Merdeka 118

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Coordinates: 3°8′30″N 101°42′2″E / 3.14167°N 101.70056°E / 3.14167; 101.70056

Merdeka 118
Merdeka 118 logo.png
Logo
File:Merdeka 118 20211204 (1).jpg
Merdeka 118 in December 2021
Former namesKL 118, Heritage of Independence, Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Menara Warisan Merdeka, PNB Headquarters
Alternative namesPNB 118, Merdeka PNB118, Merdeka Tower
Record height
Tallest in Southeast Asia from 2021 to present[I]
Preceded byLandmark 81
General information
StatusTopped out
TypeMixed-use: Shopping complex, Office, Housing Properties, Hotel, Observation
Architectural styleNeo-futurism
LocationJalan Hang Jebat, Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur
CountryMalaysia
Named forMalaysia's Merdeka Day
GroundbreakingMarch 2016
Construction startedJuly 2014[4]
Topped-outNovember 2021
Estimated completion2022[5]
CostRM5 billion ($1.5 billion)
OwnerPNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd (under PNB)
Height
Architectural678.9 m (2,227 ft)[3]
Tip678.9 m (2,227 ft)[3]
Antenna spire160 m (520 ft)[7]
Roof518.2 m (1,700 ft)
Observatory566 m (1,857 ft) (Level 114)
Technical details
Structural systemSteel
Reinforced concrete
Concrete encased steel
Floor count118 (with 5 below ground)
Floor area292,000 m2 (3,140,000 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators87
Design and construction
ArchitectFender Katsalidis in association with RSP KL
DeveloperPNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd
Structural engineerLeslie E. Robertson Associates, Robert Bird Group in association with Arup[6]
Main contractorSamsung C&T
UEM Group
Website
www.merdeka118.com
References
[1][2]

Merdeka 118 (also known as PNB 118, and formerly known as KL 118 and Warisan Merdeka Tower) is a 118-story, 678.9-metre (2,227-foot)[3] megatall skyscraper[8] currently under construction in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[9]

The building's name, Merdeka (which means 'independence'), is inspired by its proximity to two historic landmarks, notably Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara.[10] Stadium Merdeka is significant as the site of the country's formal declaration of independence on 31 August 1957.[10][9] In November 2021, the spire of the building was completed.[11]

The building is expected to be finished by the end of 2022, will be the tallest in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. It will surpass the 632 m (2,073 ft) Shanghai Tower as the world's second-tallest building and structure, taking the title by virtue of its 160-metre-tall (520 ft) spire.[12] The building will also be the first in Malaysia to receive a triple platinum rating from worldwide sustainability certifications, including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).[12]

Background[]

The Merdeka 118 (the whole precinct) development is funded by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB),[13] with a budget of RM5 billion.[14] When completed in 2022, the tower will be the tallest building in Malaysia. It will consist of 400,000 square metres (4,300,000 square feet) of residential, hotel and commercial space.[15]

The building will consist of 100 storeys of rentable space, including 83 storeys of office space, 12 storeys of hotel rooms, 5 storeys of hotel residences, observatory floors which will be the highest observation deck in Southeast Asia (), a retail business center (118 Mall) and will be surrounded the 4-acre of urban and linear park ().[16] The non-rentable space consists of elevators, recreational and maintenance facilities, as well as parking spaces for up to 8,500 cars. 60 out of the 80 storeys of office space will be reserved for Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), the developer of the project, and its subsidiaries.[17][18]

Site[]

The building is sited at Petaling Hill, a low-density hill directly southeast of the historic Kuala Lumpur old town, on the location of the former Merdeka Park (which was subsequently repurposed into an open-air car park). The site lies within the vicinity of a number of historic landmarks with little modern development such as the famous Petaling Street, Independence-era sporting venues including the Merdeka Stadium, the National Stadium and the , the pre-war school grounds of the Methodist Boys' School, Victoria Institution, SJK(C) Jalan Davidson, and the stalled Plaza Rakyat project (across the Ampang Line).[14] The Merdeka 118 development, when completed, will also have access to the newly built Merdeka MRT Station on the Kajang Line (SBK) which was excavated underneath the southern end of Kuala Lumpur old town.[19][20] The whole development will also be directly linked from Jalan Syed Putra, Jalan Damansara and Jalan Istana via the which will be a 2-storey underground tunnel passing underneath and Jalan Maharajalela, all the way to the basement of the precinct.[21]

Elevator and glass shaft in the middle overlooking Downtown Kuala Lumpur on Jalan Hang Jebat.

Design[]

Tunku Abdul Rahman proclaiming independence on 31 August 1957

The building is designed with a mixture of diamond shaped glass facades to signify the diversity of Malaysians. The glass and steel building with its spire was inspired by and designed to resemble, the unique silhouette of Tunku Abdul Rahman raising his hand while chanting "Merdeka!", when he proclaimed the independence of Malaysia on 31 August 1957. The megatall skyscraper was also inspired directly by Malaysian culture as well. The building's cladding will comprise 18,144 panels, 114,000 square-metre of glass and 1,600 tonnes of window frame extrusions. It will contain the 118 Mall, Grade-A offices, hotels, and residential areas. The structural engineers are Leslie E. Robertson Associates and Robert Bird Group while the civil and structural engineer of record for this tower is Arup.[22][23] The building will be equipped and illuminated at night with 8.4 km of LED light strips which would gradually move from one corner to another corner.[24] Environmental Design and Engineering firm Neapoli Group was employed to provide consultancy services towards achieving platinum rating with three Green Building certification bodies: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Green Building Index and GreenRE.[25]

Construction of the base of the tower in September 2021.

Floor plans[]

All of the floor plans were obtained from the building's proposals and are subject to change.[26]

Floors Purpose
118 VIP lounge
115 - 117 The View At 118 (Skydeck)
114 The View At 118 (observation deck)
113 Luxury restaurant
112 Mechanical
100 - 111 Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (hotel)
99 Indoor gym, spa and swimming pool (hotel)
97 - 98 Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur (hotel)
78 - 96 High zone offices
77 Mechanical
75 - 76 Sky lobby
43 - 74 Mid zone offices
42 Mechanical
40 - 41 Sky lobby
8 - 39 Low zone offices

PNB headquarters and its subsidiaries

6 - 7 Mechanical
5 118 Mall entrance and office lobby
4 118 Mall entrance, reception, office lobby, lift lobbies, Merdeka Boulevard At 118 entrance

(from Jalan Stadium)

2 - 3 118 Mall entrance and atrium
1 Concourse level, observatory deck entrance and lift

(from Jalan Hang Jebat)

B1 - B5 Basement parking

Progress[]

Merdeka 118 see from monorail train

The piling and foundation work for the project was awarded to Pintaras Geotechnics Sdn Bhd.[27][28] The Permodalan Nasional Berhad shortlisted six groups for various construction jobs such as Samsung C&T-UEM Group Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd-Norwest Holdings Sdn Bhd- Shimizu Corp, Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd-China State Construction Engineering Corp, WCT Bhd-Arabtec Construction LLC, TSR Capital Bhd-Daewoo Group, and Seacera Group Bhd-Spaz Sdn Bhd-Sinohydro Corp-Shanghai Construction Group. These companies submitted their bids by January 28, 2015.[29][30] KONE, a Finnish group, is supplying around 87 elevators and escalators for the project.[31]

The tower and its mall as seen from the Hang Tuah station. (October 2021)

On 23 November 2015, PNB announced a contract worth RM 3.4 Billion has been awarded to the joint venture of South Korea's Samsung C&T and UEM Group Bhd.[32] Furthermore, on 9 November 2017, PNB planned to raise up to RM2 billion fund for its project via green sukuk with 15-year tenure. The sukuk, which is also known as Merdeka Asean Green SRI Sukuk Programme, covered the development of its 83-storey office space, which forms part of the tower. It is the first adopter of the Asean Green Bond Standards launched by the Securities Commission Malaysia that validates PNB commitment to develop the project as a sustainable and environmentally-friendly project.[33]

On 27 February 2018, it was announced that Park Hyatt will open up a hotel in Merdeka 118.[34] The Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur will occupy the top 17 floors of the building; It is slated to have 232 units, including 28 suites and 30 apartments.

The construction was halted on 18 March 2020 due to the Movement Control Order in Malaysia caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, but works resumed in mid-May 2020.[35] In early August 2020, the building's concrete core topped out at 118 floors surpassing the Vincom Landmark 81 as the tallest building in Southeast Asia. On 25 October 2020, PNB president, Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn, announced that phase 1 and 2 are expected to be finished in 2022 Q3. Phase 3 is expected to be completed in 2024 or 2025. The construction is currently in phase 1 which focuses on the tower.[36]

On June 2021, the tower was at 81% completion, with the installation of the glass façade in progress at Level 108 and has successfully reached Level 118 with its spire already 50% assembled along with the retail podium.[37] Turner International plays the role of Project Management Consultant for this complex development.[38]

On 12 October 2021, the tower has been architecturally topped out according to the CTBUH, with the installation of the aviation obstruction light at its tip that can be seen from afar during the night. However, as the spire grew taller, its status was reverted back to structurally topped out a few days later.[39]

Criticism[]

See also: 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal and The Exchange 106

Many Malaysians have criticised this project, claiming that it is unnecessary and wasteful and that the RM5 billion fund could have been better used for other practical causes such as education and healthcare. In response to the criticism, former Prime Minister Najib Razak claimed that the project was not a waste and it would "bring more benefits" by generating "economic opportunities".[13]

Transportation[]

The building will be served by the Kajang Line's  KG17  Merdeka MRT station located along Jalan Hang Jebat, which is connected to an interchange with the Ampang/Sri Petaling Line's  AG8  SP8  Plaza Rakyat LRT station.[citation needed]

