Press Release:
(Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 11 November 2010): International architect SPARCH’s first major built project in Malaysia, 1 Mont’ Kiara retail mall, will soon open its doors to the public. SPARCH is commissioned to design the roof and interior of the project, which features sophisticated design concepts and innovative technologies to create a unique and exciting retail destination.
The green centrepiece of 1 Mont’ Kiara is undoubtedly its atrium, which nestles under a triangulated transparent canopy constructed using ethylene tetrafluoroethylene or ETFE. The ETFE roofing enables natural light to stream through, illuminating the piazza-like space and minimising the dependence on electrical means of illumination. The ETFE lightweight pillow roof also reacts to lighting and projection. As a result, the colour of the ceiling can be changed, as desired, whilst events, activities and cultural performances are staged to engage and entertain visitors.
SPARCH’s interior design of 1 Mont’ Kiara is intended to stimulate the senses and provide an attractive environment to move through. A wide palate of finishes is introduced in terms of feel, colour and texture to reflect Mont’ Kiara’s predominantly residential, family-orientated nature and also the building’s tropical context. The atrium floor depicts an abstract image of the hibiscus flower, Malaysia’s national flower, that guides shoppers to different zones of interest.
The chosen circulation strategy performs as a continuous loop, making it easy for shoppers to remain orientated and all shops equally accessible. To reinforce this, SPARCH has located visual and physical attractions throughout the space to encourage shoppers to explore all areas.
“We have envisioned a modern yet cutting-edge design for the 1 Mont’ Kiara mall that provides a perfect balance between functionality and adherence to environmental conservation. The replete natural light offered through the use of the ETFE-clad canopy gives the shopper a feeling of traipsing around under an ‘open-air’ shopping mall.
“We are confident that the 1 Mont’ Kiara retail mall will be well-received by locals and tourists alike,†says Stephen Pimbley, SPARCH’s principal and 1 Mont’ Kiara’s design director.
1 Mont’ Kiara, comprising five retail levels – four above ground and one in the basement – occupies a gross floor area of 40,000 sqm, and is an integral part of the eponymous mixed-use development that will include offices and serviced apartments.
