: Components of the timber choir loft in the chapel. (Source:

Huynh Minh, 2017)

112

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5.6.2 TIMBER STAIRCASE

The timber choir loft is accessible via a flight of timber staircase.

5.6 TIMBER CHOIR LOFT & STAIRCASE 113

102

Figure 5.30: The elevation side of the stairs in Sacred Heart Chapel


Figure 5.29: The front elevation of

the stairs in Sacred Heart Chapel


Diagram 5.12: Components of the timber staircase in the chapel. (Source:

Huynh Minh, 2017)

5.6.3 EXISTING CONDITION:

Today, the timber choir loft can no longer accommodate users as the

flooring has gone missing. What’s left of the structure is the timber floor

beam as well as the timber floor joists. (Figure 5.31) As one of the

timber joists are missing, the hole which was made on the wall to

support it is visible.

The timber staircase which leads to the choir loft above is unsafe to be

used due to the weakening of the timber treads. In addition to that, the

wooden planks beneath the staircase are missing. (Figure 5.32)

Exposure to weathering conditions also caused the paint coatings of

the staircase and the choir loft to fall off, allowing both the structures to

exude a rustic and unstable feel. (Figure 5.33)

Figure 5.33: Small pieces of

paint coatings left on the

staircase treads. (Source:

Singh, 2017)

Figure 5.32: Missing timber

plank as seen from the

back of the staircase.


Figure 5.31: Missing timber floor joist of the choir loft exposes

the hole made on the wall. (Source: Seow, 2017)

5.6 TIMBER CHOIR LOFT 114

102

5.7.1 DESCRIPTION

The roof truss used in the Sacred Heart Chapel is a timber king post

roof truss system. (Figure 5.34) The king post roof truss is one of the

simplest truss types used in building construction. It consists of two

angled supports that lean into a vertical support and is normally used

for simple roof trusses and short-span bridges.

Each and every roof truss in the building features a number, which

indicates the sequence of roof truss placement on top of the load

bearing walls.

5.7.2 COMPONENTS

The components of the timber king post consist of rafters, king post,

crossbeams and many more. (Diagram 5.13)

5.7 TIMBER KING POST ROOF TRUSS SYSTEM

109

103

Figure 5.34: Timber king post roof truss system of the chapel.


Diagram 5.13: Components of the timber king post roof truss

system. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

115

102

5.7.3 JOINTS AND CONNECTIONS

a) Round-headed bolts and square-shaped washers

Round-headed bolts (Figure 5.35) and square-shaped washers were

used to secure the timber roof trusses.

b) Crossed half lapped joint

A crossed half lap joint is used to allow two timber rafters to be

connected together to form the apex of the structure. (Diagram 5.14)

Advantages:

Timber king post roof trusses are known for their durability and

strength. As they are simple to construct, the cost and energy required

to do so is lower than the installation of other roof types, adhering to

the economic conditions of the Portuguese-Eurasians back then.

5.7 TIMBER KING POST ROOF TRUSS SYSTEM 104

104

Diagram 5.14: Timber crossed half lapped joint. (Source: Huynh Minh, 2017)

Figure 5.35: Round –headed bolts. (Source: blacksmithbolt, n.d.)

116

103

5.7.4 ROOF TILES

When the Sacred heart Chapel was still in use, the type of roof tiles

installed were Dutch roof tiles. (Appendix 4) Dutch roof tiles are thin

pieces of tiles that are made from clay which includes a variety of

shapes such as the flat piece, the S-shape and the U-shape. For the

Sacred Heart Chapel, the Dutch roof tiles used were U-shaped tiles

and were described as ‘those kind of traditional roof tiles like the ones

found in No 8, Heeren Street. (Figure 5.36)

Based on the book, “History of Dutch in Malaysia”, the U-shape Dutch

roof tiles are popular in southern European countries. In Asian

countries, the roof tiles were introduced by the Portuguese but

remained in use during the Dutch period.

Figure 5.36: U-shaped clay roof tiles found in No. 8, Heeren Street.

(Source: Christopher, 2014)

5.7 TIMBER KING POST ROOF TRUSS SYSTEM 117

103


According to Hau (2017), the clay roof tiles were eventually replaced

with ARDEC roofing during a renovation which was possibly conducted

in the 1990s. (Appendix 4) As the Idea Workshop is currently

conducting conservation and restoration works on the chapel, the

ARDEC roofing was removed, causing the building to be roofless.

Most of the existing roof trusses do not encounter serious damages,

however, the timber rafter at the sacristy was broken and suspended,

causing great concerns on the structure’s state and stability. (Figure

5.37) Dried creepers are also present on the suspended rafter,

reflecting the delirious state of the building due to the decades of

abandonment.

It addition to that, some of the timber purlins present on the roof

trusses are noticeably smaller compared to the other purlins. (Figure

5.38) This may indicate that the thinner purlins were replaced at a later

time as they are cheaper compared to thicker timber structures. As

timber is readily available in the past, a bigger-sized timber structure

was utilized as they were very cheap. (Appendix 4)

Figure 5.37: Broken timber rafter suspended on top of the sacristy.


Figure 5.38: The smaller-sized timber purlins used on the timber

roof trusses amongst other larger-sized purlins. (Source: Heng,

2017)

118

103

5.7 TIMBER KING POST ROOF TRUSS SYSTEM

5.8.1 DEFINITION AND MATERIALS

According to the book, ‘History of the Dutch in Malaysia’, a wall anchor

is defined as ‘a single or pair of figures or plates attached to a joist or

bar either at the time of construction or later and built into the wall to

provide support.’

Wall anchors form part of a building’s structural element which is

usually planned as part of the building from the start of its construction.

The anchor connects a brick wall to a timber frame and to structural

timbers.

Its purpose is to hold the building’s walls, beams or posts to safeguard

against subsidence and to prevent them from falling apart, especially

due to weak soil and thin brick walls.

Wall anchors are made up of cast iron or wrought iron. They are

usually shaped in an S, X, Y or I, however, in the case of the Sacred

Heart Chapel, the wall anchor bears the shape of an X.

5.8 WALL ANCHOR 119

105

5.8.2 COMPONENTS

According to De Witt (2017), the wall anchor consists of a tongue or

strap, with one end wrought flat, pointed and the other end provided

with an eye and a key or bolt which is placed through the eye and

which presses up against the wall.


Constructed using a durable material, the wall anchor at the back of

the chapel stands the test of time as it still retains its original state and

outlook.

5.8 WALL ANCHOR 120

106

Diagram 5.15: The use of the wall anchor in building

construction. (Source: History of the Dutch in Malaysia,

2007)

Figure 5.39: Existing condition of the chapel’s

wall anchor. (Source: Singh, 2017)

5.9.1 ALTAR

The altar of the Sacred Heart Chapel consists of bricks, plaster and

terracotta tiles. The altar is made of bricks and covered with plaster

while the tiles used for the altar steps are terracotta tiles. (Figure 5.41)

5.9.2 PULPIT

The pulpit of the Sacred Heart Chapel is constructed using bricks and

covered using plaster. (Figure 5.42) According to a research from ‘The

Brick and brickwork’, to construct a curved work using bricks,

templates are normally used. (Figure 5.43) A curved wall can be

constructed using a template that is made from timber according to the

required curvature of the wall.

Figure 5.40: The altar of the

Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source:

Heng, 2017)

Figure 5.41: Terracotta tiles at the

altar. (Source: Ezamudin, 2017)

Figure 5.42: The pulpit of the

Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source:

Heng, 2017)

Figure 5.43: Timber template.

used to construct curved brick

structures. (Source: The Brick

and Brickwork, n.d.)

Figure: Picture of bricks with the

timber template. (Source: The

Brick and Brickwork, n.d.)

5.9 ALTAR & PULPIT

121

107

121

106


Even the altar, the significant element of worship within the chapel,

cannot escape from the harsh realities of the building’s abandonment.

Lack of maintenance has led to the disappearance of a few terracotta

floor tiles at the altar’s platform, and a few small cracks are also visible

on the structure. The weathering conditions also caused the original

colour of the structure to deteriorate. (Figure 5.46)

One baffling condition of the altar is that multiple candle waxes are

present on the altar. (Figure 5.45) Such a phenomena is interesting as

the chapel was deconsecrated years ago. (Appendix 4) As such, any

form of religious worship within the building is very unlikely to occur.

As for the pulpit, the structure is slanted and detached from the wall.

The structure also features broken and missing terracotta floor tiles on

its steps. (Figure 5.44)

Figure 5.45: Candle waxes present

at the edge of the altar. (Source:

Teoh, 2017)

5.9 ALTAR & PULPIT

122

107

122

106

Figure 5.44: The pulpit which is

slightly detached from the wall of

the chapel. (Source: Ezamudin,

2017)

Figure 5.46: Missing floor tiles at the

altar’s platform. (Source: Lau, 2017

The Sacred Heart Chapel served its function for a period of 100 years

until the 1970s. The lease expired in in the 1970s and the chapel was

returned to state ownership.

