Glance towards the skyline at any point within the Klang Valley and you will no doubt be able to spot the glimmering, skyward-reaching edifice that is Merdeka PNB 118. Construction on the 118-storey tower, which measures a stunning 678.9 metres tall, began all the way back in February 2016. And according to its owner PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn Bhd, this new proverbial feather in Malaysia’s cap is set to be completed by the middle of next year!
Merdeka PNB 118 to be ready by mid-2023
Quoting CEO of PNB Merdeka Ventures, Datuk Tengku Ab Aziz Tengku Mahmud, Malay Mail reports that the entirety of Merdeka PNB 118 will be ready by mid-2023, which also includes the country’s first-ever Park Hyatt hotel, occupying 17 floors. The building was constructed at a budget of RM5 billion, and is located on Petaling Hill, occupying the former location of Merdeka Park.
“Physically, it will be ready, that means the offices can move in,” Ab Aziz told members of the press.
Upon launching, Merdeka PNB 118 will feature 4.3 million square-feet of tenable space, which includes 1.66 million square feet of premium Grade A office space spread across 83 floors that are ready for leasing. The building is also expected to feature a tenancy mix of 70% local tenants and 30% multinational tenants.
Fund management company Permodalan Nasional Berhad, who provided funding for the building’s construction, will be the first tenant to move into the building alongside its other subsidiaries and will reportedly take up half of the office floors available.
Designed by Australian architectural firm Fender Katsalidis Architects in collaboration with RSP Architects Kuala Lumpur, the silhouette of Merdeka PNB 118 is meant to evoke the outstretched hand gesture that was famously used by Malaysia’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, during his proclamation of the nation’s independence in 1957. Its facade, which comprises of 18,144 panels of glass, is meant to represent the country’s uniquely diverse nature.
An observation deck in the clouds
But of course, one of the tallest towers in the world wouldn’t be complete without an observation deck from which one can truly marvel and take in the sights from. Located in the building’s 115th and 116th floor, including a mezzanine floor, “The View at 118” attraction will grant visitors a truly unobstructed vantage of the city. This will also be the highest observation deck in Southeast Asia.
But that’s not all, as visitors are purportedly also able to climb up the spire which caps the top of Merdeka PNB 118 using a spiral staircase, which will lead you up to the 16th level in the spire! At that point, you will be looking down from a height of 566 metres.
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