The office tower adopts a central core floor plan that offers approx. 1800 sqm of column-free office space on typical office floors. The efficiency of a typical office floor is about 85%, for both low and high zones. The total Gross Floor Area of the development is 76,500 sqm which is served by 8 high-rise and 8 low-rise passenger lifts with an interchange at levels 25 and 26. The tower orientation maximises the view out, with long walls facing Royal Selangor Golf Club and The Exchange 106 (previously known as Signature Tower). Overall building form and façade treatment are kept simple and elegant, in keeping with the bank’s requirement for headquarters with “Dignified Corporate Elegance”.
The building houses a new Affin Bank branch from level 1 to level 3. Upon arrival, the bank customers will be welcomed with an “invisible banking hall” and an exclusive banking lounge in a 7-storey high atrium at level 1. This stunning banking lounge best bespeaks Affin Bank’s intention of achieving a “Bank Without Barriers”, where the bank’s customers can access the officers on the podium floors readily. A conventional banking hall and vast spreading sofa lounge at level 2 allow customers to meet the bank officers in a relaxed atmosphere. The Premier Lounge at level 3 uplifts the banking service standard to another horizon with its state-of-art technology and formal yet cosy banking environment. Level 4 is the conference floor for public events. Due to security concerns, customers and the public are only allowed to visit up to level 4 without a visitor pass.
All office floors are open plan design, which enables flexibility in the use of space and the interchangeability of the bank’s departments. A deep slot-in in the typical office plans allows maximisation of the “corner office”. Using modular partitions, fixed and loose furniture and fittings allows them to be reused, relocated or incorporated into other parts of the building where it is needed. The key criteria for furniture and fittings selection are durable, can be reused, repaired and repurposed. This reduces the frequency of replacing old furniture and fittings with new and retains the functional value of the product and improves its life span.
To improve the well-being of the staff, create a sense of belonging to the bank and help raise productivity, the building is designed with innovative spaces such as pocket gardens, sky gardens, indoor greenscaping, common lounges/casual meeting spaces, gymnasium, library and education centre, auditorium, the pantry at every floor and nursing rooms at many floors for mothers. Apart from serving as break-out spaces, these facilities help to foster better connectivity and good working relationship among staff, which will help the bank achieves its intention to be a “Bank Without Barriers” from an internal scenario.
A full spectrum of conference facilities is provided to accommodate gatherings and discussions of different scales and natures. Apart from conference facilities at level 4 for public events, level 25 is defined as a function floor for internal conferencing and training events. Formal meetings and casual discussions among staffmay occur at every corner of the building. On every floor, space is created for a touch-down zone where inter-departmental contact is encouraged. On most floors, a Social Zone is created as a common space for staffinteraction, break time and events. Executive floors are located at levels 41 and 42. An exclusive roof garden complete with private dining facilities overlooking the Royal Selangor Golf Club allows the staffat the executive level to have a break-out time in a breath-taking city view.
Affin Bank is the only office tower with an auditorium in TRX. This auditorium is located at levels 26 and 27, and it can accommodate 300 seats. Instead of having full solid four walls like other auditoriums do, this auditorium has a full-height curtain wall as the backdrop wall backing the stage which allows audiences to enjoy the stunning city view while sitting in the audience zone. Intelligent stage lighting systems and motorised curtains make manipulation of lighting effects possible for different purposes and functions in the auditorium hall.
The theme for the interior spaces is Biophilia, which is the affinity of humans with the natural world. Biophilia is harmonised within the interior spaces. It is not a cosmetic surface treatment but rather the theme was a major part of the overall design from the beginning and coordinated throughout the construction. The outcome is an interior design which enables harmony with nature through colours, patterns and texture. The ultimate purpose of this is to help to reduce stress in the building occupants.
The building is designed as a green building. It has achieved a GBI Gold rating for a Non-Residential New Construction cate gory. It also complies with the concept of the World Green Building Council’s Whole Life Carbon Vision and Health and Wellbeing Framework. The building has many green building innovative ideas such as good passive design, an energy-efficient building envelope, roof insulation, daylighting, water savings, rainwater harvesting and waste reduction features. These are complemented by good active design practices including high-efficiency chillers, fans, light fittings, pumps, regenerative lifts, automatic dimming and motion sensors, and supported by maximum demand limiting programming and top range energy monitoring system with an uninterrupted monitoring and verification programming for quick response. Combined, the above features helped the building to achieve an annual reduction in the emission of CO2e calculated at 7,550 tonnes per annum.
The selection of building materials, furniture and fittings follows the basic principles of a circular economy in construction. They are chosen based on Life Cycle Assessment criteria and can be reused, recycled or repurposed to extend the life of the component materials. The building achieved a high QLASSIC score of 86%, a reflection of good quality detailing and construction.