By that time as well, the local community started to decrease they

moved elsewhere for better job opportunities. This caused the chapel

to be abandoned and its conditions deteriorated till what is is today.

As the chapel was abandoned for decades, it is impossible to capture

the cultural attributes of the building. Fortunately, after conducting

interviews with Mr. Colin Goh and Mr. Vincent Kang, both senior

citizens who once spent their childhood in the chapel, we obtained

some basic understanding of the cultural attributes of the chapel when

it was in use.

The images presented in the following pages are based on our group’s

personal interpretation and understanding.

6.1 SURROUNDING COMMUNITY 124

109

In the late 1800s, the Sacred Heart Chapel was used as a religious

center mostly for the Catholic Eurasians and this lasted for about 100

years. According to Goh (2017), the society along Jalan mainly

consisted of a middle class community who worked as fishermen,

skilled workers, civil servants and those who worked in the commercial

sector . In the 1950s and 1960s, the Portuguese-Eurasians who

resided at the area had surnames such as De Witt, Santa Maria,

Fernandes, Minjoot, Louis, Westerhout, Franco, Pvanaris, Nunis,

Gostelow, Campos, De Souza, Andrade, Buenaventura, Shepherdson,

Gomes, De Gracia, Pinto, Thomazios, Beins, Dias, Zarzadias, Lopez

and Pereira.

Besides the Portuguese-Eurasians, other local communities who lived

near the chapel include the Chinese, Malays, Indians and many more.

6.1 SURROUNDING COMMUNITY 125

110

6.2.1 EXTERIOR

Before entering the chapel, one will find to be an iron rod cross above

the chapel’s front gate. The iron rod cross was regarded as a piece of

art. (C. Goh, personal communication, 22nd January 2017)

There was also once a bell in the belfry and the sound of the bell could

be heard from one mile away, signalling the surrounding Catholic

community to attend services conducted.

On special feast days, the chapel will be decorated with buntings and

flags. The hooks on the exterior facade was used to hang banners

during these days. (Appendix 4)

Behind the back wall of the chapel lies a beautiful beach with very fine

sand. (Appendix 4) It was very refreshing to sit at the beach and enjoy

the beautiful scenery of the shoreline. Goh (2017) also states that the

sea was not so polluted back then and the beach contained fine white

sand. However, land reclamation works conducted by the state

government a few years back allowed the once beautiful shoreline to

disappear and make way for development.

6.2 PREVIOUS CONDITION 126

111

Figure 6.1: The chapel’s front gate (Source: Seow, 2017)

Figure 6.2: The belfry of the chapel. (Source: Singh, 2017)

6.2.2 INTERIOR

Upon entering the chapel, the visitors would be greeted by the holy

water fonts that are placed in front of the Tuscan columns. The Tuscan

columns were used to support the choir loft above and there used to be

a donation box inserted into the column, where people would insert

money to be donated the poor.

When the chapel was still in use, the choir would perform on the choir

loft during services. It was said that the choir loft could accommodate

20 people. During that time, the chapel would always been filled with

heavenly songs since the Eurasian community in Malacca was well-

known for their talent in musical and harmonious voices.

6.2 PREVIOUS CONDITION 128

112

Figure 6.3: The donation box slot on the Tuscan column.

(Source: Aziz, 2017)

When the Sacred Heart Chapel was in use, Children’s Religious

Classes will be held on Saturdays. (C. Goh, personal communication,

2017). After the morning religious classes, the children will usually stay

around and play within the confines of the chapel. They would run

around the chapel, making the free ground spaces as a running track.

In addition to that, the well water at the side of the chapel was used to

wash the chapel’s floor.

On Sundays and major Christian Feast Days, religious services will be

held in the chapel and the liturgy is conducted in Latin. Goh (2017)

recalls that the Sunday Mass will be conducted at 6.30 am in the

morning. Families who attend the services would be dressed in their

best attire. The chapel could accommodate up to 150 people when it

was in use.

When processions are being held, people would exit from the front

door and walk around the chapel through the side walkways.

6.3 ACTIVITIES 130

To provide an insight on another example of a Roman Catholic

architecture in Malacca, we shall compare our building with Saint

Peter’s Church, Malacca to examine the similarities and differences

between the two Roman Catholic buildings constructed in two different

colonization periods.

Saint Peter’s Church is Malaysia’s oldest functioning Roman Catholic

Church which was built during the Dutch occupation of Malacca. As

shown on the bell tower, the construction of the building ended in 1710.

Interestingly, the Sacred Heart Chapel was administered by this church

in the past, and, as such, this building may have influenced the design

of the chapel.

According to The Thrifty Traveller (2013), the land which was used to

build Saint Peter’s Church was donated by a Dutch gentleman,

Maryber Franz Amboer, after the Dutch ended the persecution of

Malacca’s Catholic community.

Melaka Travel Guide (2017) suggests that 15 tombstones can be found

within the compounds of the church. The oldest grave that is still

recognisable is the grave of Domigo D’Oliveira, who passed away on 3

May 1598.

7.1 INTRODUCTION TO SAINT PETER’S CHURCH

121

115

Figure 7.2: Front façade of Sacred Heart Chapel (Source:

Singh, 2017)

Figure 7.1: Front façade of St. Peter’s Church (Source: Wikimedia

Commons, 2017)

133

117

Figure 7.2: Front façade of the Sacred Heart Chapel. (Source:

Singh, 2017)

According to Shevchenko (2017), as Saint Peter’s Church was

constructed by descendants of the Portuguese emigrants who settled

in Malacca, Portuguese architectural influences are evident in the

church’s front façade, where it features 2 colonnaded tiers and a

Baroque-styled pediment which crowns the building. (Figure 7.3) 3

semi-circular openings can be found on the ground and first floor, and

4 stout pinnacles can were used to decorate the pediment.

Moreover, the interior of the Saint Peter’s Church features a nave in

the middle. (Figure 7.4) Two aisles on either side of the nave were

separated by rows of Composite-styled columns. A timber barrel vault

ceiling is supported by the Composite-styled colonnades, which

increases the height of the nave. Timber was used extensively to

construct the pulpit on the side of the nave and the church pews, as

well as the Stations of the Cross.

In addition to that, Romanesque architectural elements are also

present within the church. A Romanesque-arched opening is present

on the façade before the sanctuary, which allows it to become the focal

point of attention within the church.

7.2 ARCHITECTURAL STYLE 134

117

Figure 7.4: Interior of the church. (Source: Wikimedia Commons,

2017)

Figure 7.3: The front façade of Saint Peter’s Church. (Source: K.

Sini, 2017)

SACRED HEART CHAPEL

ST. PETER’S CHURCH

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

Both buildings are influenced by Portuguese, Romanesque and

Gothic architectural elements. However, St. Peter’s Church

features a Baroque-styled pediment on top of the building.

FAÇADE DESIGN

Both buildings feature Portuguese-influenced front facades with 2

colonnaded tiers and a pediment which crowns the building. There

were also 3 openings on both tiers. Excluding the bell tower of St.

Peter’s Church, the front facades are symmetrically balanced.

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION

Both buildings feature a linear plan design. The Sacred Heart

Chapel has a nave and previously an aisle in the center, whereas

St. Peter’s has a centre nave and side aisles.

FAÇADE BEFORE SANCTUARY

Both facades feature a Romanesque-arched opening in the centre.

7.3 COMPARISON 135

118

a) Introduction

Before the site visit to Malacca was conducted, our group arranged an

interview with Architect Hau, the owner of Idea Workshop, who is

currently conducting restoration works on the Sacred Heart Chapel

together with their partner company, Beauty Garden Homes Sdn. Bhd.

The interview, which was conducted on the 20th of January 2017,

provided our group valuable information regarding the current condition

as well as conservation and restoration process of the historically

significant building.

b) Conservation process

The conservation process of the Sacred Heart Chapel consists of 4

stages, which are:

1. Approval

2. Documentation and Record

3. Dilapidation Survey and Building Investigation

4. Conservation Works

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT 137

119

Stage 1: Approval

As the Sacred Heart Chapel is located within the Buffer Zone of the

Malacca Word Heritage Site, a report was required to be prepared by

Idea Workshop to be presented during the meeting with the

Conservation Department. This was followed by another meeting which

was attended by various departments and to allow them to give their

respective inputs and opinions. When an approval was obtained after

the meeting, the next process is to get the approval and the design

requirements from the Planning Department as well as Fire and

Rescue Department as the building will be used by the public.


120

Figure 8.2: Page 4 of the conservation report prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source:

Idea Workshop, 2017)

Figure 8.1: Cover page of the conservation report prepared by Idea Workshop.

(Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

Stage 2: Documentation

Documentation is divided into two parts as follow:

i. Historical research

Firstly, it is important to obtain all available evidence on the building or

site such as the original design drawings, old photographs and old

maps. Articles or historical reports from previous investigations will

help a lot to for later planning and works.

ii. Measured drawings

The architecture scaled drawings of the existing structure, that

accurately illustrates the defect areas such as peeled off paint, cracks

in plaster and the missing elements, were prepared.


121

Figure 8.3: Page 7 of the conservation report that shows the historical research

prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

Diagram 8.1: Page 24 of the conservation report that shows the measured drawing

of side elevation prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

Stage 3: Dilapidation survey and building investigation

During this stage, the defects of the building was identified and

recorded through the use of various media such as photographic and

digital documentation. The main task of this process is to observe a

building to collect and record any information on the finished surfaces

and exposed structures. The dilapidation surveys conducted mainly

involves the following aspects:

Understanding the conditions of building defects.

Determining the causes of the building defects.

Identifying suitable methods and techniques of building

conservation.

Providing reference materials to client, consultant and project

contractor.


122

Figure 8.4: Page 15 of the conservation report that shows the dilapidated state

prepared by Idea Workshop. (Source: Idea Workshop, 2017)

Stage 4: Conservation Work

The conservation and renovation works conducted started in

December 2016 and will have duration of one year. (W.S. Hau,

personal communication, 20th January 2017) After obtaining the

approvals, the process was postponed as the client still did not decide

on the future plan or program of the building.

The renovation and restoration processes will be focused on the roof,

doors, windows and walls. Moreover, timber structures which were

infested by termites will be replaced or treated.

As restoration works were initiated before the site visit, the tall grass

and existing vegetation on site were cleared. The Ardec roofing was

also removed as clay roof tiles were opted to be installed.

c) Future use

According to Architect Hau, the new program of the building has yet to

be decided. However, the building will most likely to be converted into

a multipurpose event space where activities, such as weddings, talks

or art exhibitions may be held.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Figure 8.6: Land grant of Sacred Heart Chapel 1


Figure 8.7: Land grant of Sacred Heart Chapel 2


141

123

Figure 8.8: Land grant of the

Sacred Heart Chapel 3 (Source:

Idea Workshop, 2017)

The Sacred Heart Chapel was once a religious building which served

the surrounding Catholic community for more than a century. Being

able to study about the history of this heritage building is really an

astounding experience as we had a chance to understand its cultural

and architectural significance.

Years of negligence and abandonment has led to the dilapidation of

the Sacred Heart Chapel, a building in which the surrounding Catholic

community once held so dear of. As such, the site visit allowed us to

understand the importance of conserving and preserving a heritage

building as man-made structures are vulnerable to the damages

caused by ruthless weathering conditions if they are not preserved

properly. Having said that, our group was very pleased and relieved

when we realised that conservation and restoration works are finally

conducted on the building. We look forward towards the completion of

the restoration process as the building plays a significant role to serve

as a reminder of the Tranquerah’s past. Preservation of the chapel will

definitely provide opportunities for future generations to learn and

explore the history and cultural attributes of the Sacred Heart Chapel.

The process of completing the project from the beginning till the end

was a challenging and memorable one as we started off without any

knowledge regarding the history of the building. To our dismay, the

documented information regarding the building was scarce as a

detailed and thorough research has not been conducted on the

building. In addition to that, although the building is located within the

boundaries of the Malacca World Heritage Site Buffer Zone,

conservation works were not conducted by relevant authorities and

instead, the building was left unused and unconserved for decades.

By referring to various literature sources as well as conducting

interviews with Malacca's local residents, we were finally able to

understand in detail regarding the cultural and historical significance of

the small building. Who’d knew such a small and simple building would

hold so much meaning and purpose. To conclude this project, we

sincerely hope that our research could help by informing the public

regarding the significance of this heritage building so that it would not

be forgotten in years to come.

CONCLUSION 142

124

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3dsMax: a professional 3D computer graphics program for making 3D

animations, models, games and images

Altar: A significant element of worship within the church or chapel.

Architect: someone who plans, designs, and reviews the construction

of buildings.

AutoCAD: a computer-aided design (CAD) program used for 2-D and

3-D design and drafting.

Baluster: the vertical member, plain or decorative, that acts as the infill

between the handrail.

Beam: a long, sturdy piece of squared timber or metal spanning an

opening or part of a building, usually to support the roof or floor above

Belfry: a structure which encloses the bell chamber, the room in which

the bells are housed and its walls are pierced by openings which allow

the sound to escape

Casement windows: windows which consist of two halves and are

hinged at the side of the frame

Centering: the method used to construct the semicircular arches

Chapel: a religious place of fellowship, prayer and worship that is

attached to a larger, often nonreligious institution or that is considered

an extension of a primary religious institution

Choir loft: a space under the roof to house the chapel’s musicians or

singers

Commerce: the activity of buying and selling, especially on a large

scale

Crown: the highest point of the arch

Extrados: exterior surface of the arch

Handrail: the angled member for handholding, as distinguished from

the vertical balusters which hold it up for stairs that are open on one

side

Haunch: the sides of the arch from the springing line half way up to the

crown

Holy water font: a Roman Catholic furniture that contains holy water

and allows the chapel’s users to make the Sign of The Cross before

entering the chapel to attend services

Intrados: interior surface of the arch

Joist: a length of timber or steel supporting part of the structure of a

building, typically arranged in parallel series to support a floor or ceiling

Keystone: wedge-shaped stone in the center of an arch whose

function is to balance the network of voussoirs

GLOSSARY 149

124

Load bearing wall: a type of wall which supports the weight of other

elements above it, such as the roof, walls and floor joists

Louvre: a window shutter with horizontal slats that are angled keep out

rain and direct sunshine, yet, at the same time, admits air into and out

of the building to provide ventilation

Malacca: a Malaysian state located at the Western region of the

Malaysian peninsular, next to the Straits of Malacca

Mezzanine: an intermediate floor (or floors) in a building which is open

to the floor below

Narthex: an architectural element of the church which was traditionally

located at the Western end of the nave and opposite the altar

Nave: the centre part of the church building which was designed to

accommodate most of the congregation

Newel: accommodates the strings, handrails and treads/risers of stairs

Pediment: a triangular space formed by the raking cornices (sloping

sides) and horizontal cornice of a gabled structure

Pews: Long benches arranged in rows in a church or chapel to allow

occupants to sit and hear the sermons delivered by the priest

Photobook: a book in which photographs make a significant

contribution to the overall content

Photography: the art or practice of taking and processing

photographs

Photoshop: an image editing software developed and

manufactured by Adobe Systems Inc.

Pilaster: a rectangular column, especially one projecting from a

wall

Plaster: a soft mixture of lime with sand or cement and water for

spreading on walls, ceilings, or other structures to form a smooth

hard surface when dried

Priest: A qualified person that conducts the sacred ceremony of a

religion in a church or chapel.

Prism: A polyhedron with two polygonal faces lying in parallel

planes

Pulpit: An elevated structure in a church or chapel, where the

sermon is delivered and the service is conducted.

Rafter: Internal parallel beams that elongate from the eaves to the

peak of a roof and act as a support for the roof.

GLOSSARY 150

124

Report: a document containing information organized in a narrative,

graphic or tabular form, prepared on ad hoc, periodic, recurring, regular

or as required basis. Reports may refer to specific periods, events,

occurrences or subjects and may be communicated or presented in

oral or written form.

Sacred Heart of Jesus: one of the most widely practiced and well-

known Roman Catholic devotions, taking Jesus Christ's physical heart

as the representation of His divine love for humanity.

Sacristy: the room where the priest and church attendants prepare

and vest before the service

Sanctuary: the place in a church where the altar is located

Sermon :A speech conducted by a priest as a part of worship service.

Springing: the point from which the arch begins or springs

Stations of the cross: A series of 14 images depicting Jesus on the

day of his crucifixion and accompany prayers.

Strait of Malacca: waterway connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian

Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean)

Stringer: the structural member that supports the treads and risers

Suburb: an outlying district of a city, especially a residential one

Terracotta tiles: a type of clay-based unglazed or glazed ceramic tiles

available in a variety of colors and designs

Trade: buy and sell goods and services

Tranquerah: a term originated from the Portuguese word “Tranqueira”,

which mean palisade or rampart

Tread: the top or horizontal surface of a step

Tuscan column: a column that is plain, without carvings and

ornaments where it represents one of the five orders of classical

architecture

Tympanum: the semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface

over an entrance, door or window, bounded by a lintel and arch

Ventilation: The process of the circulation of air

Videography: the process or art of making video films

Voussoirs: each of the stone wedges that make up the arch

Wall anchor: a single or pair of figures or plates attached to a joist or

bar either at the time of construction or later and built into the wall to

provide support

Well: a shaft sunk into the ground to obtain water, oil, or gas.

