Situated on Jalan Hang Jebat road, Kuala Lumpur, the Merdeka 118, the world’s second tallest building, soars high over 600 meters, with its spire seeming to rise its head in tremendous pride, acquired from the engineering excellence its birth was rooted in and the rich history and cultural significance of the context where it stands. From the initial stages of the project itself, the investor Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) Merdeka Ventures discovered the site’s potential and wanted to craft Merdeka 118 as a ‘global icon’ attracting tourists from all over the world while also serving the local community.
With the help of the prime architect, ‘Fender Katsalidis,’ an Australian architecture firm, and the collaboration of several other local and international firms, this massive project came into being. Merdeka 118 is not a freestanding project; it is part of a larger development but serves as the main attraction or the focal point of that massive development.
Understanding the historical and cultural significance of the site, the former Merdeka Park atop Petaling Hill, where Merdeka 118 is situated today, unravels the story behind the launch of this massive project, the reasons behind the architect’s approach to the tower’s design, and its design philosophy. Petaling Hill and its surroundings were a prime location shortly after independence, as several schools, stadiums, and recreational facilities mushroomed as a reflection of the nation-building process.
The 36-acre Merdeka Park was one such development conceived by the nation’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman. During its inauguration in 1958, the Prime Minister uttered “for all people, for all posterity,” reassuring the public of good, secularism, and equality. Since then, people celebrated the Park and it was one of the favorite family outing spots for the citizens of that time. However, with time, people started moving into the suburbs, and several other facilities popped up. Merdeka Park faded into the background gradually, especially after the demise of Prime Minister Tunku in 1990.
Following this, the site was demolished in the mid-1990s to develop a larger-scale project with the potential to yield better economic gains. Unfortunately, due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the investors ran out of funds, and the project was halted until PNB was ready to invest a hefty sum of around 1.5 billion dollars in 2016 to develop the massive project featuring Merdeka 118 as the hero.
The Merdeka precinct comprises some of the other components that are still under construction, including the Merdeka Residences, the linear Merdeka Boulevard, the Look within the Merdeka precinct, Merdeka Mall, Little M, and Merdeka Masjid, as well as Merdeka 118, Stadium Merdeka, and other stadiums.
Merdeka 118, a mixed-use tower that hosts retail, residential, and hospitality spaces, while the Merdeka Residences mainly comprise three towers, namely, the Oakwood Premier Serviced Residences of 348 units, the East Tower of 486 units, and the West Tower of 462 units. The 4-acre linear Merdeka Boulevard was designed by Boston-based interdisciplinary practice Sasaki, intending to serve as an official concourse for the stadium guests and tourists willing to reach Merdeka 118’s upper lobby.
After careful analysis, it was planned to incorporate a textile museum of a medium scale, complemented by the Look consisting of tailored gift shops, a rooftop viewing point, and a cafe as the traditional textile artifacts attracted tourists. Altogether, the developing Merdeka precinct seems to possess the potential to foster a vibrant modern global community in a way mimicking the Merdeka Park that thrived until shortly after the independence.
Design Philosophy: Paying homage to the Nation’s History and Culture
With its design philosophy rooted in the principles of critical regionalism, the engineering marvel, the 118-story tower was designed as a tribute to the Nation’s History, Culture, and Independence. The seemingly deconstructivism-inspired triangular multifaceted form and diamond-shaped floor plan of the tower were drawn from traditional Malaysian arts and crafts patterns and designs, specifically from the traditional Malaysian songket materials.
Though the tower appears heavily fragmented in form, with its unique structural frame and multifaceted exterior comprised of a myriad of glass, claddings, and textures, along with a variety of lighting setups, it is the focal point, the unifying feature that integrates the other constituents within the Merdeka precinct. This reflects and underlines the unity of the nation despite its diversity in terms of culture, ethnicity, and territory.
Being in close vicinity to the Stadium Merdeka and being situated atop Petaling Hill, the design philosophy of Merdeka 118 is tied to the Stadium Merdeka, the rich heritage it boasts, and the
significance of Petaling Hill in Malaysian history. Not only Petaling Hill but also Stadium Merdeka is an inherent part of Malaysian History. The first Prime Minister, Tunku, declared the nation’s independence in the Stadium Merdeka by shouting ‘Merdeka,’ translating to ‘independence’ 7 times to the crowd by raising his hand towards the sky. Post-completion, the tower’s silhouette, along with its unique 160-meter-tall spire, appeared to resemble the powerful outstretched hand gesture of the Prime Minister while declaring Independence in the Stadium Merdeka.
An Architectural Dissection: Components Breakdown and Spatial Analysis
Merdeka 118 is a myriad of residential, retail, and commercial spaces spread over the 4 floors of car parking spaces in the basement. The first seven floors from the ground level serve as a common podium, mainly hosting a shopping mall and serving as an entrance lobby for Merdeka 118 and the other 3 residential towers. The shopping mall consists of 328 rentable retail stores, a promenade, a food court, and other entertainment spaces. Almost 75 percent of the habitable area of Merdeka 118 is occupied by one million square feet of grade-A office space spread across 83 floors ,with a capacity to accommodate around 16,000 employees.
The Park Hyatt 6-star hotel with 230 guest rooms extends from the 97th floor to the 112th floor of the tower with an exclusive rooftop restaurant. The main tourist attraction of the tower is the 2-level observation deck that features glass floors and can be accessed via glass elevators looking outwards. The essence of the Kuala Lumpur city and its skyline can be captured from this observation deck. Other ancillary spaces, electrical and mechanical plants, and service spaces occupy the rest of the floors of Merdeka 118.
