In the heart of George Town, Penang, where colonial architecture meets Chinese tradition, the iconic Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion rises, its indigo-blue walls embodying both history and innovation. At the helm of this 130-year-old architectural marvel is Shen Loh-Lim, a former tech executive whose journey from system engineer to heritage custodian blends preservation with progress in a unique way.
The mansion itself is no stranger to the limelight. Since its painstaking restoration in the 1990s, led by Loh-Lim’s father, distinguished architect and conservationist Laurence Loh, it has garnered numerous accolades. These include the 1995 Malaysian National Architectural Award for Conservation, the 2000 UNESCO Most Excellent Heritage Conservation Award, and the ASEANTA 2004 Excellence Award for ASEAN Cultural Preservation Effort. Its charm has also captured the attention of filmmakers, featuring in the 1993 Oscar-winning French film Indochine starring Catherine Deneuve and, more recently, the Hollywood blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians.
“If Cheong Fatt Tze were alive today, how would he do it?” This question guides Loh-Lim’s approach to modernising the mansion while maintaining its historical integrity. As the son of the man who drove the conservation of the originally derelict mansion, he never expected to be involved in the family business. Yet in 2015, when his father called for help after parting ways with their management company, Loh-Lim couldn’t refuse.
