I-Berhad may team up with Huawei Malaysia to launch self-driving buses in i-City

 By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property, December 17, 2021  

Huawei Enterprise Malaysia managing director David Li (right) and I-Berhad executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong (centre) during a recent meeting at i-City. Courtesy image

This was revealed during a recent meeting at i-City with Huawei Enterprise Malaysia managing director David Li, and I-Berhad executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong.

Huawai is expected to develop the self-driving bus system for I-Berhad, the developer of the RM10 billion smart city project, which began in 1995.

This could happen as early as 2024, when the i-City LRT3 station in Seksyen 7, Shah Alam, opens.

The community that work and live in i-City will be able to move around via the autonomous shuttle services. Similarly, the autonomous shuttle will also serve visitors who alight from the i-City LRT3 station, heading to i-City. 

i-City, a self-sustaining smart city, has gained traction, with the number of residents, knowledge workers, and visitors growing at an exponential rate. As the population grows, i-City will continue to cater to the specific needs of its tenants, residents, and other stakeholders, particularly by improving public facilities and increasing provision for more.

The autonomous shuttle service is convenient for visitors to move around within i-City, be it for business or leisure.

The shuttle service will connect the important nodes between the central business district (CDB) in i-City, namely Central i-City Mall, DoubleTree by Hilton, and CentralWalk, to Mercu Maybank corporate tower. In addition, it will also serve the residential properties and the theme park.

With the surge in the corporate population at Mercu Maybank, which includes Maybank with approximately 1,400 employees, Prudential, and some other MNCs, and the growing residential population, they will all gain from the extended public transport.

The use of public transportation will significantly reduce traffic congestion and also the carbon footprint within i-City as part of its green initiative agenda.

Singapore announced the launch of autonomous bus services for the first time, in a bid to drive sustainable autonomous vehicle solutions within the country.

Commuters can take driverless buses in two areas of Singapore, in the first such trial since the Republic began experimenting with autonomous vehicles on the roads in 2015.

The new services, headed by ST Engineering, and operated by SMRT and SBS Transit, will run in Singapore Science Park 2 near Haw Par Villa and on Jurong Island.

Meanwhile, given Huawei's extensive experience in smart city solutions and also expertise in data centres, the company fits the bill to accelerate i-City's advancement to the next stage of rolling out other smart features, which includes expanding into Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered services, and the deployment of 5G (5th generation mobile network) technology.

i-City is currently served by 400G-capable network connectivity powered by Huawei, boosting its credentials as a smart city.

i-City is currently served by 400G-capable network connectivity powered by Huawei, boosting its credentials as a smart city and next-level information and communications technology (ICT)-based urban development.

The timely deployment of 5G will enable i-City to gain a significant edge in the rolling out of future technologies and the explosion of its service-based economy.

In the works for I-Berhad is the setting up of a new data centre park. The developer has the approval to build two more data centres with space of 100,000 sq ft each on a 2.43-hectare plot of freehold land, targeting multinational corporations (MNCs), financial companies, and information technology firms.

Currently, the purpose-built Tier-3 certified data centre in i-City, which was launched in 2008 is running at full capacity.

Huawei's agenda to accelerate Malaysia's digital economy transformation can also enhance i-City's future growth.

The company recently upgraded its Huawei Customer Solution Innovation Centre (CSIC), which was officially launched on November 23 by Prime Minister Datuk Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The CSIC was created as an information and communications technology (ICT) hub and Center of Excellence to drive the industry's open ecosystem and accelerate Malaysia's digital economy transformation.

 Huawei's 5G solutions for smart cities and autonomous vehicles are among the B2B (business 2 business) solutions on display at CSIC.

Rehda: Banks should expand their step-up financing and other funding options to improve homeownership

 By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property, December 16, 2021 

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End-financing is still a major issue in homeownership, according to the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association Malaysia (Rehda).

According to the Rehda Property Industry Survey first half (H1) 2021, 88 per cent of respondents reported end-financing issues in H1 2021.

The top three factors were ineligibility due to buyer income, a lower financing margin, and insufficient financial documentation.

Rehda and the Rehda Institute hope that banks will expand their step-up financing and other alternative funding options to improve Malaysian homeownership.

"As the economy is recovering, we also recognised that the Covid-19 has impacted people differently especially in terms of their access to financing. Most financial institutions are still very risk-averse and too stringent in their assessment criteria to the detriment of prospective house buyers, looking for a home," Rehda president Datuk Soam Heng Choon said in a joint press conference today.

