Southeast Asia’s Highest Observation Deck, at Merdeka 118, To Host Closing Networking Reception—PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn. Berhad Confirmed as Diamond Sponsor

We are pleased to announce that PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn. Berhad (PMVSB) is a confirmed Diamond Sponsor of the CTBUH 2023 International Conference, Humanizing High Density—People, Nature & the Urban Realm, taking place 16–21 October, in Singapore & Kuala Lumpur. PMVSB will host the conference’s closing networking reception, which includes a trip to Levels 115 & 116 of Merdeka 118, Southeast Asia’s highest observation deck, delivering unparalleled views of Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding region. This will be a one-of-a-kind experience for attendees and a fitting conclusion to an extraordinary CTBUH event!

Designed by architecture firm, Fender Katsalidis Architects, the 118-story Merdeka 118 is the second tallest building in the world—and the tallest building in Kuala Lumpur—housing offices, residences, and a hotel. The name Merdeka, or “independence” in Malay, is shared with the adjacent Stadium Merdeka, situated on the site where Malaysian independence was declared in 1957.  

By articulating the tower’s structural pathways with a combination of differentiated glazing and internal illumination, Merdeka 118’s crystalline form reveals itself, day and night, as a unified composition of disparate facets, patterns, and textures. As such, it is a metaphor for the myriad states, territories, ethnicities, and cultures that comprise Malaysia and evokes the designs of traditional Malaysian arts and crafts. Diamond-shaped in plan, Merdeka 118 is sited on axis with neighboring Stadium Negara, to the east, and a new lineal park to the west of Stadium Merdeka; the latter providing both a concourse for stadium attendees and formal access to the tower’s upper lobby level. 

Located in Kuala Lumpur, PMVSB is a wholly owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), incorporated in 2000 to develop the Merdeka 118 Precinct, and the sole custodian of both Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara. Both stadiums were designated national heritage sites in 2005, under the National Heritage Act 2005. Thereafter, PMVSB carried out meticulous conservation efforts, earning Stadium Merdeka the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Culture Heritage Conservation Program (Asia Pacific) in 2008.

Learn more about Merdeka 118 here. Register and learn more about the conference program here.