What Rimbun Dahan does

Rimbun Dahan is a privately-owned arboretum and arts centre situated on 14 acres in Mukim Kuang, Selangor, approximately 27 km outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The estate is the personal property of Malaysian architect Hijjas Kasturi and his wife Angela, and functions simultaneously as their private residence, a botanical garden holding ArbNet Level 1 accreditation with over 100 Dipterocarp species, a heritage site preserving two early 20th-century traditional Malay houses relocated from Perak and Penang, and a cultural venue. The compound also features buildings designed by Hijjas Kasturi and an Underground Gallery housing a curated Permanent Collection of Southeast Asian contemporary visual art.

The centre's core offerings include multiple artist residency tracks (Southeast Asian Arts Residency, Open Residencies for International Artists, Conservation Research Writing Residency, and Accommodation for Artists in Local Collaborations), the annual Southeast Asian Choreolab dance programme co-developed with MyDance Alliance (entering its 8th edition in 2026), curated exhibitions in the Underground Gallery, and structured educational visits for secondary, tertiary, and university students. Short-term venue rental is offered for television, film, and personal photography shoots; weddings and Airbnb/homestay rentals have been explicitly discontinued.

Rimbun Dahan generates revenue through four streams: negotiated per-inquiry venue rental for productions, RM 500-per-visit educational fees from private and international institutions only (Malaysian public institutions are served free of charge), artist residency programming delivered partly through partner organisations and scholarship funding, and unpaid internships (with case-by-case honoraria). Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on ResArtis network membership, word-of-mouth referrals, partner relationships with organisations such as MyDance Alliance and Greenpeace Malaysia, and periodic public Open Days. The entity is registered as Rimbun Dahan Sdn. Bhd. (No. Syarikat 020441-A), operates with approximately 5 staff, and has no external investors, no parent company, and no disclosed financials.

Name

Rimbun Dahan

Legal name

Rimbun Dahan Sdn. Bhd.

Website

https://rimbundahan.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rimbun Dahan is a privately-owned 14-acre arboretum and arts centre in Selangor, Malaysia, founded by architect Hijjas Kasturi and his wife Angela. It hosts artist residencies, the annual Southeast Asian Choreolab dance programme, exhibitions, student visits, and venue rentals for film and photography productions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Residency and Cultural Centre

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (71212), Photography Studios, Portrait (541921)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA), Visual Arts Instruction (Drawing, Painting, Sculpture) (EDAMAAAA), Residential Landscape Design (HSAIABAA)

Keywords

• Artist residency programs
• Arboretum conservation
• Arts residency centre
• Choreographer training
• Heritage architecture tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuang, Mukim Kuang

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental for Film, TV, and Photography: Rimbun Dahan rents out various venues on its property for television commercials, film shoots, and personal photography. Interested parties are directed to contact the centre to schedule recce visits and discuss date availability. Fees are negotiated on a per-inquiry basis.
2. Student and Group Visit Fees: The centre charges a per-visit fee of RM 500 for students from international-type schools in Malaysia, schools outside Malaysia, and private universities. Guided visits for students from Malaysian public schools and universities are provided free of charge.
3. Artist Residency Programmes: Rimbun Dahan hosts a range of artist residencies including the Southeast Asian Arts Residency, Open Residencies for International Artists, Conservation Research Writing Residency, and others. Some residencies are scholarship-funded while others may involve resident artists self-funding or being placed through partner organisations.
4. Internship Programme: Rimbun Dahan offers unpaid internships for recent university graduates and students. No salary or stipend is provided; a cash honorarium may be awarded on a case-by-case basis only. Accommodation is provided free of charge.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rimbun Dahan runs a private 14-acre arts centre and arboretum that offers funded and self-funded artist residencies, the Southeast Asian Choreolab choreographer training programme, exhibitions and open days of its permanent Southeast Asian art collection, paid and sponsored educational student visits, internship placements, and venue hire for film, photography, and events. Its core outputs are studio time, hospitality, curatorial programming, and horticultural display for visual artists, choreographers, students, and visiting productions.

