Heritage revival

Who better to call in to breathe new life into a 100-year-old mansion in Georgetown, Penang, than Ministry of Design? The team, led by design director Colin Seah, is renowned for restoring and making historic hotels relevant again: past projects include the New Majestic Hotel and The Club Hotel, which was why it was a natural decision for notable corporate figures Sean and Karen H’ng to approach Seah to convert their newly acquired colonial building into Macalister Mansion, a contemporary boutique hotel with six distinct spaces—Living Room, Dining Room, Bagan Bar, The Den, Eight Rooms and The Lawn.

Opened last November, the property is residential in feel with original wrought iron gates that open to generous grounds—where large scale events can be held—and a dappling mosaic pool. “There aren’t many such heritage buildings left in Penang, especially one with such ample outdoor area,” notes Sean. Taking influence from its culture rich locale, Macalister Mansion pays homage to Penang’s British governor Colonel Norman Macalister and inside, you will find numerous references to the historic figure. In fact, the first thing you see, upon entering the hedged-lined driveway of the property, is a 2.5m tall fractal bust of the colonel.

Excerpt from the February 2013 issue of epicure.