It is not the
tallest building in the world nor is it cladded with expensive materials.
However, its unique form makes it a building to watch out for whenever you are
in Penang next time. It is the Maritime Square by IJM, located along the
island’s east coast highway.
Penang has
never been a favourite place for innovative skyscrapers due to its secondary
place in terms of importance in the context of the entire country. It is not
the commercial hub of Malaysia and hence there is not much tall office towers
being located here. And that is a shame because you would normally find
interesting architecture in office buildings thanks to the deep pocket and tall
ego of corporate firms. Most high rise buildings in Penang are dominated by
residential apartments and there is always a limit of how an architect could
push so far in terms of design.
There are
currently only two notable tall office buildings that come to mind when I think
of Penang. The first one is obviously the 65 storey KOMTAR, the tallest
building and the first skyscraper of Penang. It was designed in the modernist
language with a pure cylindrical tower. It is still standing tall today and has
become the beacon for George Town from as far as Kepala Batas in the mainland.
The second building is the UMNO Tower designed by Ken Yeang which antenna
collapsed recently and killed one person who was driving below. UMNO Tower is
the first Penang’s skyscraper that got the international attention with its
innovative wind channeling technology.
Now I could
safely say that Penang will soon has its third architecturally unique
skyscraper when the Maritime Square is completed. It consists of twin towers
service suite housing 240 duplex units with a commercial podium below. Residential
buildings are normally designed in a very rigid layout due to the functions
that are required in its internal layout. The design of the twin towers of
Maritime Square however managed to have an undulating façade with curving lines
rising upwards and terminating at the top with vertical elements. The podium
façade is also interesting with its dynamic form of mullions and glass panels
of different sizes. The design is trendy and sculptural without having a blown
out budget.
Penang
island’s east coast has managed to rake in an unprecedented investment in
recent years thanks to the completion of the highway and reclamation works
stretching from the two Penang bridges all the way to the fringe of George Town
at Weld Quay. Two of the major projects are the Penang World City (joint
venture between Ivory Properties Group and Tropicana Corporation) and The Light
by IJM. The Maritime Square is located between The Light and George Town, a
strategic location overlooking Penang channel and Butterworth. The twin towers
will no doubt add on to the ever changing skyline of Penang and become two
prominent structures from the mainland.