Rehda and the Rehda Institute are hoping that the government will extend the Home Ownership Campaign (HOC), which ends this month, to help with property sales and marketing.

Due to the soft market sentiment and pressure from external market forces, sales and marketing activities are facing a number of challenges.

Datuk NK Tong, deputy president of Rehda Malaysia, said an extension of the Home Ownership Campaign would allow prospective home buyers to purchase a home as their jobs and income improved over time. File Photo

Datuk NK Tong, deputy president of Rehda Malaysia, said an extension of the HOC would be beneficial because it would allow prospective home buyers to purchase a home as their jobs and income improved over time.

"The rakyat looking at their first home or home upgraders that are employed in certain sectors and industries that are still heavily affected by the pandemic, for example from airlines, tourism industries, their hopes, and dreams will vanish due to their inability to get a loan.

"Hence, those whose income was still affected due to the pandemic such as the underemployed and unemployed, as well as those whose income has reduced and those working in the gig economy due to lack of proper documentation, find it challenging to obtain a loan.

"The above could be due to the financial institution's risk committee imposing more stringent valuation on new property launched and also the secondary sub-sale market," he said.

Tong also said that Rehda Institute will investigate developing a Digital Marketing Transformation Initiative (DMTI), which is a digital marketing certification programme for 2022, in collaboration with relevant universities and other partners to assist property developers and the sales and marketing ecosystem in their transition to digitalisation.

This will be implemented in response to a preliminary finding from Rehda Institute's Industrial Marketing and Sales Survey last month, in which 49 per cent of respondents said the impact of digital marketing spending and digitalisation was found to be significant.

Twenty-eight percent of respondents said the impact was somewhat impactful, 18 per cent said it was most impactful, and four per cent and one per cent said it was less impactful and least impactful, respectively.

Tong said the findings came about after one of the current issues faced in marketing and sales of properties in Malaysia was highlighted.

"There is still very slow and lack of digital technology adoption from property developers in Malaysia, particularly the medium-sized to smaller developers. During the lockdown period and due to Covid-19, the developers are unable to embrace digitalisation especially relating to marketing and sales activities, particularly medium-sized to smaller property developers outside Klang Valley. This has had an impact on homeownership in those geographical areas," he said.

The Central i-City mall expects increased revenue as a result of new tenants, including the arrival of Maybank

By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property, December 3, 2021 

Central i-City mall opened in Mach 2019

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Central Plaza i-City Real Estate Sdn Bhd anticipates that its flagship Central i-City mall in Selangor's capital city will generate more than RM50 million in revenue in 2023 as it signs new tenants and renews leases that expire next year.

The mall, which has about 350 retail stores, kiosks, and pop-up shops, is currently 87 percent occupied, according to Anthony Dylan, the company's chief operating officer.

He expects the mall to be 95 per cent occupied by next year, with the remaining five per cent kept as a buffer for new brands looking to enter. 

"We were aiming for 95 per cent occupancy in the first year of operation based on our three-year plan, and we achieved 87 per cent despite Covid. We are only seven to eight per cent short. New tenants are preparing to move in as we speak. TGIF is opening today (December 3)," he told NST Property.

Sogo Department Store (200,000 sq ft), TGV Cinemas (40,000 sq ft), which houses Southeast Asia's largest Samsung Onyx LED cinema screen, and Village Grocer (40,000 sq ft) are the mall's anchor tenants. They collectively occupy 30 per cent of the mall's current tenanted space.

Central Plaza i-City is a joint venture between Thailand's largest retail property developer, Central Pattana Public Company Ltd (CPN), which owns 60 per cent, and i-City Properties Sdn Bhd, an affiliate of I-Berhad, which owns 40 per cent.

I-Berhad is the master developer of the RM10 billion i-City, a smart technology city with a global financial hub at its heart. Within the financial hub is Menara Sumurwang, DoubleTree by Hilton i-City (opening mid-2022), Central Walk, the i-City Convention Centre, residences, and the mall.

i-City also includes a Best Western Hotel, SoHos, and serviced apartments, a Tier 3 data centre, cyber office suites, and a CNN accolade leisure theme park.

Anthony Dylan, chief operating officer of Central Plaza i-City Real Estate Sdn Bhd, said that the arrival of Maybank and other corporate players will boost retailer sales and foot traffic at Central i-City Mall. Courtesy image

Maybank's entry to i-City will boost retailer sales and foot traffic at the mall

According to Anthony, the current monthly foot traffic at Central i-City mall ranges from 800,000 to 1.2 million.