The circulation in the space was planned as a learning experience to let the tourists experience the journey of the development of the Merdeka precinct from Merdeka Park to date; following this, the tourists traverse the landscaped boulevard first, after which they move vertically upwards for a minute
via glass elevators viewing Kuala Lumpur and reach the observation deck to catch the 360-degree glimpse of Kuala Lumpur. Metaphorically, the tourists not only experience the development of the Merdeka project but also realize how far the nation has advanced since independence, with the culture and history flourishing below in the Look Museum and a linear boulevard and a developing skyline, substantiating a bright future with tourism and real estate industries thriving in the future.
Breaking Barriers: Construction Challenges and Subsequent Technological Innovations
While the design philosophy and concept of Merdeka 118 seem flawless, brilliant, and extraordinary, the real conundrum would have been the realization and execution of such a large-scale project. Especially recollecting the fact that Merdeka 118 is the second tallest building in the world, there must have been intelligent brains with excellence in engineering that have toiled to bring about this beautiful outcome.
To realize this tall dream, it took five long years of intense labor from over 3,000 workers, tremendous dedication, precise timing, and teamwork, as well as the collaboration of the Australian design firm Fender Katsalidis, the local firm RSP Architects, contractor SUJV, and Arup as the project’s civil and structural engineer.
The construction team faced several challenges, including tackling the tropical weather prevalent in Malaysia, preserving the immediate heritage sites and leaving little or no damage to them, and working at a large scale and an unimaginable height. First, to tackle the challenges posed by the unstable tropical weather conditions, SUJV installed advanced weather monitoring systems and implemented safety protocols to protect workers and avoid any undesirable consequences that could inhibit the workflow.
Further, ARUP designed the 160-meter-tall slender flexible spire adopting a 3D space truss framing to sustain the wind loads and checked the durability with the help of aeroelastic wind tunnel testing to ensure the structure’s integrity. The custom-made high-performance concrete (HPC) core walls and mega columns coupled with an almost 3-story deep outrigger structure withstand the lateral wind loads.
To ensure minimal or no damage to the surrounding historic buildings, including Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara, ARUP set up a self-supporting circular cofferdam wall as an embedded retaining system for the excavation, which was successful in reducing the lateral movement.
Finally, to realize the project despite its large scale, both horizontally and vertically, it was necessary to ensure the timely arrival of laborers and materials to the desired location, which SUJV managed wisely. Further, ARUP came with custom-made high-performance concrete in collaboration with SUJV, with enhanced pumpability, facilitating direct high-elevation concrete pumping to unprecedented heights.
Sustainability Features: Complying With the Code of Ethics and Environmental Justice
The Mega tall tower has earned several international and national sustainability certifications, including a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum rating, Green Building Index (GBI) certification, and Green Real Estate (GreenRE) certification due to the conscious work and environment-friendly design proposed by the architects.
While the excessive use of glass on the exterior façade of the tower promises ample daylight interiors, reducing energy consumption during the day, it poses a concern of excessive heating, which the architects have managed to tackle with the help of a low-E coating and titanium coating that minimizes the heat transmitted inside the tower.
The main strategy used by the designers is to optimize energy consumption by boosting energy efficiency using under-floor air conditioning with smart air recycling in the car park, daylight sensors, LED lighting fixtures, automatic blind controls, solar panels providing for the Hotel’s hot water needs, and a
centralized district cooling plant. Let alone environmental sustainability, the management strives to achieve and prove overall sustainability by acquiring the comprehensive WELL certification that identifies and measures how the built environment impacts human comfort and well-being, both physically and mentally.
Merdeka 118: Fostering Social Cohesion, Engineering Innovation, and Cultural Preservation
In the city with the most skyscrapers in Southeast Asia, it has been a norm to depict national strength and boost economic growth via tall skyscrapers, like in the case of Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Tower. But what makes Merdeka 118 a unique addition to the skyline of Kuala Lumpur is its potential to look forward by exhibiting engineering excellence while respecting the nation’s past by preserving the cultural heritage, which is often in juxtaposition.
The second-tallest tower in the world, the Merdeka 118, is truly an engineering marvel. It is substantial in the conundrums that designers and engineers overcame with timely innovations. The tower’s design philosophy, concept, and form explain the designers’ sensitive approach to the context’s history and their commitment to cultural preservation.
In reality, Merdeka 118 and the heritage site mutually benefit and support each other; that is, the technological advancements and engineering innovations found an opportunity to preserve the heritage and culture, and the already famous heritage sites served as a platform to showcase the engineering innovation and the technological advancement that the nation has seen since independence.
Besides, the investors played a significant role in integrating the Merdeka precinct with its surroundings, making it a part of the citizens’ daily lives to enhance social cohesion. The Jalan Hang Jebat Road was widened, and access to public transport systems like the underground MRT was ensured to strengthen accessibility to the Merdeka precinct.
The linear water park boulevard serves as a concourse and, similar to the observation deck, provides an opportunity for residents to gather, socialize, and appreciate the other real estate developments in Kuala Lumpur.
Merdeka 118 essentially marks a paradigm shift, highlighting the need to address social and cultural aspects besides engineering innovations and economic development, while proposing the development of skyscrapers. Merdeka 118 has triggered the global and local race to build several other similar developments with conscience, both locally and globally.
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