YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography
© David Yeow

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Glass, FacadeYTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, StairsYTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior PhotographyYTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Table, ChairYTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - More Images+ 23

  • Interior Designers: Ministry of Design
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  3045
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2020
  • Photographs
    Photographs:David Yeow
  • Manufacturers Brands with products used in this architecture project
    Manufacturers:  Interface, Axis Stone Snd Bhd, Brandston Partnership, DDG Glass Manufacturing Sdn Bhd, Fórmica, Inovar Contracts Sdn Bhd, Kreon, Neiviv Home, Nippon Paint, PVD Titanium Coating Sdn Bhd, Quantum One Sdn Bhd, R&C Creative Studios Sdn Bhd, Roselle Mont Clair, Space Furniture, Studio Sawada Design, Toto
  • Architect of Record: Veritas
  • Architect In Charge: Ministry of Design
  • Design Team: Colin Seah, Joyce Low, Ruth Chong, Kevin Leong, Damien Saive, Namrata Mehta, Fai Suvisith, Justin Lu, Zhang Hang, Maggie Lek, Kaye Mojica, Richard Herman, Rais Rahman, Tasminah Ali, Azilawanti Wati
  • Concept: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
  • Design: Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn Bhd
  • Client: YTL Corporation Berhad
  • Ground Floor Art: Hanging Art Sculpture “Leaves”, Studio Sawada Design Company Limited
  • Interior Construction Duration: 24 months
  • City: Kuala Lumpur
  • Country: Malaysia
More SpecsLess Specs
YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Glass, Facade
© David Yeow

Design brief: To unify. YTL Corporation Berhad, a large Malaysian infrastructure conglomerate founded in 1955, grew from a small construction firm into a global infrastructure company spanning oil & gas, cement, construction, property development and hotels.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table, Chair
© David Yeow

Previously occupying various offices in different locations, this YTL Headquarters located in Central Kuala Lumper (along Jalan Bukit Bintang) brings together for the first time, the entire suite of YTL departments (numbering more than a dozen, comprising 1000 staff members), each of which have developed their own culture and operations.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Kitchen
© David Yeow
YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Image 28 of 28
Eighth Floor Plan
YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Stairs
© David Yeow

The brief for MOD was to design the public areas shared by these departments, i.e. Ground Floor lobby and levels 8-10, and present a unified brand identity under one roof. As such, MOD sought to create a series of choreographed spatial experiences which aim to balance YTL’s legacy of corporate professionalism with a future-forward attitude that embraces change.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Table, Wood, Chair
© David Yeow

Design concept: To respect legacy and infuse future-forwardness.  There are 2 main public area zones, the Ground Floor lobby, and 3 upper floors (levels 8-10) which comprises a host of collective meeting zones, and a cafe.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Handrail
© David Yeow

At the Ground Floor, visitors are greeted by a vertically cavernous lobby which spans more than 25-meters in height (7 floors). The design challenge for MOD, was how to enhance the majestic quality of the space, yet not dwarf the human scale and provide a welcoming entrance. As such, the lobby is a study in proportion, light control and a disciplined use of materials. The soaring space has been designed to capture the rays of light in the daytime, and glow like a lantern in the evening.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Table, Lighting, Chair, Countertop
© David Yeow

MOD designed the marble-clad columns such that its rhythm is denser and more grounded at the bottom, yet getting lighter towards the top, giving the impression of ascending lightness. MOD inserted horizontal striations and ridges using bronze accents, in the continuing pattern of white Bugatsa Marble, to provide visual relief rather than a continuous ascension to the top. A glittering art installation hovers like a cloud over a series of pavilion niches, which provide a sense of human scale in this vast space. MOD designed the seating areas as architectural pavilion niches rather than mere decorative benches. These seating areas provide iconic Barcelona Couches for visitors to sit on and admire the lobby’s majestic cavernous quality, and the pavilion niches are also designed in the same restrained material palette, featuring bronze bead blast metal trims for consistency.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Table, Chair
© David Yeow
YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Image 26 of 28
Ninth Floor Plan

After a visitor signs in at the reception desk and proceeds past the turnstiles, they would indicate the destination floor number at the lift call button area before entering the lift lobby (incorporating a “destination-dispatching” elevator system). Design-wise, while MOD wanted to keep the entrance experience entirely symmetrical from the drop-off to the lift car, there was an existing stair core which prevents this symmetry; in response, MOD created a bronze-clad “portal” to anchor the lift portal and draw a visitor’s eyes towards that lift lobby when he enters the main lobby. The lift lobby is accented with the same bronze metal as the main lobby for a consistently disciplined material palette.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Dining room, Table, Chair, Windows, Beam
© David Yeow

Levels 8 to 10 comprise a café, multiple types of open & closed meeting spaces and a 122-pax function room. This public zone is conceived to be an extension of the lobby area, and is conceptualized to be the point of interface between YTL staff and external visitors and consultants.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Stairs
© David Yeow

The “heart” of L8 is the handsome grey granite café counter with bronze shelves and oak timber ceilings and walls. Serving up freshly baked confectionary as well as aromatic espressos, this café counter is designed with a rough-edged split-face granite on its vertical surfaces and a smooth black sesame polished granite for the horizontal counter.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography
© David Yeow

To introduce connectivity between Levels 8 and 9, MOD introduced a void and a feature spiral stair, designing an arresting and dynamic cage-like stair with vertical rods made of powder coated bronze metal, sitting on a bed of black gravel. A visitor is meant to feel a sense of timeless elegance and beautifully crafted materiality whilst climbing the stair, with one hand on the elegant leather handrails.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography
© David Yeow
YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Image 25 of 28
Tenth Floor Plan

On all three levels 8, 9, and 10, MOD has created a myriad of meeting space types to suit a variety of small to large gatherings, private to non-private. These spaces range from casual communal tables, open discussion areas, hot-desk / banquette seating / booth seating areas, to semi-enclosed meeting rooms, acoustically private rooms, a VIP room and a large multi-function meeting area that can seat 122 persons.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography, Windows, Facade, Handrail
© David Yeow

These spaces are designed with a warm and sophisticated palette, featuring warm oak timber for the walls and ceilings, silver mink marble flooring, and black powder-coated metal trims for lighting fixtures. The café, banquette and booth seating are upholstered in German-based innovative fabric from Saum & Viebahn whose “magic” range features high quality fabrics built for high-usage and easy maintenance. The tables feature either striking black Nero Marquina marble or elegant white Calacatta marble. The enclosed meeting rooms feature handsome carpet flooring from the Net Effect Collection, elegant brown leather chairs and timber tables.

YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design - Interior Photography
© David Yeow

Project gallery

See allShow less

Project location

Address:205, Jln Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Click to open map
Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "YTL Headquarters / Ministry of Design" 29 Nov 2020. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/952106/ytl-headquarters-ministry-of-design> ISSN 0719-8884

© David Yeow

杨忠礼机构总部大楼 / Ministry of Design

You've started following your first account!

Did you know?

You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.