GLOSSARY 151

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3 a) Interview questions for Mr. Keith:

1. Does the history and the people of Jalan Tengkera influence the design of the chapel?

2. Does the surrounding shophouses influence the size and the design (size and shape) of the chapel?

3. Are some of the shophouses in Jalan Tengkera built before the chapel?

4. Why does this chapel adopt a simple rectangular plan? 5. Why was the chapel designed using a hybrid of architectural

styles? 6. According to a book in which we referred to, it says that there

was Dutch influence on the building. May we know which part of the building was influenced by Dutch architecture?

7. Why is brick masonry used to construct the building? Is there a significance behind the use of brick masonry?

8. Was this material in abundance or readily-available at that time?

9. The design of the chapel is rather simple compared to other Roman Catholic churches in Malaysia or the world, why is that? Is it because they lacked the funds to build the building?

10. Is the chapel influenced by the Pombaline style in Portugal? 11. Why was the Gothic style normally used to design Roman

Catholic Churches? 12. What is the significance of the shape of the altar? 13. When was the last time you’ve visited this building? 14. The entrance of churches will normally face the East.

However, in the case of this building, it does not face the east or the west. Why is that?

15. Do you know who’s responsible for installing the new roof of the chapel back?

16. Is that the pinnacle? 17. Is that the belfry? 18. What is the meaning behind the 13 stars? 19. What is the function of the altar? 20. Why is the church dedicated to the Sacred Heart? 21. Was the chapel deconsecrated?

APPENDIX 3

3 b) Interview questions for Architect Hou:

1. Can you briefly talk about the building? 2. Does the history or the people of Jalan Tengkera influence the

design of the chapel? 3. Were the surrounding shophouses built before the chapel? 4. Is the building built by the Portuguese or the British? 5. Why were Gothic architectural elements used in the building’s

design? 6. Can you brief us on the Portuguese influence on the chapel? 7. Why is brick masonry used to construct the building? Is there a

significance behind the use of the material? 8. May we know the details of the renovation and restoration

process of the chapel? 9. Were there any roof trusses which were replaced? 10. When will the process of renovation end? 11. May we know the process of obtaining the approval from the

authorities? 12. What is the original material of the roof? 13. May we know who the owner of this chapel is? 14. When was the previous renovation conducted?

3 c) Interview questions for Mr. Colin Goh:

1. Can you briefly introduce the building? 2. Can you brief us about the history of the chapel and that area? 3. Did you use to go to the chapel when you were young?

4. How was the chapel at that period? Can you briefly tell us what was the condition of the chapel at that time?

5. When was the article on the chapel written? 6. Why did the well water dry up? 7. What kind of tiles were used back then? 8. Why was the church built by the seaside? Is it due to the

Eurasians’ culture of fishing? 9. Can you describe how the bangsal, (the temporary structure of

the building), looks like? 10. May we know whether the opening is a belfry? 11. Was the installation of the roof funded? 12. What was this part of space used for? 13. May we know whether that space is the confession area? 14. May we know the whereabouts of the chapel pews? 15. What is the symbolism behind the use of the trefoil motif? 16. What is the meaning of the star symbol on the left and right of

the altar? 17. May we know what was the building on the left of the chapel

are used for in the past? 18. May we know the conditions of the back portion of the chapel? 19. What is the use of the hooks at the exterior façade of the

chapel? 20. Was there any form of fencing back then? 21. Did the chapel have good ventilation back then? 22. Why were there uniformly distributed holes on the wall? 23. What is the form of lighting in the chapel? 24. Were the glass pieces present on top of the louvered windows

stained glass? 25. Can you briefly tell us about the characteristics of the Dutch

bricks?

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26. Why were there markings made on the lower part of the façade before the sanctuary?

27. How many priests were present in the chapel during special feast days?

28. What was the material used in the chapel’s ceiling? 29. May we know what type of roof tiles were installed above the

chapel? 30. What was the economical state of the chapel? 31. What was the finishing between the gate and the front façade? 32. How far is the chapel from the original shoreline? 33. What is the meaning and function of the X-shaped symbol

behind the chapel? 34. Were the surrounding shophouses built before the chapel? 35. How was the condition of the well water? 36. Were the Portuguese conquers responsible for the

construction of the chapel? 37. Was Saint Peter’s Church involved in the construction of the

chapel? 38. Will St Peter’s Church keep any recorded documents of this

chapel? 39. What is the source of the newspaper article which outlined the

year in which the chapel was completed? 40. Can you brief us more on the ‘bangsal’? 41. Besides being used as a religious building, did the chapel

serve any other functions for the surrounding community? 42. Why was the liturgy conducted in Latin rather than in

Portuguese?

APPENDIX 3

a) Interview answers from Mr. Keith’s Interview: Question 1: Does the history and the people of Jalan Tengkera influence the design of the chapel? Answer: During the time when the Portuguese occupied Malacca, and after the Dutch occupied it from the Portuguese, the bishop in Malacca had to move out. The Catholic Church in Malacca was administered from Goa, India, and later, due to many other reasons, the administration changed to Macau. The article suggests that the cornerstone was laid by the Bishop of Macau. It is a question whether he personally laid the stone or he told someone else to do it for him. Buildings of the era, especially religious buildings, were always meant to represent their community. There were a very few Catholic churches at that time that survived the oppression of the Dutch, or in fact, none. Saint Peter’s church was the only Catholic Church that was allowed to be built during the Dutch occupation. By the time this church was built, it was administered by French missionaries or bishops. However, due to historical reasons, the Bishop of Macau was still having jurisdiction over St. Peter’s Church as well as the Sacred Heart Chapel. However, the status of the Sacred Heart Chapel is a bit confusing as it was built on a leasehold land. As such, it is confusing as to who owns the building. Nonetheless, the Sacred Heart Chapel was definitely there to represent the community. Question 2: Does the surrounding shophouses influence the size and the design (size and shape) of the chapel? Answer: Probably yes. The Portuguese-Eurasian community has always been a poor community. When the Dutch took over Malacca from the Portuguese, the community left in Malacca were the Eurasians and the slaves. The Eurasians were allowed to take a one

way ship to Goa, and the people who were left behind are some priests who decided to stay back, the Eurasians and a lot of slaves. This was because when the Portuguese conquered Malacca, their policy was to create a mixed community as they didn’t have enough settlers. So the Portuguese conquerors will send their men (such as soldiers) over and encourage them to marry local women. As such, the Eurasians in Malacca have dark skin as they married Indians and Malays. So, when the Dutch conquered Malacca, the Eurasians were very poor. As such, the Eurasians were a bit dependant on the government as they were a poor community. So, when you ask whether the shop houses influence the size of the building, is it probably yes, and it may be also due to the economics of the community and what they can afford. As it was a lease hold land, the Eurasians probably didn’t pay for the land, but they may have paid for the construction of the chapel. The size of the chapel may be determined by the British government who gave the community the lease, and probably the community may have collected funds to build this chapel, and probably the Bishop of Macau also gave some contributions. The Bishop may provide a large amount of contributions, and the community will collect the rest. Question 3: Are some of the shophouses in Jalan Tengkera built before the chapel? Answer: Some are. This is because the neighbourhood is quite an old neighbourhood. The reason that the area is called Tengkera, or Tranqueirah is because there used to be a wall to the north. It was a wooden wall to protect the Eurasian community that lived outside the fortress. So the soldiers lived inside the fortress. Jalan Tengkera was an old road and it was occupied by the Chinese before the Eurasians turned up. As such, all the houses are actually older than the chapel and there was a residential district far before the construction of the

