The Tie That Binds

The meticulously restored Rumah Kechik in Malacca features well-preserved architectural features, traditional local craftsmanship as well as modern design elements.

- Amy Van

Located near the bustling Jonker Street, Rumah Kechik is a new restaurant and social space housed within three units of painstakingly restored 200-year-old shophouses that are part of an extension of an existing hotel property, Baba House Melaka. Rumah Kechik, which means small house in Malay, typically refers to small outbuildings containing dining rooms or kitchens, and are attached to the main house.

Kaizen Architecture’s principal architect Melvin Keng led the restoration of the shophouses which was completed in January 2024. “The owners of the hotel, who are Singaporean, had commissioned us to first, restore the architecture of these shophouses, including designing new structures to aid in reinforcing the structural integrity and preserving many of the existing architectural features (a pre-requisite to any type of development in Malacca due to its UNESCO World Heritage City status),” says Keng.

The client also wanted to partition the space to include a hotel restaurant on the first floor and hotel amenities on the second floor. An airy corridor connects a gym, a function room, and a childcare space on the second level. This walkway will also link to the upcoming hotel extension.

laying the grounds