The bar of the newly renovated Lumbini Restaurant in Bahan township, Yangon.

ALTHOUGH Yangon’s skyline showcases many of the latest creations by well-known architects, the city is also home to a host of buildings that have lost value because they are too old, rundown or architecturally dated.

The conventional solution to this has been simple: Tear them down and then rebuild on the site. This approach has made Yangon the fastest-changing city in the country.

But several people in the industry have begun questioning how long this approach can continue given its burden on both the economy and environment.
U San Oo is chairman of Design 2000 Co Ltd and says that if the city continues with this approach it will lose its character and beauty – and the cultural, historical and tourism benefits they provide.

“The disadvantages of this are not only to tourism; new generations will not have any attachment to the city. So it’s time for us to think more about preserving these valued old buildings now,” U San Oo says.

Those attempting to safeguard these historical buildings – and Yangon still has plenty – are increasingly turning to re-utilising these structures for new purposes.

For example, some old buildings in Yangon are being renovated and made into restaurants.

Daw Phyu Phyu Tin – co-owner of Monsoon restaurant, which is located in a 100-year-old colonial building on Theinphyu Road in downtown Yangon – said that walking into an old, stylish building gives people a special feeling. When she renovated the building she says she wanted to retain that feel.

She says care was taken to avoid changing Monsoon’s exterior during renovations due to fear that the building might lose some of its artistic value.

“I think it’s hard to retain a building’s value while renovating. And since these buildings are really old, they can also pose a danger to the public. So we need both technical know-how and money to keep the buildings intact without endangering the public,” Daw Phyu Phyu Tin says.

Daw May Sitt Aye, who opened Lumbini restaurant, says she renovated the building because she loves old buildings and wants to show foreigners the beauty of traditional materials.

“This house was built in 1865 and was once home to Su Phayar Latt, wife of King Thibaw, the last dynasty of Khone Baung. Before we became tenants in the house it was used as Vietnam’s embassy and also housed the International Language and Business Centre (ILBC).

“We decorated it in October 2006. We did not make changes to façade because we didn’t want to lose its historic look,” she says.

Renovation, she says, is more costly than redecoration and people who do not have any sentimental feelings for a building would not bother.

“Even though we did not change much it cost about K40 million; with that amount we could have bought a new apartment,” Daw May Sitt Aye says.

U Ko Ko Lay, an executive director at Three Friends Construction, agrees with Daw May Sitt Aye and says people should think carefully before they renovate.
“Most people renovate because they think it is cheaper than building new; few people do that because they love the building.

“It is really important for them to have good reasons why they want to renovate. Only then we can fulfil their needs and give them useful suggestions.

“There can be two reasons: function and feature. Some people want to add more functions into their house, like more rooms. After listening to what they want, we decide what we think will be best for them and ask them if they like our ideas,” he says.

“Renovation involves more responsibility than decoration. We have to be very careful not to ruin the original structure; it’s costly and risky to do this.

“When renovating we first check the strength of the house because the more we know about the history of the building, there lower the risk. Sometimes we have to guess the age of the building by looking at its style, so it’s easier for us if the owner knows its history,” U Ko Ko Lay says.

U Kyaw Myint, managing director of Father Land Construction and Decoration, says that although renovations are costly he always tries to make budget.

“In renovation you spend most of the money demolishing the old structure. In other processes we can then use cheaper materials to give the house a different look. Most of my customers are those who are living in an old house or apartment but don’t want other people to know that.

“The structure of some old buildings is better than brand new ones. I find that more people are realising they don’t have to move to a new house or apartment to get a feeling of newness – they just renovate the old place,” U Kyaw Myint says.

The good news is that now renovation companies give free consultations and people can choose whichever design fit into their budget.