APPENDIX 4

chapel. Some of the buildings that are left now are older than the chapel and some are newer than the chapel. Question 4: Why does this chapel adopt a simple rectangular plan? Answer: The typical plan for a church is either a Latin cross or a Greek cross plan, and most Catholic churches adopt a Latin cross plan. As this is a chapel rather than a church, it doesn’t have a transept and a crossing. Most chapels have a rectangular plan as they do not have a transept and a crossing. If a building has a transept and a crossing, it means it has a big nave and two side chapels. Moreover, if you have a rectangular piece of land to construct a building, a rectangular plan is the most efficient way to construct a building. Question 5: Why was the chapel designed using a hybrid of architectural styles? Answer: The article indicates that the chapel was designed using the Iberian style. (Architectural style in Portugal and Spain) The funny thing is, I would like to argue that the building actually looks like buildings in old 1960s cowboy movies as well as the churches in Mexico built by Spanish missionaries. If you ask why, even when you look at St. Peter’s Church in Malacca which is purely Portuguese, the building was done cheaply. And the best thing to refer to look at the similarities will be the churches in Macau and the churches in Goa, India, although their scale is bigger compared to St. Peter’s. The Sacred Heart Chapel is actually a “cut-price” version as it is very small, and chances are it was built very quickly. The interesting thing about this chapel is the choir loft, and this element is not always present in all chapels, in fact, it normally doesn’t. The fact that it has a mixture of architectural styles indicates that it may have been locally designed. A lot of the early churches, which were built by missionaries, may have gotten their

plans from somewhere else. For example, if you look at the churches in Vietnam, they look identical to the French churches, literally identical, which means that the design was taken from an original source. There was this cathedral in Johor Bahru which is almost identical to a church in Da Lat, Vietnam. Question 6: According to a book in which we referred to, it says that there was Dutch influence on the building. May we know which part of the building was influenced by Dutch architecture? Answer: By the time this chapel was built, a lot of Catholics already had some Dutch blood. When the Dutch occupied Malacca, they were Protestants. However, as the people who were all ruling were Catholics, there were some intermarriages and eventually some conversions, to the extent that most people who were left in Malaysia with Dutch blood were Catholics. So, although it was said that it was a Portuguese-Eurasian neighborhood, there is a chance that the residents have mixed Dutch blood. So, there might have been some Dutch influence. Question 7: Why is brick masonry used to construct the building? Is there a significance behind the use of brick masonry? Answer: During the Portuguese occupation, it was illegal to build brick building works inside the city walls, unless they were churches or a government building. The reason being it was hard to obtain masonry in Malacca, as such the government restricted the use of bricks so that all of them could be used to construct the wall only. The other fear that they had at that time, is that of they construct a brick building outside the wall, and if enemies attack the city, they’ll lose control of the city outside the wall. If the buildings were constructed using brick or stones, that building could be used for military purposes against the

APPENDIX 4

APPENDIX 4

Portuguese fortress. So for a long time they restricted the use of bricks outside the wall. The wall at Jalan Tengkera was a wooden wall. Later, when the Chinese came in, they wanted to build buildings in brick. So in terms of religious buildings, almost all chapels were built in brick. This was the type of building that was consistently allowed to be built using bricks, wither inside or outside of the wall. The older ones were built using coral rock, cut from Pulau Upeh, a small island of Malacca, and they used to use this material as it was a good source because they couldn’t bake their own clay well as technology was a bit inconsistent. They also used the old graves. When the Portuguese came, they used the Muslim graves and when the Dutch came in, the used the Portuguese graves. An example will be in Christ Church and they will be Portuguese grave stones on the floor as paving slabs. So there was a tradition in using masonry, wither brickwork or stonework for religious buildings as they were one of the few versions allowed outside the wall. However, this building was built after the restriction ended. Question 8: Was this material in abundance or readily-available at that time? Answer: As the Chinese were here, they have been baking their clay bricks. As such, it should have been in abundance by then. Question 9: The design of the chapel is rather simple compared to other Roman Catholic churches in Malaysia or the world, why is that? Is it because they lacked the funds to build the building? Answer: Yes, that’s probably is the reason. Because the difference is very obvious when you compare it with other churches in Macau or Goa. Moreover, the population was small.

Question 10: Is the chapel influenced by the Pombaline style in Portugal? Answer: Unlikely. The Portuguese community in Malacca, almost all of them, have never been to Portugal. By the time the Portuguese conquest was over, most of the population were Eurasians. The reason they called themselves Portuguese-Eurasians was to differentiate themselves from the Dutch. They were all Catholics, and speak Portuguese, and because at that time the Dutch were restricting the Catholic religion, the way to only protect yourselves was to call themselves the Portuguese, to have a sense of community. It was also very difficult to travel a lot at that time and it was very dangerous and very difficult. And because they were a poor community, it was quite unlikely that any of the traditional Portuguese styles influence this building. There was also another Sacred Heart Primary School (not open to public) in Malacca, on Jalan Ujong Pasir. It has a big chapel in there and the interior elements were influenced by the Portuguese architecture as some of the nuns came from Portugal. Question 11: Why was the Gothic style normally used to design Roman Catholic Churches? Answer: Here is actually a very clear cut answer to this question. The earlier styles were developed from the Roman Empire, which was not a Christian empire. So when the Catholic Church became the official religion of the empire, they converted the basilica, a Roman civic building, into the early churches. And, apart from converting the basilica, they converted the old temples (Jupiter and Zeus) into churches. Once they ran out of old buildings to convert, a new style, called the Gothic style emerged in France (St Anthony Church France). The style, which was related to Christianity was adopted as it was developed as a style for churches. As such, it was very specific to the

APPENDIX 4

Catholic religion. Moreover, most of the early Catholic churches were built by French missionaries. So the Gothic style as used to design them. If the churches were built by Italian missionaries, chances are they will be but using the Romanesque style, because the Romanesque was developed from the Roman style. Question 12: What is the significance of the shape of the altar? Answer: In some Catholic churches, the style of the altar and the style of the church is the same. A Gothic church will have a Gothic altar and this situation can be also seen in retablos. During the congregation, the priest will face the altar and his back will face the audience. As such, what the altar look like and what the church looked like better match as the altar is such a significant element of worship. For the chapel, chances are the altar and the design of the wall are the same and the elements are repeated. Question 13: When was the last time you’ve visited this building? Answer: About 8 to 9 months ago. (April 2016) Question 14: The entrance of churches will normally face the East. However, in the case of this building, it does not face the east or the west. Why is that? Answer: Traditionally, when you have Gothic stained glass, they would want the rising sun to penetrate. And, for a very short period of time, churches were encouraged to face Jerusalem. As such, no matter where the location of the churches are, they will face Jerusalem. However, in the case of this chapel, the church faces the road due to the size and direction of the piece of land.

Question 15: Do you know who’s responsible for installing the new roof of the chapel back? Answer: The roof as probably put in by the government or the Malacca Heritage Trust. The reason being that when you have a leasehold building in any country, and the lease disappears, but the building is seen to be significant, the owner is not allowed to let the building collapse. When the owner is the government, due to sensitive issues, they have to ensure that the building does not decay too much. As such, the roof was put in just to protect the structure. Question 16: Is that the pinnacle? Answer: A pinnacle is actually a column that actually extends beyond the roof, and it was designed to be located there to enhance the verticality of the building. Question 17: Is that the belfry? Answer: Yes. Catholic churches normally have bells and they will ring me when it’s time for services. Question 18: What is the meaning behind the 13 stars? Answer: It’s used to mean Jesus and the 12 apostles. Question 19: What is the function of the altar? Answer: In Catholic churches, people don’t sit on the altar. The altar is where you place the venerated objects. So in all likelihood, there will be a statue placed here, a crucifix down here, but in Catholic churches, there will be a consecrated host, The priest will sit either on the left or the right.

APPENDIX 4

Question 20: Why is the church dedicated to the Sacred Heart? Answer: There could be any reason. All Catholic churches have to be dedicated to something, and sometimes it was due to when it was built. If you look at the Catholic calendar, every day will be a feast day of a saint. Traditionally, if a church was opened on a certain day, the bishop will look at the calendar and dedicate the church to the saint. In the case of this chapel, it could have been this reason as well. Now just to tell you a nice urban myth of this chapel. Last time I was talking to this guy from Malacca Heritage Trust, and during the Japanese occupation, the priest told all the parishes to hide their jewellery and all at some place safe, and they dumped it in the well. Never to be recovered. Question 21: Was the chapel deconsecrated? Answer: For Catholic churches, if they abandon it, they deconsecrate it, and when they use it, they consecrate it. Unlike the Protestants, they believe that a place must be consecrated for worshipping to take place in it. As such, they believe that if you die, you must be buried in consecrated ground or else you won’t go to heaven. And all ceremonies must be carried out in consecrated ground. This chapel was deconsecrated. 4 b) Interview answers from Architect Hou’s interview: Question 1: Can you briefly talk about the building? Answer: So this is the church, quite an old building, I believe you have done some basic research. It wouldn’t be called a Renaissance church, because region and region varies from European continent, Gothic architecture and the different expression which is come from Germany. Then of course this is a very much of Portuguese church or chapel.