He anticipates that when the DoubleTree by Hilton i-City opens in the middle of next year and Menara Sumurwang is fully leased; this figure will increase, as well as retailer sales.

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank), Malaysia's largest bank by assets, will be the new anchor tenant for Menara Sumurwang, a Grade A Green Building Index (GBI) smart office tower.

Maybank will occupy 14 floors at the smart office tower as the group's permanent alternate office location. By the first half of 2022, the office space will accommodate about 1,400 employees.

The 320,000-square-foot Menara Sumurwang will be renamed Mercu Maybank.

With Maybank coming in, the 33-story tower has achieved an 80 per cent take-up rate within the first year of completion, despite the pandemic.

I-Berhad and Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, multinational corporations, and international logistic players currently occupy the Multimedia Super Corridor-status smart office tower.

Other factors, such as the growing workforce and residents in i-City, as well as the future LRT 3 i-City station, which will be operational in 2023, will contribute to the mall's growth, according to Anthony.

"With things settling down, we expect more people to visit the mall. The mall's location on Shah Alam and Klang border give it the advantage of being in the middle of two large markets. We built this mall so that the people of Shah Alam and Klang could be proud of it. Central i-City mall is the closest to them, with new offerings and multiple F&B and fashion brands," he said.

Central i-City Mall is Central Pattana Public Company Ltd’s flagship property in Malaysia.

Central i-City is CPN's first international mall, with the largest net lettable area in Shah Alam (close to one million square feet).

The mall cost RM850 million to build and had its soft opening on March 23, 2019.

The Sultan of Selangor, HRH Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, did the official opening on June 15, 2019.

According to Anthony, the mall earned RM40 million in revenue during its first year of operation (March 2019 to March 2020), exceeding the company's target.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the various Movement Control Orders imposed in 2020, the mall earned RM40 million in revenue during its second year of operation (March 2020 to March 2021), which also exceeded the company's target, he said.

"In our current third year of operation, we intend to match what we achieved last year, so there will be no revenue growth because SOPs and restrictions continue to bind us.

"The focus for the coming year will be on tenant consolidation and lease renewals. If some brands have difficulty staying afloat, we will speak with them about their intended survival strategy. Otherwise, we may have to replace the brands with other well-known brands," he said.

Anthony said that 2023 is about continuing the upward trend in terms of revenue and earnings.

"We hope to maintain the momentum year after year," he said.

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The Andaman Langkawi is expected to reopen in the second half of 2023

By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property on November 24, 2021 

The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort under the Marriott International umbrella, was destroyed in a fire in January. File Photo

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The Andaman, a five-star resort in Langkawi that burned down earlier this year, will most likely reopen in the second half of 2023.

According to Landmarks Bhd, the resort's reconstruction and restoration will begin in the first quarter of 2022 and will take up to 30 months.

The company said the designer team has begun work on the new resort's design.

The claims for the resort's fire losses are also progressing well, it said in a recent stock exchange filing.

The Andaman, a Luxury Collection Resort under the Marriott International umbrella, was severely damaged in two fires that broke out within hours on January 12, effectively destroying one entire block of the rainforest resort.

The resort is managed by the Marriott Group and is owned locally by Andaman Resort Sdn Bhd, a Landmarks subsidiary.

According to reports, Landmarks is collaborating with super-luxury hotel designer Jean-Michel Gathy, the principal of Denniston, who is responsible for some of the world's most iconic hotels, to rebuild the property.

Landmarks, a 24.98 per cent-owned associate of Genting Bhd is a major player in the resort and wellness industry. Its earnings are primarily derived from The Andaman and Treasure Bay Bintan, an Indonesian 338-hectare waterfront resort city.

Recently, the company released its unaudited interim results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021 (3Q 2021).

Landmarks reported a net loss of RM15.72 million for the nine months, a significant improvement or 79 per cent lower than the net loss of RM48.1 million reported in the same period a year ago.

The company stated that the decrease in losses was primarily due to the recognition of estimated insurance receivables of RM140 million for The Andaman, while affected property, plant, and equipment totaling RM106.38 million were written off and impaired as a result of the fire incident.

It also stated that Treasure Bay Bintan incurred a lower operating loss following the sale of the Natra Bintan Hotel in late 2020.

Moving forward, the company is optimistic about the tourism industry's recovery, citing rising vaccination rates around the world and countries opening their borders to business and travel.

