Name  of  Subject     :  Architecture  Culture  and  History  2  

Subject’s  Code         :  ARC  60203  

Title                                           :  Menara  Dayabumi    

Submission  Date     :  18th  November  2015  

Tutor’s  Name               :  Miss  Balkish    

Group  Members’  Name   :  

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1.  Nurina  Aida  Bt  Ghizan 0320035

2.  Pablo  Idris  Bin  Badrul  Ilahan 0321895

3.  Rozanna  Farah  Ibram 0317967

4.  Sia  Hong  Jie 0323506

5.  Tan  Jo  Lynn 0318518

MENARA  DAYABUMI  

2

Content  Page    

3

IntroducVon   4

The  Architect 6

Site  Context  Analysis  (Pablo  Idris  Bin  Badrul  Ilahan  0321895)     7

Architectural  Layout  (Nurina  Aida  Bt  Ghizan  0320035)       10

Architectural  Style  Analysis  (Tan  Jo  Lynn  0318518)         17

Building  ConstrucVon,  Structure  &  Materials  Analysis  

(  Sia  Hong  Jie  0323506)  24

Architectural  Elements  &  Components  Analysis  

(Rozanna  Farah  Ibram  0317967)  27

Conclusion 36

References 37

Introduc8on  

Address    

Dayabumi  Complex,  Kuala  Lumpur  City  Centre,  50050  Kuala  Lumpur,  Federal  Territory  of  Kuala  Lumpur,  Malaysia  

LocaVon  

Dayabumi  Complex  is  set  along  Jalan  Sultan  Hishamuddin,  south  of  Merdeka  Square.    

4

Designed  by:  BEP+MAA  

Contractor:  Takenaka  CorporaVon  &  Kumagai  Gumi  Co.  Ltd  

Client:  UDA  

CompleVon  Year:  1984  

Value:  RM  320    million  

Area:  150,000    sq.m  

ConstrucVon  stared:  14  February  1982  

Opening:  5  May  1984  

Type:  Commercial  offices  

LocaVon:  Jalan  Sultan  Hishamuddin,  Kuala  Lumpur,  Malaysia  

Height:  157m  (515d)  

Floor  count:  35  

One  of  the  earliest  skyscrapers  in  Malaysia  

Neo  Islamic  architecture  

5

The  Architect  

Arkitek  MAA  Sdn  Bhd  (MAA)  

In  1965,  the  pracVce  of  Arkitek  MAA  Sdn  Bhd  (MAA)  was  established  under  the  style  of  

Malaysian  Associate  Architects.  Their  architectural  works  included  large  scale  housing,  commercial,  

industrial  and  insVtuVonal  projects  were  iniVally  centred  around  Kuala  Lumpur.The  core  of  Armtek  

MAA’s  philosophy  is  the  focus  on  design  excellence.  

  With  the  firm's  long,  established  history  and  award  winning  track  record,  Arkitek  MAA  has  

the  depth  of  professional  talent  to  respond  to  projects  of  any  size  and  complexity.  The  firm's  

versaVlity  arises  from  its  mulV-­‐disciplinary  organisaVon.  Since  solving  today's  complex  design  

problems  demands  the  integraVon  of  many  service  capabiliVes,  including  highly  specialised  science  

and  technologies;  Arkitek  MAA's  structure  integrates  the  required  disciplines  and  staff  consultants  

under  one  roof.  

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Figure  0.0:  Picture  of  Menara  Dayabumi  taken  from  MAA’s  official  website.  

Site  Context  Analysis  (PABLO  IDRIS  BIN  BADRUL  ILAHAN  0321895)  

LocaVon    

  Dayabumi  Complex  is  a  35  storey  building  close  to  Jalan  Sultan  Hishamuddin,  where  the  

south  of  Melaka  Square  is.  This  building  was  built  id  1970,  it  was  the  first  modern  building  in  KL  to  

incorporate  the  very  basic  principles  of  the  islamic  design  into  its  architectural  structure.  It  was  one  

of  the  first  skyscrapers  in  the  city  of  KL.  From  the  building  30th  Floor  visitors  will  see  a  panoramic  

view  of  the  city.  

7

Figure  1.0:  LocaVon  of  Menara  Dayabumi  screenshot  from  Google  Maps.  

TransportaVon

  The  building  is  accessible  within  walking  distance  north  of  Pasar  Seni  LRT  StaVon.  

The  locaVon  of  the  structure  is  in  Jalan  Sultan  Hishamuddin.  

Site  Response    

  The  building  was  purposely  designed  to  blend  in  with  the  pervading  Moorish  and  ByzanVne  

atmosphere  of  the  structures  that  surround  it  namely  the  sultan  Abdul  Samad  Building  and  Railway  

StaVon  Building.  With  Islam  being  the  official  religion  of  Malaysia  since  independence,  there  are  

many  Islamic  architecture  featured  buildings  that  resides  in  Kuala  Lumpur.  Kuala  Lumpur’s  central  

business  district  today  has  shided  around  the  KLCC  where  many  new  and  tall  buildings  with  Late  

Modernism  and  Postmodern  architecture  fill  the  skyline.  The  shopping  arcade  and  complex  

houses,  city  point  offices  and  the  General  Post  Office.    