What else I got to highlight to you, maybe you going to measure the thickness of the wall, how is it made of, and then the floor, and then the window, and the type of door and windows system, you know? What sort of wood is it made of, because it’s localized. Ah, all the architectural expression in Asia here, from the west is very much localized thing, you know, localized building that suit the local condition and material used. Okay, so what are the material that is available locally, they will probably adopt it into the construction of the building. And currently maybe the roof that is already there, the roofing that is already there, it is probably being replaced because I think during the years, the original roof tiles already. You know, come to an end of the life span, and so it started to leak and they replace it with ARDEC roof now, the asbestos free ARDEX roof. So, of course we got to restore this again to its previous state of condition, right? At the back portion, we have one track of piece of empty land after the church, out of the chapel, there is an empty land, you can later on, after your measure drawing, you can do a proposal for that, how to integrate the old and the new, so that’s what we intend to do also. And it’s no longer a church now, because uh I think it was owned by the catholic church, later on, I think due to some situation, whereby the quit rent or property tax was not being paid, so it’s being confiscated by the state government, and the state government resell it out to the public, so now this property is belong to our partners and its deconsecrated meaning no longer use as a church but it’s called a bangunan perniagaan. However, the history of it is being used as a place of worship. So now, as time change, the situation change, so the shape of the building is still very much a chapel but you can propose an interesting activity to it after your measured drawings, what should be done with that space.

APPENDIX 4

APPENDIX 4

Floor, wall and thickness of the wall have to be measured, because the wall is very thick, why it’s thick? Because it’s a load bearing structure, because the structure, the roof structure is sit onto the wall, the wall, entire wall is the structure, there’s not column, there’s no beam. Alright. I think that should be about all, now you can clear up because the back portion is cleared already. Very nice, we just cleared the site. Otherwise, today you come, it’s a jungle, but we clear it already, very nice. Again the research is very important, because your research may be wrong, so we will help you to correct it, you know? Ok? What else? Question 2: Does the history or the people of Jalan Tengkera influence the design of the chapel? Answer: The people, the history or the people. Tranquerah is the old name ah, Tengkera is now Malay translated from I think original should be Dutch. It spells as T-R-A-N-Q-U-E-R-A-H, I think it’s important to dig out the morphology of plan of Malacca. And at that time, all the plan, all the old plan, old maps of Malacca mainly depicts the area of the Stadthuys, where the clock tower is. Then they start to appear a few hundred years later, they start to appear the development on this side of the river, previously it’s on the right side of the river. The left bank of the river is very much no mans, all undeveloped area. Because the Portuguese when they occupied Malacca is the fort, that fort out the whole area, including the river, and then with all the five pointed pentagon shape of the fort, the fort of Malacca. Okay, that is from 1511 to 1642, and then 1642 is where the Dutch came to Malacca, and then they start to deploy the development across the river bank, meaning outside the fort. The fort was stayed intact until the British came over, then Stamford Raffles was the one who ordered the destruction of the fort. Ok, so it’s very sad, but what to

do and then the development during the Dutch time is across this river bank, then you will see many many village is called differently, the name, Kampung Belanda, Kampung Keling, Kampung Portuguese, then means the remnants of Portuguese people, after the… during the occupation of the Dutch, is actually in one section of Malacca, in Kampung Portuguese…in Kampung Hulu, near the Kampung Hulu mosque. There’s an old mosque of Malacca, ones in Kampung Hulu and another ones in Harmony Street, Temple Street. These two mosques are very historical because they show a different type of mosque architecture, completely different because they are pre 18th century architecture. And then now, of course the church will start to evolve, slowly you start to see the formation of one bastion, from the old map, it’s called the Tranqueirah Gateway. I don’t know where Tranqueirah Gateway is, historically they say it’s next to a river, so I suspect it’s further down, if you take this road all the way till the end, you’ll see one small river, but it’s quite far, about 6 to 7 km away. So there could be the beginning of the outskirt of Malacca. But the development of Tranqueirah is very much unrecorded, the most recorded area is old town. I think it’s important to look at maps, they will give you a sense of time and how the development took place. And of course, maps only give you a certain clue of the past, so you got to be a detective to spot and piece up the information. You might not be correct a 100 % but you can be about 80 %. I’m not going to give you straightforward answers ah, coz there’s no straightforward answers for anything. And I believe you should ask the right questions that would be more important than having a right answer.

APPENDIX 4

APPENDIX 4

Question 3: Were the surrounding shophouses built before the chapel? Answer: I don’t know. Should be after the chapel. Question 4: Is the building built by the Portuguese or the British? Answer: The building was built during the British time, probably built by Portuguese descendants of Malacca. Before they were relocated to Perkampungan Portuguese, under the Morten Plan (Mr. Morten is a British surveyor during municipal times.) The one creates settlements in Malacca, and one of the settlements is called Morten, where all the Malay houses were relocated there. A piece of land was given to the Portuguese people, and that land is known as Perkampungan Portuguese. Actual Portuguese people actually live near Kampung Hulu. And because that location is quite near to Tranqueirah, probably there is a need to build a church to follow their old Portuguese style of church. If you compare this church to the Dutch Christ Church, it’s a very different expression. That is very Protestant. Question 5: Why were Gothic architectural elements used in the building’s design? Answer: No no no, I think you gotta understand Gothic architecture in a much clearer manner. Because the arches are all expression of the gravitational force of the building, the transfer of the load of the building, it’s a force diagram. So it’s important for you to learn architecture in a real truthful manner, understand architecture is about structure. Question 6: Can you brief us on the Portuguese influence on the chapel?

Answer: Not Portuguese style, just because the Portuguese community had to build a church, so the only expression they could do is a Portuguese inspired church. Question 7: Why is brick masonry used to construct the building? Is there a significance behind the use of the material? Answer: You tell me. You sure? Why does it have to be the Chinese? Ok let me understand, the first Portuguese church to be constructed is St Paul’s Church on Saint Paul’s Hill. So what’s the material made of? You tell me tomorrow since you have 4 days in Malacca. Ok. The second church called Saint Peter’s which was built in 1710. Ok, let me give you the chronology, Malacca sultanate was founded in 1402-1511, Portuguese will be 1511-1642, Dutch came in 1642 and handed Malacca to the British in 1823, so after 1823 anything that happened till 1941 will be the British occupation. So guys, you got to know this, you got to know your history. Why I know so well, you guys don’t know. You should tell me all these history. (Showing slides) Core zone is the dark colored area or orange area, the lighter yellowish color is the buffer zone. Ok, we start with this. You see the shape of the fort, this is 16xx 15xx period. Kampung Belanda. This is Heeren Street. I believe all the high officers of the Dutch live in Kampung Belanda before the rich Chinese merchants bought over their property. So it was during the Dutch era. And then Kampung Pali, or Kampung Puri or Kampung Puli, outside here we call it Kampung Puli because we have Puli Street. This is Kampung Cina. The Chinese start to occupy Jonker Street coz they wanna do business. So the were shops below, house above. And then Kampung Belanda is where the Dutch administrators stay. And then the back of our building is actually the sea already.

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And then Kampung Jawa is where the Javanese stay here. So the development of Malacca took a hundred years to develop slowly. Then you see something happen to Kampung Belanda, on the top map there. Kampung Belanda keep on going to the end there, that’s is already coming to Tranqueirah already. Then you see a lot more, Bunga Raya start to develop already. 1877 And then 1915, before war. You can see the fort, the axonometric drawing, and then something starting to happen here already. But it’s already starting to happen, on this side of the river. The old fort of Malacca very clear, and all of the buildings inside the fort. That’s the purpose of having a fort, to protect the buildings in it. Ok, this is very telling. You see the fort, the Stadthuys, Saint Paul’s Church. This is the sea, this is Heeren Street. This is 1800 at the British time. Again, there’s a clearer definition at this side of the river. Tranqueirah was mentioned many times in the text. Regarding the churches in Malacca, I think first one you look at Saint Paul’s, and then Saint Peter’s, and then you look at the chapel. Question 8: May we know the details of the renovation and restoration process of the chapel? Answer: Right now we are just going to replace the timber which were infested by termites and make treatment. The details will very much be on the roof, doors, windows and walls. As for the floorings, will leave it as it is coz at this moment of time we’re still trying to give a new program to this building. And most likely it’ll turn into an event space. Event space meaning it’s multipurpose to hold weddings, restaurants, talk, art gallery, show etc.

