AEC could be blueprint for KL centre
SP Setia executive vice-president Datuk Richard Ong believes he can take the design of Albany Entertainment Centre back to Kuala Lumpur after inspecting the centre on Tuesday.
Mr Ong led a Malaysian tour party to inspect the state-of-the-art centre as part of a plan to build a $4.62 billion precinct in Kuala Lumpur.
SP Setia is Malaysia’s largest property developer and has construction works in progress in Melbourne and London.
Mr Ong was joined on the tour by Great Southern Development Commission chief executive Bruce Manning, arts consultant Greg Randall and AEG Ogden Perth chief executive Rodney Phillips.
Albany Entertainment Centre was designed by architectural firm Cox, Howlett and Bailey Woodland.
Mr Ong said he was impressed by the design and management of the centre.
“We think this is a very good example of seeing something that might resemble something that I can put in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.
“If you want to build something new, this is the perfect example to show us architecturally.”
Mr Ong pointed to Malaysia’s lack of structural design history for his interest in the building.
“Albany is a good location for us to see things that are relevant to us,” he said.
“We do not have a long history of building with these skill sets in Malaysia.
“What we are doing here is to basically understand from people here how you conceptualise, build, design and operate a performing arts centre like this.”
Mr Ong hoped to learn from how the centre interacted with the community.
“It is important how they address the relationship with the community here, we have learnt a lot,” he said. “There are prospects of building other things alongside and adjacent to the building.
“The ideas of having hotels and other outlets are good.”
Mr Manning said SP Setia’s interest in Albany Entertainment Centre was significant.
“It is recognition for what an innovative building it is and an iconic feature it is for Albany,” he said.
“For them to want to have a look at our centre says something pretty significant about Albany Entertainment Centre.”
