Supertall Marvel Points Way to Oz Housing Solution

Kuala Lumpur’s Merdeka 118, the world’s second-tallest building, pierces the sky at a staggering 678.9 metres. Its crystalline form, designed by Australian-based Fender Katsalidis, is widely regarded as a marvel of modern architecture. Put into an Australian context, it’s more than double the height of our tallest tower, the 322.5m Q1 on the Gold Coast. The project broke ground in July, 2014, topped-out on November 30, 2021, was completed about two years later and opened on January 10 of this year. The co-founder of the international architecture firm, Karl Fender, unsurprisingly, is proud of his firm’s creation. Merdeka 118 is without a doubt a feat of engineering and, as he says, a “truly city-changing project”. Its symbolic design, meant to evoke the hand of Malaysia’s first prime minister declaring independence, is poignant. “Merdeka” means “independent” in Malay. “This project is far more than just an office building—it represents independence, freedom, and sovereignty for Malaysia,” Fender tells The Urban Developer . “It stands on the very site where Tunku Abdul Rahman declared independence in 1957, pinpointing this historic moment within the cityscape.” Merdeka 118 comprises 400,000 cubic metres of high-strength concrete, 40,000km of rebar, and a 933-tonne spire that helped it best the Shanghai Tower to become the world’s second-tallest behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. ▲ The second tallest building in the world—the city-defining Merdeka 118. “The tower plays a crucial role in defining the city’s skyline,” Fender says. “It has become a powerful symbol of an important part of Malaysia’s journey as a nation. “Along with the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers, it forms part of a collection of city-defining markers. Wherever you are in Kuala Lumpur, these presences help you understand where you are.” The tower integrates 147,000sq m of domed retail space, multiple high-rise residential buildings and an underground mass rapid transit (MRT) station. It is also home to a six-star Hyatt Hotel, rooftop restaurant and two-level observation decks, as well as 50,000sq m of office space to accommodate about 16,000 workers. It’s a project that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in construction. The technical challenges overcome by Samsung C&amp;T Engineering &amp; Construction Group are testament to ingenuity, such as the use of high-pressure concrete pumping and GPS-guided precision construction that showcase the cutting edge of building technology. The hydraulic jack system used to raise the mammoth spire has been hailed by industry sources as nothing short of brilliant. “The structural demands of a building this tall are immense, it is a science,” Fender says. “It required a huge consultant team effort, particularly our brilliant structural and services engineers, and vertical transportation experts. Together, this collaboration between consultants and client group created an economically viable, robust, sustainable project and an enriched precinct. ▲ Merdeka 118 has about 147,000sq m of retail space. “One of our primary challenges was managing wind effects. With buildings of this height, the wind forces must be disrupted to reduce potentially destructive harmonic motion. Our solution was to design a crystalline form made up of triangular facets. “While functionally critical, it also created a visually and culturally significant presence. The facets are inspired by the local songket patterns of Malaysian arts and crafts. “The varying sizes of these facets reference the different cultures that make up Malaysia’s diverse population. It was our way of alluding to ‘One Malaysia’ through architectural language. “This marriage of structural pragmatism and cultural celebration produced a crystalline sculptural presence that is constantly changing when viewed from different locations, in response to varying natural light conditions. It performs daily.” For all the building innovation some pundits still question the wisdom of erecting such a colossus in a city already teeming with skyscrapers. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ’ s capital, now boasts more supertall buildings than almost any other city globally, yet one-third of the city’s office space is vacant. The $US100 billion high-tech Forest City in Johor Bahru that was meant to host 700,000 workers is all but a ghost town. Kuala Lumpur has 174 buildings above 150m tall for a population of just 2 million. At just 70 per cent occupancy, the ongoing challenge of filling Merdeka 118 with tenants highlights the risk of overreaching in a saturated market. In this context, some say Merdeka 118’s 50,000sq m of office space and luxury amenities may seem somewhat excessive. But Fender believes it’s already playing a vital role in re-energising the capital’s urban economy. ▲ With the completion of Merdeka 118, Samsung C&amp;T Engineering &amp; Construction Group has built the tallest and second-tallest buildings in the world. “Merdeka 118 is more than just a tall building, it is a catalyst for urban transformation and public benefit,” Fender says. “We’ve