Wulf & Partner plans regional office in Malaysia

GERMAN architecture company Wulf & Partner plans to open a regional office in Kuala Lumpur by as early as this year, to tap into the vast number of opportunities available in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries.

"We are bringing along our expertise in architecture to tap opportunities, especially in Malaysia," said Kai Bierich, one of the company's three partners.

Wulf & Partner is eyeing, among others, a piece of the massive development on 26.3 hectares of prime land in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, by the Naza group.

The project includes the construction of a RM628 million trade centre.
"We heard that the Malaysian government, through Matrade (Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation), wants to build a new trade centre to be developed by a local company.

"Maybe we can share our expertise with the local company for that development or propose to do some business consultation as a start," Bierich said in an email.

Senior Wulf & Partner executives may visit Malaysia next month to pitch for local jobs as well as scout for a site to house its regional office.

Naza group recently sealed a building-for-land deal with the government, allowing it to develop the 26.304 hectare plot in return for building the RM628 million trade centre for Matrade.

The trade centre and other projects planned on the plot would have a combined estimated gross development value of RM15 billion over a 10-year period.

The project's first phase will comprise a 90,000 square metre trade centre on 5.3 hectares.

The trade centre is set to be the largest exhibition and convention centre in the country.

There will also be a hotel, shopping mall and office tower.

Bierich said Wulf & Partner is also keen to cooperate with other local developers. "Maybe we can look for some other upcoming projects by the Malaysian government."

Wulf & Partner's track record includes planning and designing the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre in Germany, which was built at a cost of nearly euro1 billion (RM4.41 billion).

With a unique design structure, the 105,200 square metres Stuttgart trade centre has hosted more than 50 exhibitions a year since it opened its doors in 2007.

In Asia, Wulf & Partner is currently taking part in a euro100 million (RM441 million) mixed development project in Chongqing, China.

By Business Times (by Zuraimi Abdullah)