It stated that the opening of tourism hotspots such as Phuket Thailand with its Phuket Sandbox arrangements and Bali Indonesia with its Vaccinated Travel Lanes has increased tourist traffic to the two destinations.

"The surge in tourism demand has been encouraging and we foresee the demand to travel will continue to increase as countries continue to take steps to ease the restrictions previously imposed on overseas travelers," it said.

According to Landmarks, Treasure Bay Bintan has recently experienced an increase in both occupancy and room rate, which will be boosted further with the opening of the Singapore border.

The Indonesian government and local authorities in Bintan have been in active discussions with the Singapore Economic Development Board and the Singapore Tourism Board to open a travel lane between Singapore and Bintan, according to the statement.

"We expect there will be a surge in demand for our resorts should this happen," the company said.

IJM Land's Robin @ Rimbayu sold RM241mil worth of homes within 30 minutes

By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property on November 18, 2021

Robin @ Rimbayu Type B has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a large opulent gate. Courtesy image

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IJM Land Bhd recently launched Robin @ Rimbayu, which saw 308 homes with a gross development value (GDV) of RM241 million sold within half an hour.

The sale was conducted by an online unit selection session, during which interested homebuyers were able to select a unit via the developer's official portal and enjoy Home Ownership Programme benefits like a 10 per cent discount on the purchase price, exemption of stamp duty for Memorandum of Transfer and loan, and free legal fees for Sales and Purchase Agreement and loan.

Robin @ Rimbayu, which is part of the 1,879-acre Bandar Rimbayu township in Selangor, had 615 double-storey link homes.

The homes are available in three different types and sizes – Type A (177 units), Type B (333 units), and Type C (105 units) – and are aimed at homebuyers looking for quality residential homes suitable for multigenerational families.

The intermediate Type A units have a land size of 18' x 65' and a built-up area of 1,535 sq ft.

Following the pandemic's recent lifestyle shift, which has been more home-based than ever, the ground floors in Type A units have an open layout concept that offers homeowners flexibility and control over their space utilisation. This allows for easy future renovation of the living spaces to meet their ever-changing needs.

Type A units start at RM648,800 and come with plenty of room and space, including a 7-foot backyard, high home ceilings, and a balcony in the master bedroom, all of which contribute to the spacious atmosphere.

The presence of sliding doors allows for improved lighting and ventilation, which improves livability and comfort at home.

Homebuyers can also consider Type B units, which have a larger built-up area of 1,665 sq ft and start at RM680,800.

While Type B prioritises space and an open concept layout, homebuyers of Type B benefit from a larger floor depth, which creates an even larger space.

Type A and Type B units in Robin @ Rimbayu both have three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a large opulent gate.

Robin @ Rimbayu Type C - Intermediate units come with 8' wide garden. Courtesy image

Type C homes have a great layout design for growing families and families with elderly members, making them an excellent choice for a generational home.

The intermediate Type C units, which start at RM881,800, have a 28' x 65' land size and a large 2009 sq ft built-up.

Type C units are referred to as garden homes because they are the largest of the lot. They include an additional bedroom (four-bedroom, three bathrooms), a seven-foot-long back yard, an eight-foot-long garden, and a ground-floor room that opens directly to the garden. These features make the development very appealing to homebuyers with extended families who make full use of the green spaces incorporated within their homes' compound.

Homebuyers can also use the extra space at the car porch area to convert it into a linear garden with trees, plants, and shrubs, further amplifying the aspects of green spaces in a balanced and fulfilling life.

The open concept layout that is implemented on the ground floor is similar to Types A and B. The living, dining, and kitchen areas are not obstructed by compartmental walls.

The additional family hall on the first floor overlooks the garden below, providing additional space for family members to gather.

Unsold residential units worth RM19.7bil are still on the market

By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property, November 23, 2021 

NSTP/AIZUDDIN SAAD

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There were 30,290 unsold completed residential units (overhang) worth RM19.7 billion nationwide as of September this year, according to Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Ismail Muttalib.

According to Ismail, this is an improvement over the second quarter, when there were 31,112 unsold units worth RM21 billion.

This represented a 2.64 percent decrease in volume and a 1.74 percent decrease in the value of unsold units in the third quarter, reported Bernama.

"Although not obvious, there is a drop in the number of unsold houses after some developers reduced prices or gave discounts to clear the supply overhang amidst the uncertain economy," he said today in the Dewan Rakyat.

The Home Ownership Campaign (HOC) has played an important role in encouraging homeownership and reducing the number of unsold properties.

The HOC is a government initiative designed to assist first-time homebuyers while also encouraging the sale of unsold properties in the local housing market.

