Merdeka 118 - a new skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur and positioned to be the second tallest building in the world

MALAYSIA - Kuala Lumpur is known for many reasons, from delectable street food to its impressive architecture. The country’s capital city also boasts gleaming skyscrapers with its modern skyline dominated by the Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers. Ready to dominate the city’s skyline is a new skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is the Merdeka 118 building that is positioned to be the second tallest building in the world.

Merdeka 118 is a 118-storey skyscraper that is located in the city centre. This geometrically intricate building will be home to the headquarters of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), which is one of Malaysia’s leading investment firms hence the building is also known as PNB 118. After completion, Merdeka 118 will boast more than 635 meters height and is set to be the tallest building in Malaysia. The building was designed by the local architectural firm RSP Architects Sdn Bhd joint with Fender Katsalidis, a Melbourne based architectural firm who also designed the tallest building in Melbourne, Eureka Tower. Merdeka 118 is an iconic landmark featuring futuristic and symbolic design that embraces the diverse culture and the legacy of Malaysian independence. The concept behind the silhouette of the tower’s spire symbolizes the iconic image of the outstretched hand of Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj when he proclaimed independence at Stadium Merdeka in 1957.

The Merdeka 118 tower will feature 83 floors of premium office space and around 60 floors of the office space will be reserved as the headquarters of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) which is the building’s owner and developer. Its podium floors will be occupied by retail stores or a shopping mall. While the upper floors will be for Park Hyatt Hotel which will contain 12 stories of hotel rooms and 5 stories of hotel residences. The remaining floors will accommodate the sky lobby, observation deck, restaurants and other amenities. This super structure building has a total gross floor area of 292,000 square meters and has floor plates of 20,000 square feet NLA built to a high specification including raised floors and underfloor air-conditioning. The building is expected to be available for tenant occupation in the fourth quarter of 2021.

Sustainability is at the heart of the development with Merdeka 118 pursuing an environmental program and is seeking a triple platinum sustainability certification under the USGBC’s LEED program, the Malaysian GreenRE program and the Malaysia Green Building Index.

This newest building, Merdeka 118, will definitely shape, redefine Kuala Lumpur’s skyline and soon to be the face of a modern Malaysia landmark office address.