Fort Cornwallis is a listed national heritage site under the Malaysian National HeritageAct 2005. The George Town Conservation & Development Corporation (GTCDC),a collaboration between Think City and Penang State Government’s Chief MinisterIncorporated, with technical support from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, is working on public realm improvement and a conservation programme at Fort Cornwallis focusing on storerooms restoration and moat reinstatement.
The Fort Cornwallis initiative demonstrates innovative conservation techniques based on local resources and traditional materials, while providing a solid solution to the majority of conservation issues affecting George Town’s historic buildings. The entire process involved several stages of work under the advice and consultation of several specialists, including historians, archaeologists, conservation architects, structural engineers, and master builders specialising in traditional construction.