MENARA MESINIAGA Kuara Lumpur, MALaysia'W This striking interpretation of the corporate ‘landmark’ skyscraper exploresa new direction for an often pompous building type. Instead of a typically authori rian and introverted statement of a mult tational corporation, the IBM tower is a robust, formal and open expression of an emerging technology. The ar- joclimatic tall build chiteet calls this new type th and provides it with sen sible, energy-saving climatic controls, Most notable ate the two spirals of green “sky gardens’ that uwist up the building and provide shade and visual contast ‘withthe steel and aluminium surfaces. The reinforced concrete frame is further punctuated by two types of sun-sereens and glass and steel curtain wall, whieh, along with the sloping base and metal erown, make the essentially High Tech image much more organie; one of the jurors termed the building ‘organitech’ Further ecological sensitivity incluces the placement of the core fametions on the hartest (east) side of the tower and the extensive use of natural light, ventila- tion and greenery Kenneth Yeang's‘bioclimatic architecture’ recalls the climatie architecture of the 1950s and Frank Lloyd Wright's skyscraper projects, in a move towards now architecture for the 1990s, The result isan alternative tothe reigning mode of corporate towers and a new synthesis for contemporary archicectute that is responsive to the climate of a particular place and finds inspiration for a new architectural language from forces that are ultimately cosmic, 95ARCHITECTURE BEYOND ARCHITECTURE Menara Mesiniaga isthe headquar ters building of an IBM franchise in ‘Subang Jaya near Kuala Lampur. 15 storeys tall with a floor area of 12,345 square metres, the tower was designed by the architect Kenneth Yeang and his firm, TR Hamzah and Yeang Sén Bhd. The client commissioned Yeang (o build a High Tech corporate showease that would also provide a suitable and comfortable atmosphere for employees. A convenient corner site with high visibility was selected, and the building design was approved in 1989, Construction was completed in \ August 1992. 1 Local architectural styles in Kuala Lumpur are mixed: British colonial, Chinese influences and various Z. European and Malaysian style ae all found in the city, but the overall look is 1 ; contemporary. The area immediately around the Menara Mesiniaga is an unplanned mix of residential quarters, > A town houses, office buildings and a ‘ mosque, A large shopping centres located nearby, as well asa large office \ block and two hotels \' “Menara Mesiniaga brings feution the architect's decade-long esearch \ into bioclimatie principles for the design of tall buildings in tropical I climates. I features strong spatial ‘organisation with a specific hierarchy that consists of a raised ‘green’ base, a spiralling body with horizontal, terraced garden baleonies and external 3 FROM ABOVE: Twelteh-oar poot axonometnc 96MENARA MESINAGA ”MENARA MESINIRGAARCHITECTURE 8€YOND ARCHITECTURE louvres that shade the offices, and an appermost floor that houses reerea sional facilities, a swimming pool and sunroof. The reinforced concrete and steel-frame structure of the building is ‘completely expased; the tower is cooled by both natural ventilation and air conditioning. The distinctive tubular composition that erowns the tower will provide for te future installation of solar panels o farther reduce energy consumption. But, despite its many achievements, Menara Mesiniaga is not problem free, Due to the high levels of humidity, some leakage and rusting of materials can be t rook observed, especially on the 1 Yeang’s interest in experimenting with ecologically and environmentally sound tall awers — the bioclimatic skyscraper ~is to reduce the costs of a building by lowering its energy com sumption and to develop benefits for the users by emphasising ecological values chat is, designing with the climate in mind, Yeang believes that a climatically responsive building is @ successful building, and both client and users of Menara Mesiniaga attest o the success of his approach. The design features of the tower are bold, and are not intended to blend with he immediate physical environ ough its climatic adapt: tion isa priority: The tower has also become a lancimark, and has increased the value of the land around it. S4-R Completed 1992 Architect: TR Hamza and Tang Sén Bhd (Clint: Mesiniaga Sr Bh 100 BELOW: Entrance atop off; main lobby, office floor partitioning: OPPOSITE. L TO R: East elevation architect's studies for landscaping’ into the ‘ky courtMesINIAGA MENARA