  It  houses  several  commercial  faciliVes  and  is  one  of  the  earliest  skyscrape  in  the  city.  Also  

located  near  the  NaVonal  Mosque  and  the  Federal  House.  Close  to  many  tourists  spots,  the  

approximaVon  to  places  like  hotels  and  commercial  block  have  an  asseveraVon  to  the  relaVveness  

to  the  Central  Market  of  the  City.  One  of  he  most  visible  structures  from  the  field  above  

highlighted  is  the  Dayabumi.  

  The  cheapest  way  to  get  to  the  Complex  is  by  public  transport,  by  taking  the  KL  City  bus  

which  takes  a  look  around  the  city.  There  are  four  routes  of  which  one  asses  in  front  of  the  

complex.    

  Many  of  the  early  buildings  which  are  built  during  the  first  decade  of  independence  were  

designed  white  respond  to  the  hot  humid  tropical  climate  of  Malaysia.  But  with  the  introducVon  of  

air  condiVoning  systems,  the  situaVon(  designing  in  response  to  the  climate)  has  changed.  

Meanwhile  the  accessibility  to  energy  resources  such  as  fuel  and  electrical  power  had  changed  the  

form  and  style  of  architecture  to  the  construcVon  of  the  buildings.  Architects  and  contractors  

preferred  not  to  implement  the  the  tradiVonal  climaVc  design  principles  and  favour  the  new  

materials  evacuees  it  is  a  symbol  of  progress  and  wealth.  How  ever  the  amempt  to  make  invenVve  

design  which  appropriately  response  to  our  climate  and  culture  is  very  few.  The  issue  in  the  

Dayabumi  Complex,  due  to  the  tropical  climate’s  string  effect  on  basic  raw  construcVon  materials   8

deterioraVon,  intensive  experiments  on  new  materials  and  properVes  were  also  made  by  the  US  

Naval  Research  and  thermal  comfort  became  the  main  issue.    

  Several  writers  did  also  discuss  on  the  change  in  architectural  traits  which  gives  negaVve  

impact  on  the  working  environment.  This  change  is  causing  energy  to  be  a  wastage,  have  an  

incrementaVon  on  the  cost  of  the  building  maintenance  and  operaVon,  psychological  stress,  

security  and  fire  safety.  

9

Figure  1.1:  View  of  Menara  Dayabumi  from  below.  

Architectural  Layout  (NURINA  AIDA  BT  GHIZAN  0320035)  

Plan  and  ElevaVon  Analysis  

10

Figure  2.0:  First  floor  floor  plan.  

Figure  2.1:  Sketched  elevaVon.  

CirculaVon  

  CirculaVon  refers  to  the  way  people  move  through  and  interact  with  a  building.  It  also  

refers  to  how  the  spaces  of  a  building  links  to  each  other.  There  are  a  few  components  and  

structures  of  a  building’s  circulaVon  such  as  entrance,  elevators,  escalators,  and  staircases  

which  are  oden  referred  to  as  circulaVon  elements,  as  they  are  posiVoned  and  designed  to  

opVmise  the  flow  of  people  through  a  building.  These  things  affect  our  percepVon  of  the  forms  

and  spaces  of  the  building.    

The  first  component  would  be:    

ENTRANCE  

Entrance  is  a  component  that  connects  the  outside  and  the  inside  of  the  building.  It  

provides  the  act  of  entering  which  differenVates  one  space  from  another  and  idenVfies  from  

where  you  are  to  where  you  are  going.  Usually,  a  wall  is  used  to  create  enclosed  spaces  but  an  

entrance  is  made  by  having  openings  in  the  plane  of  the  walls.  Although,  the  form  of  openings  can  

just  be  a  simple  hole  in  the  wall  or  even  a  disVnct  gateway.    

  There  are  three  types  of  entrances  which  are  flush  entrance,  projected  entrance  and  

recessed  entrance.  As  for  Dayabumi,  it  has  4  entrances  and  all  of  them  are  recessed  entrances.  A  

recessed  entrance  is  an  entrance  that  provides  shelter  and  receives  a  porVon  of  exterior  space  into  

the  realm  of  the  building.  

 

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Figure  2.2:  Entrances  of  the  tower.  

  The  locaVon  of  the  entrance  relates  to  the  form  of  the  space  being  entered  will  determine  

the  configuraVon  of  space  and  the  pamern  of  the  acVviVes  within  the  space  inside  the  building.  

CONFIGURATION  OF  SPACE  

  ConfiguraVon  of  space  is  the  sequence  of  the  spaces  that  links  to  one  another  and  

influenced  each  other.  It  can  have  a  paralleling  pamern  or  it  could  be  contrast  with  the  form  of  the  

spaVal  organisaVon.  

