The development aims to attract global engineering services business worth US$1.1 billion to Malaysia by 2020. The contract to act as lead consultant and masterplanner for the facility was awarded by MARA, the Malaysian government agency responsible for education and entrepreneurship. The Asia Aerospace City (AAC) h
The development aims to attract global engineering services business worth US$1.1 billion to Malaysia by 2020.
The contract to act as lead consultant and masterplanner for the facility was awarded by MARA, the Malaysian government agency responsible for education and entrepreneurship. The Asia Aerospace City (AAC) has been designed as a smart city with cutting-edge research and development facilities, integrated office suites, academic campuses, a convention center and residential areas. Atkins had been awarded the contract in April.
Inspiration for the 328,000-square-meter AAC design came from the wings of an aeroplane. With interaction between students and engineers identified by MARA as a key objective, the buildings are arranged to create nodes for various types of activities. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis was used by Atkins to align buildings and allow natural breezes through the outdoor areas. A set of canopies covering 36,000 square meters will shade outdoor areas and contribute to on-site energy generation through in-built photovoltaic panels.
The plans include:
-An academic cluster, which includes the Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology
-A research and training center supporting aerospace testing and validation activities
-A central cluster which caters for professional events and contains a convention center and a business hotel
-Restaurant, cafe, and sports facilities.
A light railway station is being built within walking distance of the AAC connecting it to the center of Kuala Lumpur and to nearby Subang Airport. In addition electric buses will serve the AAC and adjacent facilities. The campus itself will be a completely pedestrianized.
Chris Birdsong, Atkins' CEO for Asia Pacific, said: “This is an important project for Malaysia's Economic Transformation Plan and Atkins is honored to be working with MARA to deliver an outstanding academic and industry facility for the aerospace sector. We believe that it will play an important role in achieving the national vision of a self-sufficient industrialized Malaysia by 2020.”