The campaign began in January 2019 and generated RM23.2 billion in sales, exceeding the government's initial target of RM17 billion.

Datuk N. K. Tong, deputy president of the Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda), had said that as of September 30, a total of 73,503 residential units valued at RM47.38 billion (after discounts) had been sold since the HOC was reintroduced last year.

During that time, he said, buyers received discounts totaling more than RM9 billion.

Selangor dominated sales during the HOC, selling 30,888 units worth RM21.1 billion, followed by Kuala Lumpur, which sold 17,468 units worth RM11.6 billion.

Johor came in third with 8,723 units valued at RM5.4 billion sold, followed by Penang which achieved RM4.5 billion in sales with 6,784 units sold.

The HOC benefits include significant savings in stamp duty and tax exemption on housing loans, as well as a minimum 10 per cent discount on the purchase price of properties listed under the scheme.

The campaign, which will run until December 31, 2021, will cover registered residential properties worth between RM300,000 and RM2.5 million.

Industry participants hoped that the campaign would be extended until June or July of next year, with the possibility of expanding to include the secondary housing market.

With benefits such as stamp duty and tax exemptions, this provides property developers and individual sellers with an equal opportunity to sell their units in the residential market segment.

LBS Bina is on track to meet its RM1.2bil sales target for 2021

By NST Property, Published on November 24, 2021

LBS Bina Group Bhd had secured RM1.1 billion in property sales and total bookings in the pipeline of RM950.2 million as of November 22, 2021. File/Photo

LBS Bina Group Bhd has achieved 92 per cent of its RM1.2 billion sales target for 2021, according to its executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Hock San.

He revealed in a statement that as of November 22, 2021, the company had secured RM1.1 billion in property sales and total bookings in the pipeline of RM950.2 million.

"This illustrates that we are building in the right areas and delivering affordable housing which satisfies the needs of the general public. While the outlook for the property sector is expected to remain challenging, we are encouraged by Malaysia's return to normalcy, having achieved over 90 per cent vaccination rate among the adult population," said Lim.

LBS Bina Group Bhd executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Hock San. File/Photo

Based on data released by the National Property Information Centre, there was an 18.5 per cent increase in the number of transactions for properties below RM500,000 in the first half of 2021, compared to the corresponding period in 2020.

According to Lim, this is a positive sign for the property sector, particularly for affordable housing, because it indicates that the property market recovering.

LBS has released its third-quarter results for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. (3Q FYE21).

Despite Covid-19-related restrictions and the re-implementation of the Full Movement Control Order, the company achieved revenue and profit after tax and minority interest (PATAMI) of RM254 million and RM18.1 million, respectively, for the quarter under review.

In the nine months ended September 30, 2021 (9MFYE21), revenue and PATAMI increased by 15 per cent and 153.7 per cent, respectively, to RM922.4 million and RM60 million, compared to the same period in 2020.

The 9MFYE21 PATMI surpassed the total PATAMI of RM51.3 million in 2020.

According to Lim, the increase was largely due to the company's ongoing development projects at KITA @ Cybersouth, LBS Alam Perdana, Alam Awana Industrial Park, Residensi Bintang Bukit Jalil, and Cameron Centrum's positive take-up rates and steady construction progress.

He hoped to maintain the current positive earnings momentum through the end of 2021.

LBS currently has 20 ongoing development projects totaling RM5.65 billion in gross development value (GDV).

The landbank for future development totals 2,794 acres, with a GDV of RM24.3 billion and unbilled sales of RM2.17 billion.

"According to the Housing Bureau Statistics, Malaysia still has a shortage of one million units of affordable residential housing. On the back of this, we recently launched Prestige Residence in Seri Kembangan and landed houses in Kita Mesra at KITA @ Cybersouth, whereby we have seen encouraging sales," Lim said.

KITA Mesra consists of 646 affordable landed homes (townhouses, double-storey and single-storey terraced houses) with a GDV of RM309 million.

Lim stated in a separate statement that KITA Mesra is yet another neighbourly residence that is set to follow in the footsteps of KITA @ Cybersouth township, fulfilling fellow Malaysians' homeownership dreams with affordable pricing for new family starters.

"We believe that, despite the ongoing pandemic, demand for landed properties will continue to rise, and this project can benefit buyers with its reasonable price range as well as long-term value for investments," he said.