  There  are  six  types  of  configuraVon  of  spaces  and  they  are  linear,  radial,  spiral,  grid,  

network  and  composite.  Menara  Dayabumi  has  a  grid  configuraVon  which  consists  of  two  sets  of  

parallel  paths  that  intersect  at  regular  intervals  and  create  square  and  also  rectangular  fields  of  

space.  The  parallel  path  starts  from  the  four  entrances,  to  the  lobby,  going  through  the  food  court  

and  straight  to  the  exit.  

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Figure  2.3:  Recessed  Entrance  at  Dayabumi.  

Figure  2.4  (a)

PATH  –  SPACE  RELATIONSHIPS  

  Path  may  be  related  to  spaces  they  link  in  3  ways  which  are  pass  by  spaces,  pass  

through  spaces  and  terminate  in  a  space.  In  Dayabumi,  the  type  of  path  –  space  

relaVonship  is  pass  through  spaces.  Pass  through  spaces  means  the  path  may  pass  through  

a  space  axially,  obliquely  or  along  its  edge.  It  cuts  through  the  space  and  the  path  creates  

pamern  of  rest  and  movement  within  it.  

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Figure 2.4 (b)

Figure 2.4(a) and (b): Grid configuration.

Hallway Lobby Foodcourt

Figure  2.5

Figure  2.6

FORM  OF  THE  CIRCULATION  SPACE  

  The  form  of  a  circulaVon  of  space  varies  according  to  how  its  boundaries  are  defined,  how  

its  form  relates  to  the  form  of  the  space  it  links,  its  qualiVes  of  scale,  proporVon,  light  and  view  are  

arVculated  and  how  the  entrances  open  onto  it.  A  circulaVon  of  space  could  be  enclosed,  open  on  

one  side  or  open  on  both  sides.    

  For  Menara  Dayabumi,  the  circulaVon  space  is  open  on  both  sides  and  it  is  wide.  It  forms  a  

colonnaded  passageway  that  becomes  a  physical  extension  by  merging  with  the  spaces  it  passes  

through.  

 

14

Figure  2.7

Figure  2.8:  Open  on  both  side.

The  structures  of  the  Dayabumi  building’s  circulaVon  are:  

ESCALATORS,  ELEVATORS  AND  STAIRCASE  

  Escalators,  elevators  and  staircase  provide  verVcal  circulaVon  between  the  levels  of  a  

building.  It  determines  the  direcVon  of  our  path  as  we  ascend  descend  its  steps.    

Since  this  Dayabumi  building  has  37  floors,  it  mainly  uses  escalators  and  elevators  but  there  are  

sVll  staircase  to  be  used  during  emergency  and  so  on.  

 

 

OrganisaVon  Analysis  

15

Figure  2.9

Figure  2.10  (a) Figure  2.10  (b)

Symmetry  and  Balance  

  Symmetry  finds  its  ways  into  Dayabumi’s  architecture  at  every  scale,  from  the  overall  

external  views  of  the  building,  through  the  layout  of  the  individual  floor  plans,  and  down  to  the  

design  of  individual  building  elements  such  as  the  Vle  mosaics.  Its  architectural  style  is  modern  

Islamic  architecture  and  Islamic  buildings  make  elaborate  use  of  symmetry  both  in  their  structure  

and  in  their  ornamentaVon.  

Geometry  

  The  whole  Dayabumi  building  is  actually  made  up  of  geometrical  shapes.  As  we  can  see  

from  the  top  view  of  the  roof,  the  overall  exterior  is  actually  consist  of  a  combinaVon  of  squares  

and  triangles  including  the  interior  as  well.  However,  only  for  the  first  floor  of  Dayabumi,  the  plan  

shows  that  it  is  made  out  of  combinaVons  of  squares,  triangles  and  also  rectangulars.  

SpaVal  RelaVonship  

  SpaVal  relaVonship  is  a  connecVon  between  rooms  to  the  buildings,  buildings  to  the  site.  

The  pamern  of  how  each  space  corresponds  to  the  others  may  be  a  visual  pleasing  or  a  reflecVon  

of  its  funcVon.  There  are  four  types  of  spaVal  relaVonship  which  are  space  within  a  space,  

interlocking  spaces,  adjacent  spaces  and  spaces  linked  by  a  common  space.  The  spaVal  relaVonship  

for  Dayabumi  building  is  ‘Space  within  a  Space’  which  is  defined  as  a  large  space  that  contains  a  

smaller  space  within  its  volume.  Visual  and  spaVal  conVnuity  between  the  two  spaces  can  be  easily  

accommodated.    

16

Figure  2.11:  Space  within  a  space.

Architectural  Style  Analysis  (TAN  JO  LYNN  0318518)  

IntroducVon  

  All  buildings  are  sure  to  consists  of  one  or  more  architectural  style.  The  style  of  a  

construcVon  and  their  details  provide  important  clues  to  their  age  and  much  more.  It  expresses  

the  frame  of  mind  of  the  community  who  designed  and  commissioned  the  building  and  the  

decoraVve  programs.    

  An  architectural  style  is  defined  by  the  elements  that  make  a  building  or  a  structure  

illustrious  and  historically  idenVfiable.  A  style  may  include  such  features  as  form,  building  

materials,  local  character  and  manner  of  construcVon.    