Question 9: Were there any roof trusses which were replaced? Answer: Some roof truss have been replaced, some have not. You just have to look at the size of the timber, the bigger the size, the most likely it’s original. Why? Because timber is getting more and more expensive, so those days timber is readily available, and they’ll use a bigger size of timber. That is before industrial revolution. So everything is very cheap. Question 10: When will the process of renovation end? Answer: In one year time. It started just last month. After we secured the approval, we left it for a while coz we were not sure what to do with it. Question 11: May we know the process of obtaining the approval from the authorities? Answer: Because this is a Buffer Zone, so we have to prepare a report like what I showed you guys just now and present during the meeting to Jabatan Konservasi. Then we have a meeting which was attended by various departments which will give their inputs When we obtained the approval after the meeting, we have to submit officially to the Bangunan Department (or Perancangan Department) The submission was not about the usage of the building, it’s just about the reparation of the chapel. But if you want to submit to use it for another purpose, that will go through a different process For this purpose, first thing we will go through Jabatan Konservasi, follow after the clearance in terms of standing or proposal they agreed with you. Then only you go to Planning Department and also the firefighting department because the building is about usage, so when

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people are to use, the Planning Department starts to talk about carpark and firefighting department. So any building which will be used for the public, the firefighting department is involved. So you will have to deal with the requirements of the firefighting department, which will impact the design of your building. Question 12: What is the original material of the roof? Answer: Clay yin yang tiles. There are many roof tiles you see in Malacca, one is the old tile you see on this building as well. So I think most likely is that tile. But later on people will find that yin yang tiles are brittle and have leakage problems, so in the early British times they replaced it with Marseilles tiles. Marseille tiles are French tiles manufactured in India for Europe. And because the British occupied India, it’s easy for them to bring in the tiles. Marseilles tiles are flat terracotta tiles. Terracotta is a type of clay, so Marseilles tiles are clay tiles. The Portuguese descendants do not have their own architectural tradition. The only expression you can see is in the form of the church. There’s no domestic architecture from them. So if you think about 1926, when they first started Portuguese settlement, have you seen the picture of the old Portuguese settlement? It’s very different from what you see today. It’s attap roof with timber. (Not Kampung Morten). So the roof tiles had nothing to do with culture and race. What was available was used. Question 13: May we know who the owner of this chapel is? Answer: They are our partners, Beauty Garden Homes Sdn. Bhd. Question 14: When was the previous renovation conducted?

Answer: Previous renovation may be at the 1990s, contractor unknown. 4 c) Interview answers from Mr. Colin Goh’s interview (22nd January 2017) Question 1: Can you briefly introduce the building? Answer: Many years ago, when the chapel was in a bad state, the UiTM students from Johor Bahru came and did measured drawings on several buildings in Malacca, and one of them is the Sacred Heart Chapel Malacca. As such, there were already drawings in existence. Coz the church was built in 1877 during the British era. Question 2: Can you brief us about the history of the chapel and that area? Answer: In our history, in the time of the Portuguese era, we were very close to what was known by Tranqueirah. Tranqueirah was like a fort or “kubu” in Malay, that’s why we have Jalan Kubu in Malacca. Tranqueirah in Portuguese means a stockade, it’s a kind of fortification built using timber and earth. It was used to protect the area of the traders on this side of the river. I proudly announce that the Jonker area (somewhere from Ketapang food court) and Shell. We do not know exactly where Tranqueirah was, but it’s somewhere from the back of the Idea Workshop all the way to almost the second bridge (the Chan Koon Cheng Bridge). So it covered the whole area. This is the original Tranqueirah. We are actually in the area known as Upeh. During the Portuguese era, we are on the North part of the river, the Stadhuys and Saint Paul’s Hill is on the South bank.

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I proudly say that Tranqueirah was the first gated community in Malaysia to keep the area safe from invading people or outsiders from invading the area. And it continued for a long time until the British brought it down in the 19th century. In this area here, there was St. Thomas somewhere here, and on the other side at Chan Koon Cheng Bridge, there was the Parish of St. Steven. St. Steven was totally destroyed when the Dutch occupied Malacca, and the Dutch used St. Thomas as a hospital when they laid siege to Malacca. The Dutch was in this area bombarding the fortress across the river. Eventually, St. Thomas ultimately fell into ruins. Later on the Portuguese were displaced by the Dutch. The Portuguese moved out and stayed in the suburbs here. Ultimately, in the 19th century, this area became more gentrified. This area actually, outside the gates, is described to be a warrant of houses (densely packed area), where you have hardly any space to walk through and it was much unorganised. This was what this area was back in the Dutch period. It became built up because the suburbs were built in Heeren Street. Jonker Street was occupied by traders and those who were wealthier. This area became a local area and it became mixed of Malays, Chinese, and Indians and so on and so forth. There is this book which describes the area interestingly, and it’s based on court documents from Malacca. It’s based on a murder case of a Portuguese guy who was staying outside of the gates. He was murdered by a slave who escaped from the gated area. The old rules were that you cannot leave the place without the permission of the master. The slave had a girlfriend at this area, and he wanted to come out and visit his girlfriend. However, at night they were not allowed to leave the house. So he ran out of the house and out of the gate and his master discovered that he was missing. So they raised the alarm to look for him. The slave ran from one house to the other and he entered

a house of a Portuguese man. The man was shocked to see him and he took a knife and stabbed him. The man’s name was John Sequeira. Further down towards Klebang, Tanjung Keling there were garden estates of the wealthy people. So they’ll ride on their horse carriages to their garden houses. In the hot conditions of the season, they will rest under the shade of the trees. In the British era, this area began to be cleared and a designated road with houses on the side was built. The so called warrant of houses moved to the coast (Tranqueirah Pantai 1 and Tranqueirah Pantai 2). With the opening up of this area, the middle class people began to reside along this area. And also, amongst the Christians who were Catholics, the better-off ones began to reside here in this area. Some were here, some were in Bandar Hilir and some were in Portuguese Street. There is not a single Portuguese house left there and they have all moved away. There’s a Chinese school at one side of the road and the other side consists of built up areas such as hotels and it’s close to Jonker Walk. Ultimately, in 1877, Saint Peter’s Church decided to build a chapel here. They applied for land and the British granted them a lease land for 99 years to build a chapel as a place of worship and to serve the people who were staying in this area so that they don’t have to go so far away to Saint Peter’s. The church was used for a long time until I was born, and, growing up, I went to that chapel. In fact, I saw the chapel shut down very sadly. The church applied for an extension. The lease has expired in the 1970s. The state government refused to grant them a renewal of the lease despite the appeals that were made to extend it. So, the land was lost and the church was closed down. The reason as to why they would not allow them to extend the lease was probably due to politics. It’s a bit sad. It’s a place of worship and there’s a need for it to serve the Catholics here. The state government allowed

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the chapel to disintegrate without any use. We did put forward proposals for the church to be used. The state government did not saw fit to use the piece of land, so the land was kept unoccupied until today. This piece of land was sold to a Singaporean. And I had the opportunity of meeting the gentleman and he told me that he had plans to use it as a museum plus café. When he purchased the land and the building, there was a precondition given. I’ve not seen the document, but this was what he told me: There was a precondition given by the state that it should not be used as a church. You see, somebody can but the land and give it back to the church and apparently, there’s a precondition. I’m saying apparently because I have not seen any documents, I’m just saying what he told me. So it can be true and not true. The function of the building is now gone. The building structure itself has got some sort of Iberian influence and a bit occidental as well to Goa, India. Question 3: Did you use to go to the chapel when you were young? Answer: I used to go for services in the chapel when it was functioning as a chapel from the time I was a small boy to the time the church was almost closed down. Amongst the Catholic community here in Tranqueirah, the church especially served the Portuguese descendants. There were also Catholics of other races such as Chinese Catholics and Tamil Catholics. We also have Saint Theresa Church at Gajah Berang dedicated towards Chinese speaking Catholics. The English speaking ones go to either Sacred Heart Chapel or Saint Peter’s Church. But the idea of Sacred Heart Chapel was to serve the Portuguese descendants residing along this area at the street. Some of the houses here were used as government quarters, some of the houses were privately owned. So, services in the

church were at 6.30 in the morning. We have a church bell that can be heard at that time. That bell today is gone. It was taken down and today, the bell is in the Assumption Church. Question 4: How was the chapel at that period? Can you briefly tell us what was the condition of the chapel at that time? Answer: As you enter the church, at the upper section is the choir loft. As for the he congregation, the centre would be vacant and pews will be on the left and right. At the back of the church was the beach, and let me tell you about the beach based on my experience. I find the sand to be beautifully white and fine in the old days. I haven’t seen sand like that since. That kind of sand ran through our houses at the back right to Tranqueirah Pantai. The water wasn’t really dirty, there were some mud, but it wasn’t dirty water. You could jump in and swim. Question 5: When was the article on the chapel written? Answer: November 2011. Question 6: Why did the well water dry up? Answer: Well water dried up may be due to land reclamation and water dried up. The water was used to wash the church. Question 7: What kind of tiles were used back then? Answer: There would have been clay tiles back in the old days. And later the clay tiles were replaced with more modern tiles.

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Question 8: Why was the church built by the seaside? Is it due to the Eurasians’ culture of fishing? Answer: Partially. The community is a mixture of occupations. There were fishermen, they were civil servants, and there were traders as well. You are aware that in Malacca there is Saint Pedro’s Feast, and he’s a fisherman, but that feast was never held in Sacred Heart Chapel. Question 9: Can you describe how the bangsal, (the temporary structure of the building), looks like? Answer: You see the choir loft? There used to be a small organ up there in the centre. This area can accommodate no more than 20 people, it’s a small area. Question 10: May we know whether the opening is a belfry? Answer: Over here was the belfry, that’s where the bell was. Question 11: Was the installation of the roof funded? Answer: Looking at the roof, I think the roof was funded by, because the roof collapsed and they applied for funds. Question 12: What was this part of space used for? Answer: The Tuscan columns were very similar to Saint Peter’s Church. The holy water font and this here was the location of the donation box. In those days, money will be inserted into the box to help the poor. Question 13: May we know whether that space is the confession area?

