With a visionary mission to breathe new life into forgotten spaces, Mahesha Paramajothy, the founder of House of Bricks, has meticulously transformed a historic family home in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, into a bustling event venue. From its origins steeped in personal history to its emergence as a premier destination, Mahesha’s journey reflects his unwavering commitment to revitalising underutilised buildings, imbuing them with fresh purpose and vitality. In an interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, Mahesha recounts the evolution of his company from its humble beginnings to its current status as a sought-after hub for events, showcasing his determination to illuminate the potential of neglected structures.
Who would have thought a family home built during the colonial period would be re-established decades later into one of Kuala Lumpur’s hottest new event spots? Mahesha Paramajothy made it all happen within a few short years, but not without his great work ethic and business acumen. Located in Brickfields, where the name originates from, House of Bricks is a mansion sitting on 16,400 square feet nestled in the heart of the city that Mahesha actually grew up in.
Over the years, the house has hosted countless colourful events for reputable brands such as Aesop, Auto Bavaria, Cannon, Hays as well as weddings, parties and even Miss Uniworld pageant. The House of Bricks stands out among other event spaces for its stunning architecture, luxurious interior and classic aesthetics. It’s more than just a beautiful pre-war bungalow, it is an event and renovation company aiming to branch out into South-East Asia. “I grew up here for 26 years before moving out just before the pandemic. It was built by my great-grandfather in 1921. This house holds many stories from the Japanese occupation to countless family memories, proving its enduring strength through time. The House of Bricks idea sparked when a friend chose it for a music video location. At that moment, the space was just an old, unrenovated house. Recognising its potential, I decided to utilise my renovation skills from my real estate agent days to see what I can accomplish,” Mahesha shares.
Mahesha oversaw every renovation detail, opting not to involve interior designers and remaining very hands-on throughout the process. Every brick, tile, lightbulb, shade of paints and every piece of decor are sourced by him. When it comes to events held at House of Bricks, Mahesha always takes a personal interest to make sure that every event looks its best and runs seamlessly. House of Bricks takes it a step further by offering customisation and flexibility to its customers. “We see our space as a blank canvas that our customers can turn into what they desire. As our slogan goes ‘Your wish is our command’, we let the clients move things around in the space to cater for their needs. The main thing for me is to offer something unique that no one else has in the market while providing impeccable customer service to go the extra mile to cater to their every need.”
In the future, House of Bricks aims to refurbish, repurpose and manage more underutilised properties in the South-East Asia region as profitable solutions to stagnant assets. Seeing these properties beyond the cracked walls and cloudy glass windows, Mahesha intends to break the mold of how underutilised properties of any sort are usually repurposed. The goal is to add a touch of vintage elegance while keeping it cost effective for the clients so that each event held in the space does not have to break the bank.
“This first House of Bricks space to me is a blessing because it allows me freedom to showcase what we are capable of achieving with heritage properties.The invaluable lessons I have learned here will definitely make the next project a lot more efficient and take it to a whole new level. I have been blessed with a lot of material things very early in life, but I really wouldn’t consider these things as achievements. Building something that lasts a life time, bringing value to as many people as possible, that’s the real goal. I have a long way to go, but will get there. Some people wait too long to just get started. Write the plan on paper, if it makes sense, just go for it. No failures, just lessons. It is quite amazing thinking about how this all started from a simple ‘what if’,” says Mahesha.