Islamic  architecture  style    

  The  most  evident  architectural  style  of  the  building  is  the  Islamic  architecture.  Islamic  

architecture  is  in  part  comprised  of  those  buildings  and  built  environments  intended  for  use  in  

Islamic  commemoraVon,  instrucVon,  worship  and  etc.  Mosques,  madrasas  or  schools,  

mausoleums,  and  shrines  are  examples  of  this  architecture  group.  Islamic  architecture  may  also  be  

recognised  as  the  establishment  of  builders  and  patrons  who  avow  Islam  or  ones  that  live  in  a  

region  ruled  by  Muslims.  In  a  Muslims  ruling  district,  these  buildings  can  generally  be  described  as  

secular,  which  include  marketplaces,  office  buildings,  houses  etc.  One  of  the  essenVal  concepts  of  

Islamic  architecture  is  that  of  privacy,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  referred  to  as  "architecture  of  the  

veil."  

  Although  Islamic  architecture  is  infinitely  varied  in  plan,  elevaVon,  building  material,  and  

decoraVve  elements,  there  are  several  recurring  forms  found  in  all  types  of  construcVon,  be  they  

secular,  public,  private,  or  spiritual.  These  central  components  are  the  domes,  the  arches,  and  the  

vaults.    

  However,  the  Islamic  architecture  that  is  seen  on  the  outer  appearance  of  the  building  is  to  

be  clarifies  as  Modern  Islamic  architecture  style.  Islamic  architecture  has  tended  to  sVck  to  

historical  tradiVon  with  limle  changing  in  house  or  mosque  design  over  the  centuries.  However,  the  

17

Middle  East  oil  boom  and  the  emergence  of  ciVes  such  as  Dubai  as  major  trading  places  for  the  

whole  world  has  introduced  a  new  approach  to  Islamic  architecture.    

  For  example,  the  Burj  Khalifa  tower  in  Dubai  may  look  like  a  typical  21st  Century  glass  and  

steel  construcVon  shooVng  up  into  the  sky  like  a  glass  shard,  but  its  design  is  based  on  a  desert  

flower  called  the  Hymenocallis  (refer  to  Figure  3.0).  This  reflects  the  tradiVonal  Islamic  principle  of  

converVng  vegetal  shapes  into  geometric  designs.  

18

Figure   3.0:   Burj   Khalifa   tower’s   Y-­‐shaped   plan.   According   to  the  design  architect,  Adrian  Smith,   the   triple   lobed   footprint  of  the  building  was  inspired  by  the  flower  Hymenocallis.    

Figure  3.1:  Arches  and  vault  found  on  the  lower  exterior  of  Menara  Dayabumi.    

Moorish  architectural  style    

  Besides  that,  another  the  architectural  styles  that  could  be  seen  on  the  exterior  of  the  

building  is  the  Moorish  architecture.  It  is  a  variaVon  of  Islamic  architecture.  It  is  developed  by  the  

Moors  in  the  later  Middle  Ages  especially  in  North  Africa  and  Spain  and  a  style  of  architecture  

common  in  Spain  from  the  13th  to  16th  centuries.  The  Moorish  architecture  consists  of  several  

moVfs  and  repeVVon  of  pamerns.    

19

Figure   3.2:   The   picture   above   shows   the   use   of  conversion   of   vegetal   shapes   into   geometrical   designs  that   is   common   to   be   seen   in   Modern   Islamic  architecture.    

Figure  3.3:  Islamic  8  point  star  concept  can  be  seen  as  a  decoraVve  component  on  the  exterior  on  the  building.    

  The  Moorish  architecture  is  greatly  influenced  by  the  Islamic  architecture  that  developed  in  

the  Middle  East.  Although  mosques  are  the  most  familiar  precedent  of  Moorish  architecture,  

featured  moVfs  spread  to  the  design  of  homes  and  commercial  places.  One  of  the  most  disVnct  

examples  of  Moorish  architecture  is  the  Mezquita  or  Grand  Mosque  of  Cordoba,  Spain,  is  today  the  

region's  Catholic  cathedral  (refer  to  Figure  3.4(a)  and  (b)).  

  There  are  few  central  characterisVc  elements  of  Moorish  architecture,  which  are  muqarnas,  

horseshoe  arches,  voussoirs,  domes,  crenellated  arches,  lancet  arches,  ogee  arches,  courtyards,  

and  decoraVve  Vle  work.  

20

Figure  3.4  (a) Figure  3.4  (b)

Figure  3.4(a)  and  (b):  Grand  Mosque  of  Cordoba,  Spain

Figure  3.5  (a) Figure  3.5  (b)

Figure  3.5(a)  and  (b):  Clarifies  just  a  few  and  exhibits  an  overview  of  the  Moorish  architecture  moVfs:  different  styles  of  arches,  calligraphy,  vegetaVve  design,  and  decoraVve  Vles.    