created vital connections from Chinatown through the building itself. It integrates a new underground MRT station. The project has delivered much-needed improvements to infrastructure including 1.5km of underground access roads. It’s a massive public offering that leverages the scale of the project to upgrade infrastructure and public facilities and amenities. “This project has been a long journey, 13 years in the making. Throughout this time, all involved have remained committed to creating not just a tall building, but a structure that provides significant amenity to the public while serving as an architectural statement of monumental relevance.” The fundamentals of supertall design—structural efficiency, advanced vertical transportation, mixed-use programming—are all present in Merdeka 118. While it’s easy to marvel at its height and construction ingenuity, the next generation of Malaysian property developers, architects and engineers is being tasked with better serving the cities sprawling beneath. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim wants a focus on affordable housing and small-scale commercial developments. He’s less interested in height than a building’s ability to integrate with and enhance the urban fabric around it. Australia’s housing crisis is also forcing a shift towards higher-density living. The rise of multi-storey apartment blocks in cities is a direct response to the increasing demand for housing and the limited availability of land. According to the Council of Tall Buildings and Habitat, of which Fender is chairman, Australia has 159 buildings above 150m, and 61 buildings above 200m, putting us seventh and sixth on the world list in the respective categories. We have the 55th largest population, but this population is growing, especially in cities, which demands more high-density housing and commercial spaces. ▲ The ground level entry of Merdeka 118. The Australian Government is targeting 1.2 million new homes in the next five years. Developer Salvo managing partner James Maitland says high-density housing is the only way to meet these targets. “I think when we talk about delivering the number of homes that they want, you’re not going to get that in single dwellings or in townhouses,” Maitland told the Future2034 Melbourne breakfast . “You’ve got to do it in high density.” On the flip side, director of the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute Professor Brendan Gleeson questions this yen for high density, calling it “vertical sprawl”. A study from Churchill Fellow Leanne Hodyl found that highrise developments in Melbourne were being allowed up to four times the maximum densities of Hong Kong, New York and Tokyo. Hong Kong and New York have a maximum density ratio of 10:1 and 12:1 respectively. Melbourne has been as high as 55:1. The Australian dream of owning a three-bedroom house and land in the suburbs is less likely during an affordability crisis and lack of suburban stock. This makes vertical living a potential solution to the shortage. But will we see buildings of Merdeka 118’s size punctuating the Australian skyline any time soon? “Our approach has always been responsive to community and commercial needs. The densification we’ve seen, particularly in Melbourne, has been needed to responsibly bring population to the city with efficient land use,” Fender says. “Highrise living—such as Australia 108 in Melbourne that houses 1100 apartments on a small plot—illustrates sustainable urban development. “It reduces sprawl, decreases transportation needs, and puts residents close to city amenities. This approach creates vibrant communities and convenient, sustainable urban living. “But currently, there is no need for buildings of such extraordinary height in Australia.” While Merdeka 118 is a testament to what we can build, it’s a reminder to question why we build. Fender maintains the common thread across all Fender Katsalidis projects is an “emphasis on public impact and benefit”. “When it comes to mega-tall buildings such as Merdeka 118, the same principles apply but they become even more compelling,” he says. “A grand statement provides the chance to inspire with the obligation to create opportunity, surprise and delight. “The scale and budget of such projects enables benefactions, with opportunities to significantly contribute to the urban fabric, the environment and community. “This project stands out to the practice, certainly not only for its height but rather for how it embodies FK core principles of civic design relevance, community benefit and, of course, design excellence. “FK is proud of the project. It was a privileged city-changing opportunity, a mega-scale challenge in a different country within a rich foreign culture. “It presented a compelling responsibility, a real challenge and has certainly been part of the practice’s learning and development. “The public’s response has been overwhelmingly positive, which we believe is the true marker of success.” You are currently experiencing The Urban Developer Plus (TUD+), our premium membership for property professionals. Click here to learn more.

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