Wednesday, 30 November 2016
New headquarters for Umno
THE STAR
An artist’s impression of the soon-to-be revamped PWTC area which will be known as the KL Putra World Trade Centre.
THE Golden Triangle area of Kuala Lumpur is set to have a new icon with the redevelopment of Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) into KL Putra World Trade Centre (KL PWTC).
The project will feature an integrated lifestyle environment comprising the development of a 70-storey office and hotel tower, a new world-class Tun Razak Hall and exhibition halls, a 5,000-capacity mosque as well as a retail podium.
The project will also see the refurbishment of the existing Merdeka Hall and Menara Dato Onn, which currently houses the Umno headquarters.
The entire project is expected to be completed within the next four years.
KL PWTC resulted from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s vision for an expanded headquarters for Umno.
“As Umno is growing rapidly, the initial idea was to provide a new headquarters for the party.
“I felt that this landmark should reflect the welcoming spirit of Umno towards everyone regardless of faith, ethnicity and social background and also the importance of the party in the development of Malaysia.
The new integrated KL PWTC complex will provide seamless connectivity between these components and the city itself, including a link to the River of Life and KL City Centre’s pedestrian linkage programme.
“Thus the scope was expanded to revitalise the whole PWTC complex,” he said during the groundbreaking ceremony.
“The first Umno headquarters was Bangunan Umno on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, which was completed in 1955.
“As the organisation grew, a new headquarters was needed, so PWTC was built and opened 30 years later in 1985.
“Now another 30 years on, Umno continues the tradition of expanding its headquarters, this time through turning PWTC into KL Putra World Trade Centre,” Najib explained.
Taking inspiration from traditional Malay attire, the architectural theme of KL PWTC will incorporate the traditional patterns and unique folds of the sampin as well as the wavy blade and the distinctive hulu (hilt) of the Malay keris.
This theme will be reflected in the 70-storey tower, the inspiration for which is the image of a sampin fold enveloping a keris, signifying the importance of the building in the Malaysian narrative. This imagery will also be replicated at the Putrade Hall, where the traditional patterns of the sampin will be replicated in the external façade of the building.
A retail podium will be incorporated into the redevelopment of PWTC.
The concept signifies a fusion of old and new, bringing the area to a new level as the latest ‘it’ location in Kuala Lumpur, while maintaining the older structures as a tribute to the past.
The 70-storey office and hotel tower will be built on the site of the existing Hentian Putra Bus Terminal and car park.
The towering building will have an area of 1.2 million sq ft for offices, a six-star hotel with 250 rooms and a sky lounge-restaurant with panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline. The tower was designed to be 70 storeys tall, to represent 70 years of Umno and will also stand as the new headquarters for Umno.
Previously, eastbound buses to Kota Baru, Kuala Terengganu, Jerteh and Kuala Besut would depart from Hentian Putra Bus Terminal.
However, it ceased operations in December 2014 and departures were moved to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) in Bandar Tun Razak.
The new Tun Razak Hall will involve a facelift of the two existing halls in the current PWTC, featuring modern architecture, and separating them into two levels of approximately 308,173sq ft nett floor space.
This new hall will be used for local and international indoor events, showcases, concerts, conferences and artistic plays.
The Golden Triangle area of Kuala Lumpur is set to have a new icon in its midst with the redevelopment of PWTC into the KL PWTC.
The refurbished Dewan Tun Hussein Onn and Dewan Tun Dr Ismail will be turned into a centralised business centre for corporate meets, events or workshops.
Complementing the Tun Razak Hall will be a large convention centre, Putrade Hall, boasting an exhibition space of 491,640sq ft nett floor area and seating capacity for more than 54,000 people.
This will be another ideal location for conventions, exhibitions, expositions, roadshows, world conferences and even weddings.
Integrating these elements will be a two-level retail podium with an approximate area of 527,200sq ft gross floor area, comprising modern architecture with a more dynamic feel.
The new integrated PWTC complex will provide seamless connectivity between these components and the city itself, including linkages to the River of Life and KL City Centre’s pedestrian linkage programme.
This seamless connectivity is designed to create an all-round vibrant buzz and feel that will resonate throughout the expositions, conventions and events, as well as hoped to promote a healthy outdoor lifestyle.
The 70th anniversary celebrations and groundbreaking ceremony for KL Putra, held as part of the Umno General Assembly, took place on the top level of Hentian Putra yesterday.
History of Putra World Trade Centre
1971
Umno’s general assembly decided to construct a building to permanently house its headquarters, replacing the current premises in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
The project was spearheaded by Malaysia’s second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak, who chaired the building committee.
A special fund was set up to finance the project.
1972
Umno purchased a 4ha plot of land in Jalan Tun Ismail.
RM3mil was collected from all Umno divisions and individuals.
Deputy Prime Minister Tun Hussein Onn took over the chairmanship of the building project.
When he was appointed prime minister and acting Umno president, he relinquished his chairman position to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah.
1979
The Umno Supreme Council agrees on the design for PWTC.
The building committee under the chairmanship of Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad begin construction of the building.
1985
The building that was to be Kuala Lumpur’s World Trade Centre is named Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) after Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.
1986
The first event hosted was the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Convention which was held from April 12 to 16 and attended by more than 2,500 participants.
1989
PWTC hosted the prestigious Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting from Oct 18 to 24.
Source: www.pwtc.com.my
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