InternaVonal  style  of  Modern  Architecture    

  Other  than  Modern  Islamic  architecture  and  Moorish  architecture,  the  style  that  appears  

on  the  building  is  the  InternaVonal  architecture.  The  phrase  ‘InternaVonal  Style’  depicts  a  form  of  

design  that  developed  mainly  in  France,  Germany  and  Holland  during  the  1920s,  before  spreading  

to  America  in  the  1930s,  where  during  the  middle  decades  of  the  20th  century,  it  became  the  

dominant  impulse  in  American  architecture.  Although  it  never  became  trendy  for  residenVal  

buildings  in  the  United  States,  it  was  especially  appropriate  for  skyscraper  architecture.  This  is  due  

to  its  features  like  sleek  modern  look,  absence  of  decoraVve  elements  and  use  of  steel  and  glass.  

21

Figure   3.6:   Lancet   arches   found   on   the   lower   exterior  part  of  Menara  Dayabumi.    

Figure   3.7:   RepeVVve   of   geometrical   vegetaVve   design  on  the  exterior  of  Menara  Dayabumi.    

The  style  became  interchangeable  with  corporate  modernism  during  the  period  1955  to  1970.  It  

also  became  the  essenVal  architecture  style  of  20th  century  for  insVtuVonal  and  commercial  

buildings,  and  even  superseded  the  tradiVonal  styles  for  schools  and  churches.  

  The  InternaVonal  Style  developed  immensely  as  a  result  of  rising  dissaVsfacVon  with  

building  designs  that  integrated  mixture  of  decoraVve  elements  from  different  architectural  

periods,  specifically  where  the  product  design  have  no  connecVon  to  the  funcVon  of  the  

construcVon.  It  was  also  caused  by  the  need  to  build  huge  number  of  commercial  and  civic  

buildings  that  served  a  promptly  industrialising  society.  Besides  that,  other  causes  that  have  lead  

to  the  existence  of  InternaVonal  style  is  the  evoluVon  of  new  construcVon  techniques  involving  the  

use  of  steel,  reinforced  concrete,  and  glass;  strong  desire  to  create  a  modern  style  of  architecture  

for  ‘modern  man’.    

  The  essenVal  characterisVcs  of  InternaVonal  Style  buildings  comprise  recVlinear  forms  and  

plane  surfaces  that  are  completely  devoid  of  applied  ornamentaVon.  It  also  supports  open  and  

even  fluid  interior  spaces.  This  style  could  be  said  to  be  the  early  form  of  minimalism,  which  had  a  

peculiar  modern  look,  reinforced  by  its  use  of  modern  materials,  including  glass  for  the  facade,  

steel  for  exterior  support,  and  concrete  for  interior  supports  and  floors.  At  the  same  Vme,  the  use  

of  marble  is  very  favourable  in  this  style.  This  is  due  to  its  simple  yet  very  interesVng  appearance.  

Just  like  one  of  Mies  Van  Der  Rohe’s  work;  he  designed  the  Barcelona  Pavilion  and  used  planes  of  

marbles  to  make  it  more  interesVng  instead  of  adding  ornamentaVons.    

 

22

Figure  3.8  (a) Figure  3.8  (b)

Figure  3.8(a)  and  (b):  Usage  of  marble  in  Barcelona  Pavilion’s  interior  as  a  feature  wall  and  parVVon  instead  of  an  ordinary  concrete  wall.  

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Figure  3.9:  Decorated  glass  panel  

Figure  3.10  (a) Figure  3.10  (b)

Figure  3.10(a)  and  (b):  The  accentuaVon  of  recVlinear  forms  is  shown  with  the  arrangement  of  Vles  and  clean  simple  linear  lines.    

Figure  3.11  (a) Figure  3.11  (b)

Figure  3.11(a)  and  (b):  Usage  of  types  marbles  on  Menara  Dayabumi.    

Building    Construc8on  ,  Structure  and  Materials    Analysis  (SIA  HONG  JIE  0323506)  

  Dayabumi  tower  was  the  tallest,  and  most  expensive  skyscraper  ever  built  in  1984’s  

Malaysia.  It  was  completed  in  1984  by  two  Japanese  companies,  Takenaka  CorporaVon,  and  

Kumagai  Gumi  Co.  Ltd.  .  Designed  by  Arkitek  MAA  and  BEP  Arkitek,  the  35-­‐storey  building.  It  is  

amazing  that  the  building  only  took  two  and  a  half  year,  1982  to  1984  to  finish  the  construcVon,  

which  is  a  really  short  Vme.  It  required  high-­‐rise  engineering,  which  at  that  Vme  Malaysia  not  

familiar  with.  Building  the  Dayabumi  Tower  was  a  project  of  an  unprecedented  scale  considering  

the  absence  of  digital  and  technological  resources.    

  Both  of  the  contractors  they  choosed  were  very  reliable  as  they  managed  to  complete  the  

building’s  foundaVon  within  four  and  a  half  months  instead  of  six  months  as  scheduled,  meaning  

to  say  that  the  further  stages  of  construcVon  will  speed  up  as  well.  

