Restoration Restoration Works & Techniques

Roofworks The original roof was tiled with a terracotta tiling system utilized only on temples, palaces and large mansions. Given the lack of maintenance, the entire roof had to be renewed with imported tiles, utilizing a traditional lime mortar with fiber reinforcement.

Timberworks Elderly and experienced local Cantonese carpenters laboured for more than three years to repair all timberworks, utilizing traditional tools and original teak or 'chengal batu' tropical hardwoods.

Gold Gilding Works A cautious and meticulous cleaning process was employed rather than total re-gilding. Little cotton ear-buds were dipped in an extremely dilute solution of acid, and gentle cleaning was conducted and the original gild in its brilliance was gradually revealed.

Ironworks Local casting was conducted to replace missing grillworks and all ironworks were carefully sanded down to remove rust before applying an anti-ruse undercoat and metal paint.

Stained Glass Works A local restorer, with vast working experience from Germany, imported hand-made restoration glass sheets from the united States and Germany, replaced artisan flesh, ripple and rolled glass, changed lead lining and crafted missing panels, all within his modest workshop at his hillside home.

Decorative Mosaic Porcelain Works Probably the most striking feature of the mansion is the porcelain works called 'Chien Nien' - which translates literally as 'cut-and-paste-share works' and refers to the process whereby specially produced rice bowls, unglazed on the inside, are delicately cut with pliers to provide little shards of coloured porcelain which are then pasted with a lime putty to form elaborate patterns. Artisan craftsmen and a total of almost ten thousand bowls had to be imported from Fujian Province in China to complete the restoration.

Decorative Paintings Internal wall dados in the main halls were also decorated with trompe l'oeil frescoes. Specially prepared lime plaster mortar that incorporated paper mache to achieve added smoothness was molded in place and then painstakingly painted with Chinese ink to resemble polished grey-granite.

Plaster & Paint Samples of the original wall plaster were sent to the local university in Penang to determine the exact proportions of lime and sand for replication and all traditional methods were faithfully repeated in the restoration process. 'La Maison Bleu' was then painted its original hue of indigo, a colour which was widely used in Southeast Asia in the 19th Century.

Tiles Tiles were carefully cleansed of grease and misuse while replacement hexagonal terracotta tiles in the annexe wings and terraces were sourced from China.

Most Excellent Project UNESCO   Asia Pacific Heritage Awards 2000  Telephone  +604 262 0006  Fax  +604 262 5289  Email  cftm@tm.net.my