Answer: Yes, it was. These two ladies will come one by one, but because they were hard of hearing, they were very loud. So the whole church could hear their confession. It used to be a standing joke among the church members. It’s interesting as not many churches have open areas for confessions. Question 14: May we know the whereabouts of the chapel pews? Answer: The chapel pews were dispersed all over Malacca Town, the pews were dispersed to many different places. Question 15: What is the symbolism behind the use of the trefoil motif? Answer: The spade shape (trefoil) represents the trinity, and there are a lot of symbolism in Catholic churches. You see there are one, two, and three, that’s how we explain things in the Catholic Church. Question 16: What is the meaning of the star symbol on the left and right of the altar? Answer: In the church, the star represents the Star of David. I don’t think there’s a symbol above the star. Question 17: May we know what was the building on the left of the chapel are used for in the past? Answer: This was a house at one time. I was told by my family members that my great grandmother stayed here. Then they moved out and this house was taken over by a Chinese family who were involved in the rattan business. They used to dry the rattan in the compounds of the church. He didn’t randomly put things to obstruct or what, and the church didn’t mind.

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Question 18: May we know the conditions of the back portion of the chapel? Answer: There used to be a wooden door at the front of the church. If you look at the photos in the article, there used to be a cast iron cross. Question 19: What is the use of the hooks at the exterior façade of the chapel? Answer: The hooks on the front façade of the chapel were actually meant for decoration. Normally the church is decorated for feast days. Very simple decorations coz it’s a small church. Question 20: Was there any form of fencing back then? Answer: There used to be fencing beside the chapel. The guy who lives here could open up and put his things here. Question 21: Did the chapel have good ventilation back then? Answer: The church was very comfortable and there were no fans in the church. It’s very airy as the chapel was by the beach. With the windows and doors open, it was very refreshing. Question 22: Why were there uniformly distributed holes on the wall? Answer: The holes on the wall are the Stations of the Cross. Question 23: What is the form of lighting in the chapel? Answer: Back then, there was an oil lamp suspended from the beam. If the holy Eucharist was kept in the tabernacle, the oil lamp would be lit to signify it is there. If the oil lamp was not lit, it means nothing’s there.

Question 24: Were the glass pieces present on top of the louvered windows stained glass? Answer: The stained glasses are common coloured glass. In bigger churches you’ll find stained glass with scenes from the Bible. This is just a chapel, and in keeping with it being a chapel, simple coloured glass were used. Question 25: Can you briefly tell us about the characteristics of the Dutch bricks? Answer: The bricks are Dutch styled bricks which are long and has a short height. Malacca was handed to the British by the Dutch in 1824. Dutch bricks were in use are manufactured here in Malacca. In 1877, when this chapel was declared open, (the church started its construction in 1875 or 1876). So, looking at 50 years after the handing over of Malacca to the British, the Dutch bricks were continued to be used in Malacca. British tended were just coming into use in beams and are not manufactured locally yet. In 1877, we look back at the founding of Kuala Lumpur by Yap Ah Loy after the gangster wars. The houses in Petaling Street were the first row of houses in Kuala Lumpur and the war exhausted a lot of his funds. He came to Malacca, took a loan from one of the Peranakan families here, and in the loan, he would have some money and building materials. The building is a simple structure which did not require metal reinforcement. The only thing I Can think of, is that this structure here would have been brick and stone. There’s a possibility that the inner pillar here is made of laterite stone. Then again, there could be bricks on the outside and could be timber. Definitely it’s not iron or steel. If there’s too much iron it will be too expensive. Those days iron were expensive.

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When the chapel was abandoned and when they moved the pews, they accidentally broke the plaster and exposed what’s inside. In Saint Francis’ Church (1849), at the sanctuary area, they have pillars going round this area. In the inner part there, we discovered laterite while conducting electrical wiring. A lot of laterite could be found in Malacca. Question 26: Why were there markings made on the lower part of the façade before the sanctuary? Answer: The markings indicate the location of the communion rails. There was a swing door which could be opened inwards. Question 27: How many priests were present in the chapel during special feast days? Answer: On special feast days, two priests will come and they’ll sit on each side of the confession wooden panels. Question 28: What was the material used in the chapel’s ceiling? Answer: There were asbestos ceilings in the chapel. Question 29: May we know what type of roof tiles were installed above the chapel? Answer: The roof tiles which were used were clay roof tiles. Number 8 tiles at the side of the garden. Question 30: What was the economical state of the chapel? Answer: Number one, was the space given. It was a very narrow plot of land. Although it was a small church, with small alleyways to go around the chapel, we would be able to have processions on feast

days in the chapel. We were able to come out of the chapel from the main door, go around the chapel and then enter the chapel again. Question 31: What was the finishing between the gate and the front façade? Answer: It was grass and stone. There was not cement. Around the chapel, it was sand and grass. The front was grass, stone and sand. Question 32: How far is the chapel from the original shoreline? Answer: We are now a kilometre away from the original shoreline. Question 33: What is the meaning and function of the X-shaped symbol behind the chapel? Answer: The metal X symbol was used to strengthen the wall. It is common on buildings as you walk by Heeren Street and Jonker Street. It’s something fashioned out of Dutch cramps. The artisans carried forward the knowledge of the Dutch period into the British era till a time the British standards came in and those things were not required anymore. There were many examples such as in Bukit Serindit Malacca. The cemetery at Bukit Serindit, the wall, the cemetery started in 1876 or 78 and used Dutch bricks after the takeover of Malacca by the British. And if you look at some of the earlier graves that are disintegrating, you’ll find Dutch bricks in use. Question 34: Were the surrounding shophouses built before the chapel? Answer: The surrounding areas were already there. Before the British built the road, the area was a hotchpotch, houses here there everywhere and a small passageway for the carriages to go to the garden estates. So you have to imagine how this area expanded, how

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this road was introduced and how these buildings came about. Malacca actually underwent a lot of changes in the British era in terms of realignment of streets and position of alleyways. A lot of house positions were realigned for alleyways. Question 35: How was the condition of the well water? Answer: The well water was mostly brackish, but it depends on the aqua source. Some have land water and some have a mixture of land water and sea water. Question 36: Were the Portuguese conquers responsible for the construction of the chapel? Answer: I’ve done a bit of research, we discovered that somewhere around the 1870s. In Portugal, sometime in the 1700s, the government of Portugal was anti-church. At the later stage, in the mid-1800s, they were more open to the church. The government started funding churches throughout the world. So in Saint Peter’s Church, they received funds. And also, there’s a distinct possibility that some of the funds were allocated for the Sacred Heart Chapel. Question 37: Was Saint Peter’s Church involved in the construction of the chapel? Answer: In the past, the plot of land on which the Saint Peter’s Church was supposed to be bigger. Last time, the land was from current site right up to the shore and even covering city bay view. Which means the land used for Putra Hospital was once part of Sacred Heart Chapel’s land. The church’s land was subdivided and sold to fund the things building of the church. So it’s possible that they sold off some part of the land to fund the construction of the chapel. This is not an established fact.

Question 38: Will St Peter’s Church keep any recorded documents of this chapel? Answer: All the correspondence will go to Macau. Macau will have the documents. Question 39: What is the source of the newspaper article which outlined the year in which the chapel was completed? Answer: The source could be found in the Straits Times Archive. Question 40: Can you brief us more on the ‘bangsal’? Answer: There’s only a possibility that there’s a ‘bangsal’. ‘Bangsals’ are spaces that are very rudimentary. They used coconut stumps for walls and it looks like an old style shade. It could have been on site before the chapel was built. I say it was possible because there were no documents to support it. Because ‘bangsals’ are shades used by fishermen to mend their nets and take cover. The last ‘bangsal’ was in Tranquerah. Those ‘bangsals’ were by the coast. Question 41: Besides being used as a religious building, did the chapel serve any other functions for the surrounding community? Answer: As a young boy, we used to go to church on Saturdays where the church priest will conduct religious classes for us. It was fun, because we would all gather there, and after the classes the priest will go away, and the whole church will be watched over by the caretaker, and we would running circles around the chapel, challenging each other and racing.

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Question 42: Why was the liturgy conducted in Latin rather than in Portuguese? Answer: The liturgy was conducted in Latin. The sermon could have been conducted in Kristang or English.

Date post:	07-Apr-2017
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Sacred Heart Chapel Report

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