An Afternoon Ampang Affair at The Campus
- Jade Lee
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
It’s no secret that Malaysians yearn for vibrant community hubs. Our Food and Travel editor, Jade, finally visits the trendy and much-talked-about The Campus Ampang to see what the buzz is about. Spoiler Alert: it’s worth the trip!
On the first day of February, I ticked a longtime item off my checklist as an Ampang local: visiting The Campus Ampang!
Tucked away into the otherwise quiet street of Jalan Kolam Air Lama, the building loomed before us grandly, almost radiant under the blazing sun. Aptly named The Campus due to its previous tenants of the International School Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), the 6.5 acre space has since been revitalised into a lifestyle hub, making it a perfect example of the new age of third spaces in Malaysia. This transformation reflects a broader trend known as “adaptive reuse”, the practice of repurposing existing historic or abandoned spaces into lively community centres. A familiar example of this can also be seen at Grumpy Bagels, with its Jalan Imbi and newly opened Sentul branch.
The abundance of cars was only a peek into the crowd spending their Sunday at the Campus, and the numbers only grew as the afternoon went on. The Spun Heart bazaar hosted by The Messy Club took up the length of the open assembly hall with their signature pops of color strewn throughout in forms of mixed fabrics, patterned parasols and paper lanterns. Rows and rows of attractive stalls selling anything from high quality batik and curated thrift pieces to cute trinkets and customisable keychains paved the path. Many photo opportunities like decorated mirrors and professional photobooths amassed couples, friends and families alike, all eager to memoralise their time together.
Upstairs, The Campus boasted local big names like Fowlboys Diner and Niko Neko, with their patrons spilling out from the stores into the open space, recognisable by their savouring of hot chicken sandwiches and sipping from bright green cups in hand. Other eateries, such as the Japanese joint Yaki Yaki by Super Boring Club and the Indo-Penang bistro of Bru and Mase were also buzzing with chatter, clinking cutleries, and browsing customers. From the second floor, our eyes kept wandering below, catching glimpses of the wandering crowds and the sunlight streaming through the trees. It was charming to see a building that had embraced a brutal minimalist concrete design be so vividly adorned with color, almost metaphorical of what human presence and community brings to even the starkest of spaces.
The need to satiate the heat eventually led us back down to the outskirts of the bazaar, where food and beverage stalls had been strategically placed to catch the eye of many like us. I found my oasis at Manori Plus, which specialised in fun citrus drinks. Their menu was small and concise, and my mind was quickly made on the Muscat Bloom, which proved to be the perfect blend of refreshing orange and sweet muscat grape. We enjoyed our drinks on the patio of Universal Bakehouse where we had packed warm loaves of sourdough and some of their popular shio-pan (Japanese salt bread) to go. As a recent salt bread enthusiast, I was delighted to see that their casings display creative spins of truffle, spiced tomato and seaweed on the classic favorite. A mental note was made to return soon to satisfy my curiosity.
Our afternoon came to a slow end as we sipped the last of our drinks. The air, having turned still with the heat, lulled us into a sweet daze and our conversations drifted into goodbyes. The next time you’re itching to spend a fun afternoon out in KL that’s not indoors in a cafe or a shopping mall, consider the Campus Ampang! Be it retail therapy, outdoor seating, working hubs and wellness centres, the Campus seems to be promoting a growth in community, and in conjunction, the self.
Editor’s Note:
I actually ran into Jade during her visit to The Campus Ampang, just outside Universal Bakehouse, where she mentioned she was planning to write this article. Safe to say, it didn’t disappoint! If you’re a Cheras or Ampang local, this is definitely a great weekend spot, and maybe the best place to bump into your editors and have them turn it into an awesome article!
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