Menara YTL: The new futuristic headquarters of YTL Group

 By Sharen Kaur - Published in NST Property, November 15, 2021 25

Located at 205 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Menara YTL is the next significant step in the YTL Group's journey. Image courtesy of YTL

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The new corporate tower for the YTL Group, Menara YTL, which is located within the prestigious Jalan Bukit Bintang enclave is the star among the many office buildings nearby.

The boutique-scaled office tower is located on the same row as The Westin Kuala Lumpur and JW Marriott Hotel Kuala Lumpur, adjacent to The Starhill Mall.

Menara YTL, located at 205 Jalan Bukit Bintang, is the next significant step in the YTL Group's journey.

YTL had gone through incredible transformation and growth since its inception in 1955. It has progressed from a small home-grown construction company to an integrated infrastructure developer with operations in over ten countries.

This multifaceted organisation, which now has over 12 million customers worldwide, began in modest shop offices on Jalan Bukit Bintang. As YTL advanced into the future, it relocated to YTL Plaza, which eventually became its headquarters, to envision a new home that better reflects the evolution of the YTL brand and accommodates an ever-expanding new generation of employees.

Menara YTL will house many of the group's core businesses, including property development and investment, construction, hotel development and management, cement, power, e-commerce, and internet-based education solutions.

It will provide cutting-edge facilities for a dynamic new workforce of over 1,000 people while remaining true to the group's traditional roots by remaining in Bukit Bintang.

The design brief for the 41-storey Menara YTL was developed in 2017.

The tower was designed by a renowned architect, designer, and consultant hired by YTL and completed in December 2020.

Menara YTL stands majestically in Kuala Lumpur’s city centre. Courtesy image

The elegant touches and monochromatic scheme of the building make it a standout structure in Kuala Lumpur's skyline.

The total built-up area is 392,021 square feet, with two levels of basement parking and parking bays ranging from level 1 to level 7.

Meeting rooms are located on levels 9 and 10, while offices are located on levels 13 through 39. On level 8, there is also a cafe, sky lobby, roof garden, and town hall.

The tower has a high ratio of open space to development footprint, which is consistent with YTL's philosophy and commitment to sustainable development. Almost half of the site area (excluding the building footprint) is dedicated to calming greens and landscaping, far exceeding the local authorities' requirements.

One of the main challenges in designing the building was to create a one-of-a-kind structure that would arise from a narrow plot of land in the high-volume heart of Kuala Lumpur's premier shopping district.

The structure would also need to stand out and be distinctive in the typical YTL style, as well as bring the vision to life.

The sleek tower was designed by American architecture firm KPF Associates, with a "crystal" façade finish achieved through an artfully folded glass that creates a gem-like effect with variations in light reflection and contrasting textures.

The 8th-floor deck hosts a highly meaningful art installation. Courtesy image

Landscape architect and sculptor Dr. Colin K. Okashimo created an outdoor installation on the eighth-floor deck. The one-of-a-kind circular arrangement represents metaphorical expressions associated with Tan Sri Dr. Yeoh Tiong Lay, the late founder of the YTL Group.

Japanese-headquartered Studio Sawada created the spectacular installation in Menara YTL's lobby. Courtesy image

The tower's cavernous reception lobby, which spans over 25m in height across seven floors, is the "star." Studio Sawada Design made a lasting impression for the seven-story atrium with a glittering kinetic sculpture. The sculptural interpretation of 'komorebi,' dubbed Leaves, poetically captures the effect of sunlight streaming through tree leaves.

The soaring entrance lobby is lined with marble-clad columns and bronze detailing created by the Singapore-based Ministry of Design (MOD), an architecture and interior design studio founded in 2004 by Colin Seah.

The MOD's goal was to improve the "majestic" quality of this vast space while also making it welcoming. To accomplish this, the studio created a restrained material palette, which is dominated by the soaring white columns clad in Bugatsa marble that run the length of the lobby.

Menara YTL's cavernous reception lobby, which spans over 25 metre in height across seven floors, is the "star. Courtesy image

Behind the columns, floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate them and maximise natural light throughout the day, making the space "glow like a lantern in the evening."

At the back of the lobby is a deliberately symmetrical lift area, accessible via turnstiles and framed by a statement bronze doorway. This enables private access to the upper levels of YTL Headquarters, including the office oak-lined cafe, various meeting spaces, and a MOD function room.

Ministry of Design steered the design for levels 8 to 10. Courtesy image

The cafe features a rough grey granite counter with a polished black granite worktop against a backdrop of bronze wall-mounted shelves and oak-lined walls.

The walls and ceilings of the meeting rooms have also been lined with oak.