  Dayabumi  tower  is  the  one  of  the  building  that  introduced  massive  usage  of  steel  structure  

in  the  80s  of  Malaysia.  However,  designers,  architects,  engineers,  constructor  at  that  Vme  are  not  

really  familiar  with  the  new  material  steel.  

  Steel  did  not  appear  frequently  in  Malaysia  unVl  the  mid  80s,  mostly  because  there  was  no  

shortage  of  cheap  labor,  and  the  scale  of  projects  were  generally  small.  Furthermore,  steel  was  

considered  as  an  expensive  material.  Moreover,    construcVon  speed,  which  steel  can  vastly  

improve,    was  not  considered  as  major  problem.  

  Most  of  the  steel  were  imported  from  Japan,  and  also  Europe  and  US  during  the  

construcVon  of  Dayabumi  tower.    

24

Industrialised  Building  System  (IBS)  allowed  every  structural  part  (except  cladding),  

including  supporVng  steel  frames,  the  five-­‐storey  high  arches  at  the  front  of  the  tower,  to  be  

precast  and  assemble  on  site,  which  really  does  save  a  large  amount  of  Vme.  Every  floor  of  the  

building  is  steel  plasorm,  laced  with  concrete,  which  requiring  four-­‐day  cycle  before  the  next  floor.  

Thirty  months  to  erect  the  thirty-­‐five  storey  building  seemed  like  a  impossible  challenge,  but  steel  

made  it  possible.  

  The  original  architectural  design  of  the  tower  is  actually  similar  to  other  high-­‐rise  structure  

in  other  countries,  but  Tun  Dr  Mahathir  wanted  a  uniquely  Malaysian,  and  different  from  the  

skyscrapers  found  all  around  the  world,  rather  than  just  being  a  plain  square  based  box.  Other  than  

the  Islamic  moVf,  the  design  should  also  harmonise  with  the  exisVng  Moorish  surroundings,  the  

old  Sultan  Abdul  Samad  Building  and  the  Railway  staVon.  The  chosen  materials  helped  bringing  out  

the  characterisVc  of  Dayabumi  Tower.        

  White  mosaic  Vles  were  the  main  finishing  cover  for  the  facade  of  Dayabumi.  The  choose    

material  has  gentle,  pure,  and  elegant  white,  which  represents  the  purity  of  muslims.  Although  

steel  is  the  main  structure  of  the  building,  instead  of  looking  like  a  steel  giant,  it  is  dressed  with  

elegant  glass  mosaic,  sodening  the  sharp  edges.  The  theme  runs  throughout  the  building  with  the  

interior  projecVng  the  same  graceful  ambience  as  exterior.  

25

Figure  4.0:  Steel  structure  of  Menara  Dayabumi  

  Ornaments  were  used  on  the  tower,  such  as  the  white  powder  coated  aluminium  grilles  on  

the  exterior.  Instead  of  being  a  funcVonless  ornament,  it  actually  act  as  sun  screens.  The  sun  

screen  was  designed  to  replicate  the  pierced  marble  characterisVc  of  Moorish  architecture  of  the  

Alhambra.  Dust  and  Dirt  would  be  impossible  to  clean  with  the  complicated  eight  pointed  stars  of  

islamic  moVf  pamerns  on  the  grilles,  so  these  grilles  were  subjected  to  aerodynamic  wind  tunnel  

tests  and  affixed  on  the  tower  at  an  angle  before  the  installaVon,  to  ensure  that  dust  would  not  be  

collected,  only  minimal  cleaning  is  required.    

26

Figure  4.1:  White  mosaic  Vles  used  on  Dayabumi  tower’s  facade.  

Figure   4.2:  White   powder   coated   aluminium   grilles   on  the  exterior.  

Architectural    Elements    and    Components    Analysis  (ROZANNA  FARAH  IBRAM  0317967)  

The  Dayabumi  Complex  design  is  mainly  inspired  by  the  Islamic  architecture,  integrated  into  

the  modern  architecture.  The  significant  elements  of  the  Islamic  architecture  inspiraVons  are  the  

Islamic  geometric  pamern  of  the  claddings,  the  arches  and  vaults,  and  the  mosaic  Vling  for  the  

exterior  walls.  These  elements  are  applied  to  the  exterior  of  the  building  creaVng  its  

disVnguishable  façade  that  separates  itself  from  any  other  building  in  the  context  as  well  as  the  era  

it  was  in.  Even  so,  these  elements  are  applied  in  the  modern  architecture  is  also  the  reason  the  

building  fits  into  the  context  because  the  older  buildings  surrounding  it  are  more  prominently  

inspired  by  Islamic  architecture  such  as:  the  TexVle  Museum;  the  NaVonal  Mosque  of  Malaysia;  

Kuala  Lumpur  City  Gallery;  Sultan  Abdul  Samad  building  and  the  Jamek  Mosque  that  the  Dayabumi  

complex  did  not  stood  out  like  a  sore  thumb.  

