Ilham Tower brings together a variety of spaces for living and working in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, all within the compact footprint of a 58-storey high tower. The challenge of designing such a significant new high-rise scheme was to relate to the large, urban scale, as well as in detail. The tower’s geometry is driven by the need for flexible, column-free spaces to accommodate its mixture of functions. Its form is equally shaped by the climate and urban context – the diamond-shaped plan increases the living spaces with views of key city landmarks and the facades tilt away from the morning and evening sun to reduce solar gain.

Extending the public realm, the building is set back from the perimeter of the site and poised on a slender base to create a generous, tree-lined plaza that reaches into the atrium. The tower features huge, open sky gardens, which are up to 40 metres in height and have uninterrupted city views, made possible by the tower’s innovative, self-bracing diagrid structure.