YTL Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur
Previously occupying various offices in different locations, the new YTL Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur unites the entire suite of the company's departments, each of which have developed their own culture and operations.
Ministry of Design used elegant touches and a monochromatic scheme when designing the YTL headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
YTL Corporation Berhad, a large Malaysian infrastructure conglomerate founded in 1955, grew from a small construction firm into a global infrastructure company spanning oil & gas, cement, construction, property development and hotels.
The brief for MOD was to design the public areas shared by these departments, i.e. Ground Floor lobby and levels 8-10, and present a unified brand identity under one roof. As such, MOD sought to create a series of choreographed spatial experiences which aim to balance YTL’s legacy of corporate professionalism with a future-forward attitude that embraces change.
There are 2 main public area zones, the Ground Floor lobby, and 3 upper floors (levels 8-10) which comprises a host of collective meeting zones, and a cafe.
At the Ground Floor, visitors are greeted by a vertically cavernous lobby which spans more than 25-meters in height (7 floors). The design challenge for MOD, was how to enhance the majestic quality of the space, yet not dwarf the human scale and provide a welcoming entrance. As such, the lobby is a study in proportion, light control and a disciplined use of materials. The soaring space has been designed to capture the rays of light in the daytime, and glow like a lantern in the evening.
Levels 8 to 10 comprise a café, multiple types of open & closed meeting spaces and a 122-pax function room. This public zone is conceived to be an extension of the lobby area, and is conceptualized to be the point of interface between YTL staff and external visitors and consultants.
The “heart” of L8 is the handsome grey granite café counter with bronze shelves and oak timber ceilings and walls. Serving up freshly baked confectionary as well as aromatic espressos, this café counter is designed with a rough-edged split-face granite on its vertical surfaces and a smooth black sesame polished granite for the horizontal counter.
To introduce connectivity between Levels 8 and 9, MOD introduced a void and a feature spiral stair, designing an arresting and dynamic cage-like stair with vertical rods made of powder-coated bronze metal, sitting on a bed of black gravel. A visitor is meant to feel a sense of timeless elegance and beautifully crafted materiality whilst climbing the stair, with one hand on the elegant leather handrails.
These spaces are designed with a warm and sophisticated palette, featuring warm oak timber for the walls and ceilings, silver mink marble flooring, and black powder-coated metal trims for lighting fixtures. The café, banquette and booth seating are upholstered in German-based innovative fabric from Saum & Viebahn whose “magic” range features high quality fabrics built for high-usage and easy maintenance. The tables feature either striking black Nero Marquina marble or elegant white Calacatta marble. The enclosed meeting rooms feature handsome carpet flooring from the Net Effect Collection, elegant brown leather chairs and timber tables.
Design: Ministry of Design
Design Team: Colin Seah, Joyce Low, Ruth Chong, Kevin Leong , Damien Saive, Namrata Mehta, Fai Suvisith, Justin Lu, Zhang Hang, Maggie Lek, Kaye Mojica, Richard Herman, Rais Rahman, Tasminah Ali, Azilawanti Wati, Faiz Jasni
Contractor: Quantum One
Photography: David Yeow Photography
