The stye of shop houses in Penang evolve over the years.

Rows and rows of shop houses are the familiar landmark of old streets in Penang. Surely this sight is synonymous with image the Straits Settlement colonies back in the 19th century as prominent trading centers in the orient.

Do you know that this unique feature of terraced shophouses are the criteria that Penang state used to convince UNESCO to list Penang as an historic city?

Part of the criteria in order to be listed as a heritage city is to fulfill the following:

Be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble, or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history.
Bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.
Exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on development of architectural or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design.

And here are part of the arguments presented to UNESCO:

Over the decades, the development of these shophouses in terms of their design and styles have evolved from simple plain facade introduced by the Dutch to more elaborate facades that feature eclectic Malay, Chinese and Western motifs.

Juxtaposition of different building styles and typology from those built by Portuguese, the Dutch, the British and later by Malays, Chinese and Indians create a rich mixture of urban fabric. They now remain as multi-cultural heritage cities, thus justify the outstanding story of the interchange of human values over the centuries.

In order to understand fully what those lines above mean, it is easier to look at the categories of the shop houses below and see the way the styles evolve over time.

Early shop houses style (1800 to 1850's)

This two storey building was built with recessed walkway on the ground floor. Construction was very simple and unadorned with masonry diving walls, tiled roofs and wooden paneled or louvered shutters.

There was no frieze to make up the facade. In a way it was a functional design, good enough for daily transactions to be carried out. sheltered from rainwater or harsh sunlight.

Early Transitional style (1840 - 1900's)

We can see Chinese influence here by the details on the lower ground windows and the ventilation holes. The trademark was the bat-shaped ventilation holes above a pair of windows on the ground floor.

The front doors were invariably wooden. Glazed ceramic tiles in geometric pattern served as a finishing for the five foot walkway. View details of a scale model of this style here.

Neo-classical Style (19th - early 20th century)

This style was adapted by the Europeans so that it was suitable for the tropical climate, at the same time adhering to the strict Orders of Architecture. Ornaments were sparingly added but the Palladium system of neo-Greek columns, neo-Roman arches and domes together with Renaissance usage of parapets, copulas and turrets were common.

High ceilings, wide porches and walls painted in white or pastel colors were the order of the era.

Early Straits Eclectic Style (1900-1920's)

Moving away slowly from the constraint of neo-classical and also the early shop house styles, Early Straits Eclectic Style had thicker columns, plaster friezes that made up the facade, louvered windows with fanlights out of carved wood and also cornices.

They were called eclectic for the reason that influence of various cultures made up the facade of these shop houses.

Late Straits Eclectic Style (1920-1940's)

This was the most elaborate of all styles. Usage of plaster made up the frieze on the pillars and facade. Windows were built to the maximum to aid ventilation. Intricate timber Malay carvings were used for decoration along with Chinese panel frescoes. The development of reinforced concrete made it possible for more cantilevered details to be supported.

We can say this was the glorious period of the shop houses style.

Art Deco Style (1930-1950's)

Art deco style freed itself from the imperialism constrain of elaborate carvings. Most shapes were either square or rectangular. The facade was very easy to maintain since it was devoid of clutter that trapped dust and mildew.

Walls were painted or lined with coarse granite. Over the years this style would emerge again and again in many parts of the world and gave inspiration for many interior design ideas.

Early Modern Style (post WWII)

Perhaps due to the austerity of war, unnecessary adornment were skipped. Modern materials were slowly replacing the old materials and methods of building. Instead of wooden frames and louvered shutters, aluminum sidings and glass shutters were employed instead.

The following is the summary of the styles of shop houses in Penang, from early 19th century to present time. There are some overlapping periods but we can definitely see some distinctive patterns:

Early shop houses style (1800 to 1850's)
Early Transitional style (1840 - 1900's)

Neo-classical Style (19th to early 20th century)
Early Straits Eclectic Style (1900-1920's)
Late Straits Eclectic Style (1920-1940's)
Art Deco Style (1930-1950's)
Early Modern Style (post WWII)

Go to this photo page to see more of the examples of the styles of shop houses in Penang.

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View details of a scale model of a shop house in Penang

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