Have you ever driven past an abandoned building and wondered what it was like in its prime? Was it bustling with activity? What led to its downfall? What a shame, we say. So much potential, we think. Our imagination paints that grey building in our minds, but who would take an actual paintbrush and add colours to an unoccupied building?
When architect Johan Ropi returned to Johor Bahru in 2008 to settle down with his family, he was flabbergasted to find how much Johor Bahru (JB) had changed. He felt he had nowhere interesting to take his family to during the weekend except for malls, and that the identity of JB was missing; it was empty. According to the 38-year-old, in his heydays, JB was ahead in fashion and culture compared to Kuala Lumpur, thanks to the influence of Singapore media. Back then, they just “knew where to go” and hang out as youths.
He decided to brainstorm with fellow Johor boys who had the same sentiments, and as a result, they came up with a plan to do something for their city. Youths are, after all, the fire in a city’s soul. Johan and a couple of friends began scouting for space for youths to perform gigs and hang out at. They then saw a factory known by the locals to be a battery factory, took up the lease, and in May 2015, introduced it as the refurbished Kilang Bateri.
With the vision to empower youths, the abandoned factory was transformed into one of JB’s most Instagrammable place. Kilang Bateri became a launching pad for local vendors and musicians, and a hub for anyone to have good food. There were even event spaces plus cycling and skating was allowed. Kilang Bateri became the place to be.
Johan and his team didn’t need to spend a single cent on advertising the space – its success was harnessed by the strength and influence of word-of-mouth and social media marketing. They became the trendsetters and reignited the spark in the soul of the city.
After three years, their lease was up and the factory was bought over by someone else.
Johan shared that he had many learning experiences as one of the cofounders of Kilang Bateri. Every process in building Kilang Bateri, from how its name rolls off the tongue, the colours of the logo, to their detailed objectives, was thoroughly researched and attached to a deeper meaning. Though Kilang Bateri is no longer operational, Johan emphasises how we can ‘recharge’ abandoned lands and flourish it economically and culturally. Ask the right questions, review the significance of your work, think things through, and set your heart to it – we don’t need to wait for something new to emerge.
Regenerate and recharge what’s already around you.
