The Alila Hotel Kuala Lumpur is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of the historic Brickfield colonial district and the vibrant, emerging Mengsha neighborhood. This location beautifully symbolizes the intersection of past and present, blending new and old cityscapes.
The hotel features a tower rising above ground level, comprising eight floors: five dedicated to guest rooms and three designated for public spaces. Ruen Design Workshop led both the architectural and interior design efforts, employing a clean grid structure that seamlessly connects the building’s exterior facade with its interior spaces. This organized framework clearly defines the boundaries of the hotel’s various functional areas.
The ground floor continues this consistent grid design, which extends to the hotel’s entrance and canopy. Upon entering the first floor, visitors are enveloped by an “urban oasis” filled with lush greenery. At the 42nd floor hotel lobby, a double-height space and the continuous grid pattern create a vast “lantern” effect. This design floods the interior with natural light while illuminating the surrounding cityscape.
From the lobby, guests descend a strikingly designed staircase leading to the swimming pool area. This staircase doubles as a viewing platform, inviting visitors to become part of the scenery. The boundary between indoors and outdoors becomes fluid here, with the outdoor courtyard extending the grid structure and situating a central gathering space at the heart of the hotel.
The hotel’s public areas are arranged sequentially around the outdoor courtyard, spanning three floors. Regularly spaced columns and beams frame the breathtaking skyline of Kuala Lumpur while shielding the courtyard from the city’s busy atmosphere. The landscape concept seamlessly integrates nature with architecture, extending from the building’s exterior through its interior spaces. This connection forms the core of the “urban oasis” design philosophy.
The top two floors above the courtyard house a specialty restaurant, a cocktail bar, and a rooftop open-air bar. These spaces, encircling the outdoor courtyard, offer diverse experiences that energize the hotel’s atmosphere. Custom-designed furniture and refined brass accents add subtle elegance and intricate beauty to interiors dressed in gray, white, and natural wood tones.
Guest room design hinges on two key elements: the “cabin” and the “indoor courtyard.” The “cabin” concept draws inspiration from small village cottages, spaces designed to support daily living. Within this structure, the bathroom is envisioned as a floating box, creating a sense of openness and fluidity.
The guest room window area adopts the “indoor courtyard” concept, creating a private refuge where guests can unwind while enjoying views of the Mengsha district and the Kuala Lumpur skyline beyond.
Design Drawings:
▲ First floor plan
▲ Standard guest room floor plan
▲ Standard room floor plan
▲ 40th floor plan
▲ 41st floor plan
▲ Side elevation view
▲ Side elevation view
▲ Rear elevation view
▲ Front elevation view
▲ Longitudinal section
▲ Horizontal section
Project Information:
Architectural Firm: Ruen Design Research Office
Address: 58 Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Category: Hotel
Lead Designers: Lyndon Neri & Rossana Hu
Senior Manager: Federico Saralvo
Senior Architectural Designers: Jacqueline Min, Xiaofeng Qi (BIM Design)
Design Team: Carmen Marin, Chiara Aliverti, Daisy Yuen, Suju Kim
Building Area: 15,000.0 square meters (BIM engineer)
Project Year: 2018
Photographer: Pedro Pegenaute
Manufacturers: Grohe, Neri & Hu
Product Design Partner: Nicolas Fardet
Product Designer: Lili Cheng
Graphic Designer: Litien Poeng
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