MENARA MESINIAGA BY KEN YEANG
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
Exterior view
TITLE: Completed in 1992, this building was a precursor to what we call “green buildings” today.
Yeang himself is regarded as the father or inventor of the bioclimatic skyscraper.
CHALLENGE: Designed as a headquarters for IBM, the building applies architect Ken Yeang’s bioclimatic designs with both internal and external features to create a low-energy building.
Yeang himself is regarded as the father or inventor of the bioclimatic skyscraper.
CHALLENGE: Designed as a headquarters for IBM, the building applies architect Ken Yeang’s bioclimatic designs with both internal and external features to create a low-energy building.
Design aspects
PLANTINGS: Plantings spiral up the façade and into the sky courts from a three-story-high planted mound. Planting can also be found amongst the triple-height recessed terraces in the upper reaches of the building. These well thought out atriums allow natural ventilation to occur with cool air, and the vegetation enhances shade and increases the oxygen supply to the users.
South west elevation
ON NORTH AND SOUTH FAÇADES: Curtain wall glazing is used to control solar gain and on the east and west facades, external aluminium fins and louvers provide sun shading. The light-green glass and glazing detailing act as ventilation-filters without wholly insulating the interior.
ON ALL OFFICE FLOORS: Terraces are provided with sliding doors for workers to control the level of natural ventilation. In addition, the elevator lobbies, toilets and stairwells all have natural ventilation which circulates throughout most of the building.
THE BUILDING ITSELF: Consists of a circular floor plan which offers no dark corners in the offices.
ON ALL OFFICE FLOORS: Terraces are provided with sliding doors for workers to control the level of natural ventilation. In addition, the elevator lobbies, toilets and stairwells all have natural ventilation which circulates throughout most of the building.
THE BUILDING ITSELF: Consists of a circular floor plan which offers no dark corners in the offices.
Office floor plan
ENCLOSED ROOMS: Rooms that do not require much light are located near the central core, these are also air conditioned but due to the circular design of the building this minimises the amount of rooms which need mechanical ventilation.
This allows workstations to be located on the outside edge where natural lighting and high quality views are available making the working environment more comfortable for the user and having the workstations on the outer edge also allows for natural ventilation to be easily implicated.
THE TOWER: The tower has intelligent building management systems to reduce energy consumption by equipment and air-conditioning plants.
This allows workstations to be located on the outside edge where natural lighting and high quality views are available making the working environment more comfortable for the user and having the workstations on the outer edge also allows for natural ventilation to be easily implicated.
THE TOWER: The tower has intelligent building management systems to reduce energy consumption by equipment and air-conditioning plants.