27

Figure  5.0:  NaVonal  Mosque  

Islamic  Geometric  Pamern  (IGP)  Cladding  

  The  most  significant  element  on  the  Dayabumi  Complex  is  the  geometric  pamerned  

claddings  that  covers  the  facade  of  the  building.  Architectural  cladding  is  a  layer  of  material  applied  

on  the  exterior  of  a  building  for  the  purposes  of  protecVon  and  aestheVc  (What  is  Cladding,  2014).  

Claddings  comes  in  varied  materials  such  as  wood,  stone,  concrete,  steel  and  syntheVc  materials.  

The  tradiVonal  intenVon  for  cladding  is  to  provide  protecVon  from  the  environment  such  as  

rainwater  and  wind.  However  due  to  versaVlity  of  manipulaVng  cladding  materials,  most  are  used  

to  create  aestheVcally  pleasing  exterior  for  buildings.  The  pamern  on  the  cladding  is  one  of  the  

basic  Islamic  geometric  pamern  that  includes  the  interlacing  polygons  and  the  eight  point  star.  

Islamic  Geometric  pamern  has  been  implemented  for  a  few  centuries  and  is  designed  tradiVonally  

with  just  a  set  of  compasses  and  a  straight  ruler.  The  Islamic  Geometric  pamern  has  been  dated  

28

Figure  5.1:  Sultan  Abdul  Samad  building  

Figure  5.2:  Jamek  Mosque  

back  since  the  eighth  century  on  Islamic  arts  and  architecture.  They  are  found  on  wood  carvings,  

glassware,  leather,  stone,  metals,  Vlework,  secular  and  religious  buildings,  carpet  weaving,  texVles  

as  well  as  borders  on  illustrated  manuscripts  (Islamic  Geometric  Pamerns,  2012).  Muslim  arts  are  

not  allowed  to  assume  the  role  of  God  by  creaVng  humans  or  animal  forms  on  arts  and  

architecture.  Therefore  most  will  turn  to  the  art  of  calligraphy  and  vegetal  pamerns.  However  not  

all  cradsmen  were  trained  in  arts  or  expert  in  calligraphy.  As  a  result,  creaVng  pamern  of  geometric  

designs  where  straight  lines  intersecVng  each  other  with  a  center  point  as  a  basis.  It  was  deemed  a  

more  pracVcal  way  to  cover  and  decorate  expansive  buildings  with  varied  forms  (Islamic  Geometric  

Pamerns,  2012).  

29

Figure  5.3:  AestheVc  cladding  on  building   Figure  5.4:  DecoraVve  Cladding

30

Figure   5.5:   Kharaghan   twin   towers   (1067   AD)   exterior  carvings.

Figure  5.6:  Carvings  found  in  Ibn-­‐Tulun  Mosque,  very  similar  to  the  claddings  on  the  complex.  

  The  basis  of  the  Islamic  geometric  pamern  is  draw  a  grid  and  draw  the  pamern  design  on  

top  of  the  grid  and  finally  once  the  design  is  completed  the  grids  are  removed.  The  remarkable  

mathemaVc  elegance  of  these  pamerns  is  no  mamer  how  intricate  the  design  is  the  basis  is  sVll  

according  to  the  iniVal  gridlines.  

31

Figure  5.7:  8-­‐point  star  and  interlaced  polygons.  

Figure  5.8:  Cladding  covers  the  height  of  building.  

Figure  5.9:  Basic  of  obtaining  polygons  and  stars  used  in  Islamic  pamerns.

  The  pamern  on  the  Dayabumi  complex  is  specifically  simplified  to  accommodate  and  be  

relevant  to  the  modern  style  of  the  building,  intricate  flower  design  were  avoided.  The  simple  

overlapping  polygon  and  eight  point  star  design  is  repeated  throughout  the  whole  structure  to  

create  the  sense  of  uniformity  and  relevance.    Many  architecture  in  Malaysia  are  integraVng  the  

Islamic  Geometric  pamern  into  the  building  design  due  to  the  fact  that  Malaysia’s  official  religion  is  

Islam.  Other  famous  structures  that  implements  the  Islamic  geometric  pamern  is  the  Petronas  Twin  

Towers.  The  form  viewed  from  plan  view  shows  a  shape  of  polygons  overlapping.  

32

Figure  5.10:  Overlapping  polygons  .

Figure 5.11: 8 points star.

Figure 5.12: The shape of the twin towers was developed from overlapping polygons and circles based on gridlines.

The  façade  of  the  Dayabumi  Complex  is  majorly  covered  by  the  Islamic  Geometric  pamerns  as  to  

assimilate  the  Islamic  architecture  into  the  modern  skyscraper  design  of  Kuala  Lumpur,  the  center  

of  development  in  Malaysia  and  where  many  skyscrapers  were  being  built  at  the  Vme.  To  

accommodate  to  the  Islamic  culture  and  tradiVon  emphasized  in  the  country,  the  architect  

designed  the  building  into  the  context  of  Islamic  influenced  development  area.  

