As the Crow flies, about 1.5 kilometres away from where I sit, PNB 118 is growing and sometimes glowing to the sky. Completion is 2021. The core has probably reached 60 stories by now, maybe more. It is pumping along! This is a great example of Slip Form Engineered construction at its best. V. Cool design! Really good build knowledge is going into this. Fantastic! I am seriously excited. It tends to be very much a Boy/Man thing to be excited by this stuff.
These Crane Operators will Slip Form all the way up to Level 118. Wow, what a job! Big views, nice and comfy in the Cabin, all the mod-cons:- Stereo (surround sound of course), Wi-Fi, Plug ins, Air-Con, and other cool stuff to look at and do like the logistics of getting stuff up and down a building. (Absolutely fascinating for me at least). This person at the top of this part of the world doesn’t have people talking inane dribble like politics, religion, tabloid gossip and who lost at the Footy (Aus) on the weekend. They don’t have to depend on their co-worker/s who do not know the meaning of being somewhere on time. They never have to share their lunch with anyone. They definitiely don’t have to smell another persons stale sweat!
There is no one else apart from some human disconnected voice at the other end of the Two-Way, phone and/or computer. A truly wonderful job indeed for the Misanthrope that loves being at heights and is into weather and bird watching in Peace. I hear the job pays exceptionally well.
PNB 118 will be a true landmark of KL Building Engineering and Architecture for some time to come. That long Skinny New Tower at TRX just doesn’t quite meet the Architecture landmark criteria like PNB 118. (solely my opinion though). It will be (in theory), 118 floors of Human worker ant activity, the majority of who get dumped out at Ground level at the end of the working day and come back the following day and do worker ant stuff all over again. Fingers crossed they can lease out the levels. Currently, there is a glut of empty Corporate space in KL. PNB appear to be solid though. They have been part of Malaysia for a long time and have established Global reputation.
This project was initiated in another time of the ex -ruling BN Coalition and ex-PM Najib Razak. 1MDB debacle is now World famous:- at least 3 books, a Movie deal with Michele Yeoh heavily involved, Documentaries, many International Investigations, charges and jailings. It is Global spanning and all originating in humble little Malaysia – population roughly 33 Million. Billions of Bucks (am not joking!) dissapeared from the Community purse. It is now being decided in Malaysia through Court processes via the One Year old (still a bit fresh) Coalition Government – Pakatan Harapan who in part, ended up in Government based on their anti-corruption pledge. So far so good.
PNB 118 spans a huge moment in Malaysia’s history both for now and the future. This Project clearly demonstrates that excellence can originate in Malaysia, albiet the Architects are Australian and the construction is in partnership with South Korean Builders. Design and Works like these take real logistics with much risk if things go wrong. Great expertise has been employed along the entire chain. The RM3.5 Billion 118 precinct is definitely something to be proud of now. There is so much education and knowledge in the design and putting together of PNB 118 to keep me interested for the next 30 years.
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