Tropical Oasis of Kuala Lumpur
Angkasa Raya, situated in Malaysia’s capital at the intersection of Jalan Ampang and Jalan P. Ramlee, directly across the well-known Petronas Twin Towers in the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), presents a new typology in high-rise skyscraper design that overtly expresses the inhabitation of diverse urban activities in a tropical environment and captures the vibrancy of the city’s multifaceted culture. Rather than competing with the Twin Towers in the form of another “twin” or blending into the surrounding context of singular towers on a podium, Angkasa Raya offers a new contemporary reading of the capital city and stands as an icon of the harmonious and dynamic balance of Malaysia’s cultural multiplicity and diversity.
Angkasa Raya is comprised of five distinct elements – three floating elevated tower blocks and two multi-level zones of open horizontal slabs – that are autonomous yet connected to one another in a uniquely stacked and shifting configuration of varied functional and urban typologies.
At a height of 268 meters over 65 floors, and 165,000 square meters of construction area, Angkasa Raya accommodates Premium Offices, a Luxury Hotel and Service Residences. Each function occupies one of the three rectangular volumes which, through their mutual support and delicate balance, generate a unity that is both multiple and symbiotic.
The “Ground Levels”, a series of open horizontal slabs, bring urban life into the building and unfold two interconnected spirals of vehicular and pedestrian circulation, mixing signature retail, restaurants/cafes, a food court, and prayer rooms with abundant outdoor greenery and urban streetscape.
Moving beyond the typical model of inert multi-level parking podiums, the open framework of the Ground Levels introduces and extends the coexistence of urban activities and injects exciting public spaces into the heart of the building.
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Materials provided by Buro Ole Scheeren