It will also be accessible from the  MR3  Maharajalela Monorail station connected through the precinct's linear park under the development.[citation needed]

The  AG9  MR4  Hang Tuah station, serving both the Ampang Line and KL Monorail, is a 600-metre walk southeast.[citation needed]

Gallery[]

  • The tower at night in October 2021

  • October 2021 (west view)

  • September 2021 (east view)

  • May 2020

  • February 2020

  • December 2019

  • November 2019

  • July 2019

  • March 2019

  • December 2018

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Merdeka PNB118 - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Warisan Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur - Building 1221285 - EMPORIS". Emporis. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Merdeka 118 tower on track for completion late 2022". The Malaysia's Reserve. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Piling Work Starts on KL118". KiniBiz (defunct). 3 July 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Merdeka 118, Menara Ke-2 Tertinggi Di Dunia Bakal Siap Tahun 2021. Tak Sabar!". LIBUR. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  6. ^ "KL118 Tower - The Skyscraper Center". skyscrapercenter.com.
  7. ^ Omar Zin (1 December 2021). "Merdeka 118 dilengkapi pelbagai keistimewaan" [Merdeka 118 is equipped with various privileges]. Utusan Malaysia (in Malay). Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  8. ^ Jafwan Jaafar (8 March 2021). "What? Merdeka 118 is the LAST mega-tall skyscraper in the world?". New Straits Times. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  9. ^ a b Kaur, Sharen (26 October 2021). "Merdeka 118, the world's second tallest tower, will surpass 644m tall upon spire completion". New Straits Times. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  10. ^ a b Rani, Nur Amirah Abd (3 September 2021). "Merdeka 118 mercu tanda integrasi masa depan" [Merdeka 118, landmark of future integration] (in Malay). Berita Harian. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  11. ^ Ngui, Yantoultra (30 November 2021). "Malaysia completes Merdeka Tower cone". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b Rahim, Rahimy (30 November 2021). "PM: Completion of Merdeka 118 tower spire, the world's second-tallest building, a 'proud moment'". The Star. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  13. ^ a b PM: 118-storey Warisan Merdeka to generate economic opportunities for all. TheStar.com.my
  14. ^ a b RM5bil Warisan Merdeka will be country's new landmark. TheStar.com.my
  15. ^ "Malaysia Chronicle | A place to speak up on Politics, Business, Social". 30 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Amenities : Merdeka 118". Merdeka 118. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Malaysia to Get New Iconic Landmark KL118". www.kl118.com.my. 18 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016.
  18. ^ "New PNB skyscraper to meet the demand for space - Daily Express Newspaper Online, Sabah, Malaysia". dailyexpress.com.my.
  19. ^ "Malaysia Chronicle | A place to speak up on Politics, Business, Social". 30 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Underground jewels for the Klang Valley MRT - Features - The Star Online". thestar.com.my. 4 March 2015.
  21. ^ "This unconventional 'kampung' is Kuala Lumpur's next property hot spot". The Edge Markets. 20 December 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  22. ^ Skyscraper Center"KL118 Tower - The Skyscraper Center". skyscrapercenter.com.
  23. ^ "A spectacular blend of the historic and contemporary in the heart of Kuala Lumpur with approximately one million sq ft of retail opportunities". 118 Mall. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  24. ^ "Menara Merdeka 118, bangunan kedua tertinggi dunia selepas Burj Khalifa? Ini faktanya…". Sinar Plus. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  25. ^ NEAPOLI SDN BHD "NEAPOLI TO HELP BUILD THE WORLDS THIRD TALLEST BUILDING". neapoli.com.
  26. ^ "Technical : Merdeka 118 building". www.merdeka118.com.
  27. ^ "Pintaras shares up after bagging RM74mil Warisan Merdeka job - Business News - The Star Online". thestar.com.my. 13 March 2014.
  28. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  29. ^ Sharen (5 December 2014). "Six in the running". NST Online. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  30. ^ "Malaysia Chronicle | A place to speak up on Politics, Business, Social". 30 September 2020.
  31. ^ Joakim Persson (11 October 2015). "PAnother big KONE order in Malaysia". ScanAsia.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  32. ^ Zainul, Intan Farhana (23 November 2015). "PNB confirms RM3.4b Menara KL118 contract awarded". The Star. Retrieved 23 November 2015.
  33. ^ "PNB to raise RM2b via green sukuk to fund Merdeka 118 Tower". The Edge Markets. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  34. ^ "Park Hyatt to take up residence at PNB 118".
  35. ^ "Construction of PNB's Merdeka 118 tower reaches 111 floors". The Star. 4 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  36. ^ "Merdeka 118 project back on track after MCO". New Straits Times. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  37. ^ "Merdeka 118 tower safely tops out".
  38. ^ https://www.investkl.gov.my/Relevant_News-@-Malaysia_Begins_Construction_of_the_Country%E2%80%99s_Tallest_Skyscraper.aspx
  39. ^ "Merdeka PNB118 - The Skyscraper Center". www.skyscrapercenter.com. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
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