Created for the state-owned energy company, Pertamina, the large-scale project will feature a performing arts and exhibition pavilion, a mosque, and a central energy plant, in addition to the office tower. Rising more than 500 meters above Jakarta, the tower will be a new landmark on the capitol’s skyline. “Pertamina Energy Tower’s iconic presence will stand as a model of sustainability and efficiency, as well as collaborative workplace design,” states Scott Duncan, AIA, the SOM Director who led the project’s design. “The headquarters’ performance-driven design supports and reflects the ambition of Pertamina’s mission and forges an innovative model of green development in Jakarta.” 

Following SOM's holistic design approach that integrates architectural design, structural engineering, and sustainable engineering services, Pertamina Energy Tower is the world’s first supertall tower for which energy is the primary design driver. Sustainable strategies at the core of its design are exposed in its simple profile yet sophisticated architectural expression. Gently tapering towards a rounded top, the tower opens up at the crown, revealing a ‘wind funnel’ that will take advantage of the prevailing winds and increased wind speeds at the upper floors to generate energy. Precisely calibrated for Jakarta’s proximity to the equator, the tower’s curved facade will mitigate solar heat gain throughout the year. Exterior sun shades will dramatically improve the workplace environment and save energy by reducing the need for artificial lighting in the office interiors.

The 99-story tower will accommodate 20,000 employees and will be the centerpiece of the Pertamina campus in Jakarta’s Rasuna Epicentrum neighborhood. Conceived as a city within a city, the campus design endeavors to create a new model for a corporate headquarters — one that is more like a bustling city — with vibrant public spaces and communal meeting areas, such as a 2,000-seat auditorium for lectures and performances and a public mosque. A central energy plant will serve as the energy production hub for the campus, a literal and figurative “heart” from which energy and services will be distributed. A covered walkway known as the “Energy Ribbon” will knit together the constellation of campus programs and span across land bridges and gardens to create an array of accessible public spaces. The project is slated for completion in 2020. 

Best Futura Mega Project: Gold Medal - MIPIM Asia

About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is one of the leading architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, with a 75-year reputation for design excellence and a portfolio that includes some of the most important architectural accomplishments of the 20th and 21st centuries. Since its inception, SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment. The firm’s longstanding leadership in design and building technology has been honored with more than 1,700 awards for quality, innovation, and management. The American Institute of Architects has recognized SOM twice with its highest honor, the Architecture Firm Award — in 1962 and again in 1996. The firm maintains offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Abu Dhabi.

This Article was originally published on www.som.com/news/