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REHABILITATION OF THE TUNKU CANSELOR HALL, UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA. 
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA. 
Zuraini M. A. 1 
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Department of Building Surveying, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1 
zuraini_mdali@ um.edu.my 
KEY WORDS: Conservation; Documentation; Rehabilitation works, University of Malaya 
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ABSTRACT: 1 
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Built in 1965, Dewan Tunku Canselor (DTC) is a landmark for University Malaya. It is here that the convocation ceremonies for 
graduation have been held annually since August 1966 and to the hosting of numerous functions of the university including semester j 
examinations, special studio class, theatres performances, seminars and conferences. DTC was designed with a strong influence of 
Brutalism Architecture and Modernism Movement. The two and half storey building was constructed mainly with off-form concrete ( 
structure using egg-crate reinforced concrete ceiling and ''beton brut’ images. On June 29 th , 2001, a pre-dawn fire gutted the 5 
building and almost ninety percent of the building was destroyed. The Faculty of Built Environment, University Malaya participated ç 
in the effort of reconstructing the building to its original condition. This project reveals the background and significance of this f 
building; the conservation approach and main stages of involvement in reinstating the building including preparation of appraisal 
report; preparing a condition survey of the building after the fire; identifying existing defects on site as well as documentation work 
of the entire building before and after the reconstruction works. As a whole, this effort is to ensure that Dewan Tunku Canselor was 
restored to its original state before the fire according to the concept of conservation work while at the same time upgrading the 
building services and facilities. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
1.1 University of Malaya Background 
UNIVERSITI MALAYA, the first University of the country, is 
situated on a 750-acre (309-hectare) campus in the southwest of 
Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia. The University of 
Malaya grew out of a tradition of service to the society. Its 
predecessors, the King Edward VII College of Medicine 
established in 1905 and Raffles College in 1929 has been 
established to meet urgent demands, one in medicine and the 
other in education. When the two came together to form the 
University of Malaya in October 1949, this was so that they 
might perform an even greater service - to help lay the 
foundations of a new nation by producing a generation of 
skilled and educated men. Hence the University of Malaya was 
established on 8 October 1949 as a national institution to serve 
the higher education needs of the Federation of Malaya and 
Singapore. 
The growth of the University was very rapid during the first 
decade of its establishment and this resulted in the setting up of 
two autonomous Divisions in 1959, one located in Singapore 
and the other in Kuala Lumpur. In 1960, the government of the 
two territories indicated their desire to change the status of the 
Divisions into that of a national university. Legislation was 
passed in 1961 founding the University of Malaya on 1st 
January 1962. 
The University motto, "Ilmu Punca Kemajuan" (Knowledge is 
the Key to Success) reflects the philosophy of the University in 
its constant endeavour to seek knowledge in all fields to 
produce successful graduates and a successful nation. 
1.2 Dewan Tunku Canselor Historical & Architectural 
Significant 
Being the first and the primer university in Malaysia, Tunku 
Canselor Hall (DTC) at University of Malaya is considered as 
an important landmark in the historical development of 
education in Malaysia. It was built in 1965-66. The Malaysia’s 
first Prime Minister, A1 Marhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj 
officiated the opening on 25th June 1966. DTC was designed 
and constructed by Dato’ Kington Loo of BEP Architect. It 
was designed with a strong influence of Brutalism Architecture 
and Modernism Movement. The building was constructed 
mainly with bare concrete structure using egg-crate reinforced 
concrete and ‘beton brut ‘ images. 
Figure 1 : The Front View of Tunku Canselor Hall. 
DTC is a two and a half (2 '/2) storey building consisting of a 
great hall and a foyer area, connected to an Experimental 
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