By Vivien Lian
Ipoh Echo scribes came across this beauty when they were exploring Ayer Tawar. The faded yellow paint together with the size of the building makes it highly visible to a person who loves urban exploration. The architecture looks very much like the cinemas in Ipoh, and despite the big Dunlop sign, raising the question whether this is an Iversen building, the iconic architect who designed most of the old cinemas in Ipoh.
There are two Chinese characters mounted on top of the building, either read as Lok Sun or Sun Lok because shops used to fit the signage which read backwards during the olden days. It was home to a mechanic shop, homeless, drinkers, vandals and squatters, judging by the rubbish they left behind. Now it is home to more rubbish and sick dogs.
These photos are taken 1 second after another, same angle. The difference is the former has no flash, the later is captured with flash on. Can I conclude that orbs are afraid of flash?
There are multiple ticket counters in this building:
Again to most, money and convenience come first. This ticket counter would be more than just serving the purpose of selling tickets if creativity is involved. And now, it doesn’t stand a chance for revival.
Unlike Ipoh’s cinemas, with most of them turned into furniture shops, night clubs and snooker centres, where the original furniture and fixtures have been removed, we were lucky to see the intact fittings of wooden cinema seats, elegant architectural decorations, vinyl records and filmstrips.
First floor – Cinema seats.
2nd floor – Screening room.
I can only imagine an usher with a torch guiding the audience in because there wasn’t any generated light reflecting the numbers at the seat.
I guess everyone is not shy back then….
Screening room
Fire escape?
Who owns this building? Why was it abandoned? Why did the mechanic shop move?
If you know anything about this cinema, write to vivienlian@ipohecho.com.my.