Arches  

  On  the  exterior  of  the  ground  floor  stretching  up  to  the  first  floor,  the  architecture  design  

showcases  a  series  of  arcades  that  extends  at  every  sides  of  the  building.  The  arcades  consists  of  

arches  that  are  supported  by  columns.  Arches  are  relevant  to  early  architecture  where  the  Romans  

and  ByzanVne  developed  from  Greeks’  and  EgypVans’  use  of  lintels  to  semi-­‐circular  arches  instead.  

In  a  basic  arc,  the  thrust  is  exerted  verVcally  by  the  weight  of  loads  imposed  above  the  arch,  and  

exerted  horizontally  by  the  cumulaVve  wedge  acVon  of  the  voussoir  (Saud,  2015).  This  acVon  of  

corresponding  thrust  gives  the  arches  it  elasVcity.  The  arches  have  been  used  in  Muslim  

architectures  for  centuries  and  has  been  using  arches  more  than  other  civilisaVon.  They  imitated  

the  graceful  curve  of  the  palm  trees  branches  in  their  construcVons.  Furthermore,  the  arch  was  

also  derived  from  the  mysVc  meaning  behind  the  spherical  nature  of  the  universe  and  it’s  divine  

symbolism.  It  is  also  their  understanding  and  advancement  in  the  geometry  knowledge  played  a  

part  in  arches  as  an  essenVal  element  in  their  architecture.  Arches  were  iniVally  constructed  for  

strictly  pracVcal  and  structural  means.  However  as  Vme  passes  it  has  been  realised  the  arches  are  

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Figure 5.13: National Planetarium has incorporated Islamic Geometric patterns as well as the overall structure, domes and minarets.

able  to  provided  aestheVcs  values  to  buildings  and  furniture.  There  many  types  of  arches  designed  

throughout  the  history  of  Muslim  architecture  such  as:  The  horseshoe  arch,  the  transverse  arch  

and  the  pointed  arch.  The  arch  that  is  used  for  Menara  Dayabumi  complex  is  the  pointed  arch.  

History  resources  shows  evidences  of  Sicily  playing  the  role  of  middle  transmission  for  many  

Muslim  moVfs,  the  pointed  arch  included.  Amalfitan  merchants  from  Sicily  who  has  trades  with  the  

Egypt  established  connecVons.  Egypt  is  home  to  the  Ibn  Tulun  Mosque  has  pointed  arches.  Pointed  

arches  were  first  used  in  Gothic  architecture  as  their  means  to  overcome  the  problems  with  

Romanesque  barrel  vaulVng.  Arches  and  columns  erected  for  Muslim  architectures  are  

tradiVonally  ornamented  and  pamerned,  however  Menara  Dayabumi  colonnades  are  simplified  

and  modernised  lined  and  covered  with  white  mosaics.  It  is  to  establish  the  modernisVc  design  to  

match  the  concept.  

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Figure  5.14:  Al-­‐Aqsa  Mosque,  PalesVne.

Figure  5.15:  The  great  mosque  of  Kiarawan,  Tunisia.

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Figure 5.16: The grand mosque of Sheikh Zayed, Abu Dhabi.

Figure 5.18: Cross vault.

Figure 5.17: Arches and column of Dayabumi Complex.

Conclusion  

Through  this  project,  we  have  learnt  that  buildings  and  structures  subsist  of  one  or  more  

architectural  style.  It  is  essenVal  for  a  monument  as  the  details  defines  its  age,  theme,  character  

and  etc.  As  for  Menara  Dayabumi,  it  is  to  be  classified  as  one  of  the  modern  architecture  in  the  

Kuala  Lumpur  centre.  Architectural  styles  that  could  be  seen  on  the  building  are  Modern  Islamic  

architecture,  Moorish  architecture  and  InternaVonal  architectural  style.        

  Besides  that,  we  have  understood  that  the  overall  design  of  Menara  Dayabumi  admits  to  

modernism  and  of  its  simplicity,  however  the  design  also  complies  its  inspiraVon  on  Islamic  

architecture.  The  ornamented  and  pamerned  elements  of  the  tradiVonal  Islamic  architecture  is  

reduced  to  simple  lines  and  polygons  on  the  cladding  as  well  as  the  arches  of  Menara  Dayabumi.    

  Moreover,  although  internaVonal  style’s  pracVcal  manner  saves  materials  and  Vmes,  but    

instead  of  being  a  giant  steel  box,  Menara  Dayabumi  gives  reason  why  people  can  sVll  find  

inspiraVon  from  precedents.  At  the  same  Vme,  it  also  proves  the  importance  of  using  the  newest  

construcVon  technology  during  the  era.        

  Moving  on,  as  a  team  of  5,  we  managed  to  pull  through  even  though  it  took  a  lot  of  

teamwork.  Individually,  we  have  improved  ourself  in  wriVng  skills  and  also  learned  a  lot  in  

modernism  styles  building  through  the  process.  We  were  quite  happy  with  the  staff  that  guide  us  

through  the  building  although  the  permission  for  the  guide  was  hard  to  get.  They  were  really  

friendly,  helpful  and  informaVve.  With  only  few  informaVon  on  the  internet  and  library,  we  felt  a  

sense  of  achievements  compleVng  the  report  on  the  Menara  Dayabumi.  

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