The Odeon Cinema, Kuala Lumpur, built in 1936 by the Cathay Organisation, was an iconic Art-Deco style building on the intersection of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Jalan TAR), formerly known as Batu Road, and Jalan Dang Wangi. The cinema was a well known venue for the screening of foreign films and major local film releases.
Like many other cinemas the Odeon faced a decline in popularity with the increase of large shopping malls with their large modern cinemas. The Odeon briefly closed in 1997 then reopened with a second screen, closed again in 2010 and reopened one last time in 2011 before finally closing for good by 2015.
In 2019 the building was planned to be demolished with a multi-storey retail and service apartment planned to be built on the site. However conservation efforts eventually led to the building being saved and restored.
The 83-year-old building has now been revitalised as a contemporary arts and culture venue with a multi-purpose event space hosting concerts, theatre shows, arts exhibitions, community events and bazaar festivals. The renovation retained the classic Art-Deco style architecture while incorporating modern facilities.
Passionate Photographer …. Lost in Asia
Stuart Taylor of HighlanderImages Photography has been making images for over 40 years focusing on Asia with a documentary/photojournalistic style.
Stuart is available for a variety of assignments in subject areas of photojournalism, commercial, architectural, real estate, industrial, interior design, corporate, urbex, adventure, wilderness, and travel.
E-Mail : staylor@highlanderimages.com