Product overview

Rimbun Dahan is a private arboretum and arts centre set on fourteen acres outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It serves as a centre for developing traditional and contemporary art forms, offering artists' residencies (visual arts, dance, writing, conservation research), educational programmes (student visits, internships), and public open days. The compound features heritage buildings designed by Hijjas Kasturi, traditional Malay houses, an Underground Gallery for exhibitions, and an award-winning indigenous garden with over 100 Dipterocarp species. Venue rental for film and photography is also available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artists' Residencies National, regional, and international residency placements for visual artists, composers and writers, providing on-site accommodation plus access to the dedicated drawing studio and rehearsal room on a defined residency period. Includes both sponsor-funded places (e.g. ASEAN, Asia Foundation, Australian government residencies) and self-funded places for international applicants.
• Southeast Asian Choreolab (Choreographer Residencies and Training) A training and research programme that invites emerging Southeast Asian choreographers to the Rimbun Dahan dance studio for intensive rehearsal periods, with practice-based and research presentations opened to the public.
• Educational Student Visits Guided educational visits for primary, secondary and tertiary groups combining exposure to the permanent Southeast Asian art collection with the 14-acre indigenous garden. Priced at RM 500 per student for private schools and free for public school groups.
• Internship Programme Unpaid internship placements in art conservation, botanical curation, and arts administration within the operating team at the estate.
• Venue Hire (Film, Photography, Events) Direct-contact venue hire of the 14-acre estate for film, photography, and private events, providing a heritage-Malay architecture and tropical garden location near Kuala Lumpur.
• Open Days and Exhibitions Periodic public open days where the permanent collection of more than 100 Southeast Asian artworks is exhibited at the estate, free of charge to the general public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Edition #8 of the Southeast Asian Choreolab series, launched in 2014, demonstrates the programme's sustained regional influence over 12+ years.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Laura Fan & Claire BarnesminorOthers · 1 January 2026Laura Fan and Claire Barnes are supporters of the Southeast Asian Choreolab 2026. Their support enables the programme's delivery.
• Greenpeace MalaysiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Greenpeace Malaysia coordinated the KL Festival 2026, within which resident artist Anusorn Tunyapalit presented his residency outcomes at the Tiffin Picnic event. The partnership enabled public presentation of the artist's work.
• Waste to Weft (No Time to Waste)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Waste to Weft, a project by No Time to Waste supported by Yayasan Hasanah, presented a documentary film about textile waste in Indonesia alongside weaving works in progress at Rimbun Dahan's Open Day July 2026.
• Iconic FishesminorOthers · 1 January 2026Iconic Fishes is the inspiration behind the SEA Choreolab 2026. The Southeast Asian Choreolab is described as 'Inspired by Iconic Fishes'.
• Buku Jalanan Chow KitminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Buku Jalanan Chow Kit, an alternative school in Kuala Lumpur, partnered with Rimbun Dahan resident artists Mao Sovanchandy and Yuryphal Tum for a Re:Present workshop. 13 students aged 9 to 17 participated in clay-imprinting and plaster casting activities.
• ResArtis (Worldwide Network of Arts Residencies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRimbun Dahan is a member of ResArtis, an international network connecting artists to residency programmes worldwide. This membership provides exposure to a global applicant pool and signals quality and professionalism in residency operations to artists internationally.
• MyDance AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMyDance Alliance is a key partner for the Southeast Asian Choreolab, an annual intensive residency programme for emerging contemporary dance choreographers from Southeast Asia. The programme is co-developed and co-delivered by Rimbun Dahan and MyDance Alliance, entering its 8th edition in 2026.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Phare Ponleu Selpak: Cambodian arts and education non-profit offering residencies, performing arts, and visual arts programming in Battambang. Comparable as a Southeast Asian arts non-profit combining residency programmes, community workshops, and education, though at smaller scale and with greater emphasis on performing arts and youth training.

Broad incumbents

• Singapore Botanic Gardens: UNESCO World Heritage-listed botanical garden in Singapore with large-scale tropical plant collections, conservation, and public education programming. Comparable as a major Southeast Asian arboretum with global accreditation, though operating at vastly greater scale and public funding base than Rimbun Dahan.
• Bangkok Art and Culture Centre: Large multi-floor contemporary arts venue in central Bangkok hosting residencies, exhibitions, and community programmes. Comparable as a Southeast Asian contemporary arts institution serving regional artists and public audiences, though operating at significantly larger scale than Rimbun Dahan.
• NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore: Singapore-based contemporary art centre affiliated with Nanyang Technological University that hosts residencies, exhibitions, and public programmes. Comparable as a Southeast Asian arts institution with international scope, but larger and institutionally affiliated versus Rimbun Dahan's privately founder-funded model.

Direct peers

• MyDance Alliance: Malaysian dance advocacy and development organisation that co-develops and co-delivers the Southeast Asian Choreolab with Rimbun Dahan. Directly comparable as a Malaysian performing arts non-profit with overlapping artist constituency and overlapping programme calendar.
• Sàn Art: Ho Chi Minh City-based non-profit artist residency and exhibition space. Directly comparable because it runs residency programmes for Southeast Asian and international artists within a dedicated space, similar community-led GTM, and similar non-commercial revenue mix combining grants, residencies, and programming.
• Asialink Arts: Asia-Pacific arts residency and exchange programme run out of the University of Melbourne. Directly comparable because it facilitates artist residencies and cross-cultural arts exchange across Southeast Asia and Oceania, mirroring Rimbun Dahan's regional residency and Choreolab model.

Regional players

• Penang Botanic Gardens: Historic Malaysian botanical garden in Penang with significant tropical plant collections and educational visitor programmes. Comparable as a Malaysian regional botanical/arboretum site serving similar student and conservation audiences, though without an artist-residency overlay.
• Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM): Malaysian government research institution managing a large forest reserve and arboretum near Kuala Lumpur with public education and conservation programming. Comparable as a Malaysian arboretum and conservation-research hub, though public-sector versus Rimbun Dahan's private estate model.

Others

• Asia Art Archive: Hong Kong-based non-profit documenting contemporary Asian art history and supporting artists through research, residencies, and programming. Comparable as a regional arts non-profit that supports Southeast Asian artists and curators with overlapping funder networks, though focused on documentation rather than site-based residency.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPessCmML-ra0-JFrxCSqvg
• Facebookfacebook.com/rimbundahan
• Instagraminstagram.com/rimbundahan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rimbun-dahan

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rimbun Dahan