PJTC is located at Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya on a 5.4 acre site and consists of four office towers of 20-21 storeys, with over 1 million square feet of office space. The project was completed in December 2009.
It is now fully occupied. The occupants include multi-national companies (such as Bata regional office), a major government agency, and one of Malaysia’s most successful corporations (which is itself a top property developer).
The development has won the highest design awards in Malaysia, for commercial (office) design, landscape architecture, as well as interior design. It has been featured in many design magazines and has captured the imagination of the design community. Design professionals and students from the region (including from Singapore, Indonesia and Australia) are regular visitors to the development.
A key design feature is the 2.5 acre plaza at the front of the project, planted with forest trees. About 1,600 trees were planted in the project – at the plaza, the 12 sky terraces and 2 sky gardens. Many of the offices also have their own private gardens.
Simple local materials were used in the project, notably overburnt bricks on the facades, vent blocks that form the 20 storey screens, and raw concrete walls. The façade was designed to weather naturally, to be low-maintenance and not require any cleaning.
All the main lobbies and lift lobbies in the project are naturally lit and ventilated, as are all the washrooms in the offices. The office spaces are designed as thin masses 15 metres deep, allowing plenty of natural light and cross ventilation through large sliding windows. The vent block screens minimize heat gain and air-cond loads. No plaster or paint were used on the facades, and no false ceilings were installed in the lobbies or corridors/ verandahs.
The new paradigm that PJTC offers is best seen in the main lobbies of the project. There is no air-conditioning or artificial lighting; there are no finishes on the floor, walls or ceiling. There is no escalator; instead a beautifully designed stair fills the space, together with some trees. The space is modest and subdued, yet progressive and comfortable.