PHT Newsletter Issue 94

Suffolk House - UNESCO Award
2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards

Below is the announcement of the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards issued on 1st September 2008.

Winners Announced For The 2008 Unesco Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards

Herat Old City in Afghanistan and Stadium Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia have been honoured with the two Awards of Excellence in the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation.

The three Awards of Distinction went to the National Pass in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia, the Fujian Earth Buildings in Fujian Province, China and Suffolk House in Penang, Malaysia.

The three Awards of Merit include Vysial Street in Pondicherry, India, the Shigar Historic Settlements and Bazaar Area in the Northern Areas, Pakistan and Wat Pongsanuk in Lampang, Thailand.

Six Honourable Mentions were also announced. They are the Bethanie in Hong Kong SAR, China, the Archiepiscopal Palace in Goa, India, the Craigie Burn Bungalow in Matheran, India, Bach 38 in Rangitoto Island, Auckland, New Zealand, the Amphawa Canal Community in Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand and the Crown Property Bureau Building in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand.

A total of 45 entries, from 13 countries in the region, were submitted for consideration. The conservation project entries include hotels, offices, cultural institutions, educational institutions, religious sites, memorials, public institutions, residential buildings and urban districts.

The 2008 Heritage Awards Jury Commendation for Innovation was awarded to 733 Mountbatten Road (Singapore). The Jury Commendation recognizes newly-built structures which demonstrate outstanding standards for contemporary architectural design which are well integrated into historic contexts.

Award of Distinction

Suffolk House, Penang, Malaysia
The restoration of Suffolk House has returned one of the most important colonial heritage landmarks in Penang to its former state of grandeur after years of neglect. The massively dilapidated building was restored to its 1812-1820 form in strict accordance with historic paintings and archaeological evidence uncovered after a meticulous process of research and investigation. Modern additions to the site have been handled in a sensitive manner while the period landscaping consolidates the historic setting of the building. The restoration works were carried out to a high level of technical competence and demonstrate standard-setting excellence in craftsmanship. The public-private partnership in undertaking the project has renewed the building's historic role and serves as a worthy model for future restoration initiatives in the Penang World Heritage site.

Please refer to the following website for further details:
http://www.unescobkk.org/index.php?id=8109 and http://www.unescobkk.org/index.php?id=2080