REXKL’s Revamped Aesthetics Revives Old Building

WHO / REXKL
WHERE / 80 JALAN SULTAN CITY CENTRE
WHAT / PERFORMANCE & EVENT VENUE

As the city hustles and bustles, sits a building with a long and difficult history. Located at Jalan Sultan, the original building was opened in 1947 but was burned down in 1972 due to a flopped attempt at robbery.

The building was then reopened in 1976 called Rex Cinema, a single screened theater which housed over 1000 people operated by the Shaw Brothers before it was then closed again and converted into a backpackers hotel, which unfortunately was brought down in flames once again. After going through some repurposing led by Malaysian designers Shin Chang and Shin Tseng, REXKL has transformed, carrying an artsy interior that houses urban foods, social enterprises and retail merchants as well as a space for creative events.