Architecture Porn in Yangon

It was late in the afternoon when we arrived in Yangon, and dark, heavy clouds cast a gray pallor to the city. From the cab, though, I had a quick glimpse of numerous old buildings in the downtown area. I was also surprised by the many trees lining the city's avenues. I knew right then I was in for a treat. Lara Stone and I ventured into the streets near our guest house in the evening of our arrival, but I could only see faint traces of the grand buildings wrapped in darkness (Yangon hardly has streetlights to speak of). So the next day, I woke up early to walk around the wet streets of the city; it was monsoon season after all. I've never before been so captivated by so many colonial buildings as Yangon (Hanoi comes close). It was definitely a dream city for architecture lovers because there's always an interesting building nearby. Some of them even prominently display their date of completion, and I saw a good number of buildings constructed in the early years of the 20th century.

Many of the buildings are government offices, most likely the same halls occupied by the British colonial government. There are also buildings used by trading companies, as well as a big share apartments blocks. The apartment blocks are a sight to behold. Occupying blocks and blocks of the downtown area, they are mostly sitting side by side in narrow, straight streets. The first floor is usually a business enterprise, and then very steep and dark staircases lead to the upper floors, some as high as eight stories. The details of the windows are doors are very enchanting. My neck was strained from looking up the multi-colored balconies flanking the streets. Hanging from the balconies are dozens of long strings with clips attached to the end at street level. Because most of the apartment buildings - including the very tall ones - don't have elevators, one cannot go up and down them as much as you like. So when there's a food delivery, for instance, the plastic bag is attached to the string and someone pulls it up.

Charming apartment blocks aside, there are also many imposing colonial buildings in the port area. Some of the roofs of the Bogyoke Aung San Market also has beautiful lines. The Yangon train station is worth visiting, as well as the art deco style cinema houses on Bogyoke Street. There are also numerous mosques dotting the downtown area.

Unfortunately, most of the buildings have not been well-maintained. While it's very romantic to see them stained by time, the moss would eventually affect the structure's stability and it also eats the details of the adornments. I'm particularly worried about the apartment blocks that have been installed with unsightly air-conditioners and plastic or metal awnings that do not go with the buildings' original style. There are also many huge buildings that seemed abandoned. They are practically crumbling, such as one building with a beautiful dome that has caved in.

The most serious threat to Yangon's colonial architecture though is the number of newer buildings popping in the downtown area. Every time I see a new building I think of the old structure that used to stand on the site. They new buildings are made of concrete, glass, and steel that in no way try to blend with the surrounding old styles. I wonder how soon enough before these new buildings obliterate the old ones, thus the loss of Yangon's charm and heritage.