A custom facade access system preserves Malaysia’s newest supertall building
The Exchange 106, also known as the TRX Signature Tower, is a new addition to the skyline of Kuala Lumpur. In terms of scale, this colossal new office building reaches 95 floors and 445.5 metres in height, making it the second tallest building in Malaysia next to the Petronas Towers. Architecturally, the building is noteworthy for its unique, eye-catching illuminated crown design, covering 12 storeys and 48 metres.
The building’s importance as a critical part of Kuala Lumpur’s social and economic development is hard to overstate. Located in the city’s heart in the Tun Razak Exchange area, also referred to as the Kuala Lumpur International Financial District, The Exchange 106 is the centrepiece of an important global hub for international business and finance. This emerging economic area has been compared to London and New York, with The Exchange 106 taking on the iconic, landmark status of buildings like Canary Wharf, The Shard and New York’s One World Trade Center. Serving as both the physical home of commerce and standing as a symbol of the economic power in the area. For a building of such impressive scale, visionary design, and social significance, a façade access system capable of delivering effective access strategies were paramount.
A single building maintenance unit services the distinctive feature of the illuminated crown. With a telescopic jib providing an outreach of 23.5 metres in combination with luffing functionality and a slewing cradle, the BMU can launch the cradle up and over the challenging architectural features while remaining concealed within the centre of the crown itself when not in use.
A further three BMUs located within the building at level 90, service the main facade surfaces. The three machines share a common circular track and are specifically engineered to launch from four dedicated openings while again remaining concealed from view in their parked position. This is achieved with telescopic jibs, which can extend to 24.7 metres and offer an impressive range of movement. To navigate the entrance and exit of the building and provide the essential façade coverage, each BMU is designed to rotate at three different points. The base of each unit can rotate up to 120 degrees, a knuckle on the jib arm itself provides 90 degrees of rotation, and the cradle is also capable of rotating up to 110 degrees.
Once again, Manntech has delivered a precision-engineered facade access solution, with building maintenance units specially tailored to meet all practical maintenance needs whilst also remaining sympathetic to the visual aesthetic.