The scale of the ground floor public area demands for an eye catching surface that provides the space with an identity while at the same time establishing a connection to its context. The floor depicts an abstract image of the hibiscus flower, guiding shoppers towards different zones of interest. Thus the differentiated floor design becomes part of the strategy of enticing the shoppers’ sense of exploration and bringing them to the upper floors.

There is one set of escalators in the main atrium linking all commercial floors. It provides a direct link to the roof terrace from within the retail area. The choice of inverting the escalators is a reflection of maximizing the shoppers’ exposure to shop frontage at all levels. The escalators are clad with a glass screen to match the gallery balustrades. Hence the floors appear to be part of a continuous upward spiraling movement, directing the eye throughout the atrium.

The choice of ETFE as a lightweight cladding material is in tune with the desire for a light steel structure that performs over a large span. The form of the atrium roof is determined by its surrounding building elements: it starts flush with the roof level on the north side and folds up on the south side to allow for an access area to the roof top terrace. Its self cleaning properties can be utilized thanks to frequent tropical rainfalls.

The triangulated roof structure is supported by two raking space frame columns within the central atrium space. These “legs” have the double task of reducing the roof span as well as supporting the atrium balconies described below.

Part of the strategy of increasing the atrium void was to compensate the wider space with elements of interests within it. The design of large sized balconies within the atrium is intended to either provide a support seating area to smaller F+B units or to accommodate small retail units. These balconies are supported by the main concrete structural frame and by the roof structural columns.

In order to achieve better proportioned shop areas, the shop front line is moved backward generating ‘plazas’ within the gallery space. The proposal of integrating ‘island kiosks’ within the gallery is an effective way to maintain visual connection to all shop fronts and to create extra points of interests on the shopping circuit as well as providing smaller rentable units.

• Architects

  SPARCH

• Location

  Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Category

  Retail

• Interior Design

  SPARCH

• Design Director

  Stephen Pimbley Team: Jan Clostermann, Darmaganda, Sofia David, Michael Gibert, Sevena Lee, RenJie Li, Suchon Pongsopitsin, KimLee Tan

• Local Architect

  Veritas

• Architects Quantity Surveyor

  YSCA Consultancy

• M&E Engineer

  Norman Disney & Young

• Specialist Structural Engineer

  Tensys

• Lighting Design

  Lumino Design Consultants

• C&S Engineer

  Jurutera Perunding Riz

• Area

  40000.0 m2

• Project Year

  2010

• Photographs

  Milk Photographie