Prudential Tower

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

An attempt to identify a high-rise type more adapted to the tropics than the conventional glass tower. Issues of environmental control, heat gain and energy efficiency were of primary importance in the design. Budget cuts ruled out an expensive louvre system, so the sunscreens consist of mild steel floor grating, supported by an I-section arm bolted to the concrete structure. The cladding is of aluminium panels. The multi-faceted glass hood that covers the entrance lobby was conceived as a three-dimensional manifestation of the Pythagoras theorem.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture