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Atkins designs state-of-the-art ‘aerocity’ in Malaysia

Atkins has completed the concept design and masterplan for the Asia Aerospace City, a high-tech urban quarter in the Subang Jaya municipality in western Malaysia.

Appropriately enough for a development that is intended to be a centre for the design and manufacture of aeroplanes, the layout has been inspired by wings, and was arrived at with the help of sophisticated flow analysis software that aligns buildings so they gain the maximum cooling effects from breezes. 

The streamlined buildings are augmented by 36,000sqm of canopies that will shade outdoor areas and generate electricity with photovoltaic panels.

As well as its research and development facilities, office suites, manufacturing plants, academic campuses and convention centre, the 33ha development will have an electric bus system and a light rail link that covers the 23km to Kuala Lumpur, as well as Subang airport.

Artists depiction of the AAC (Atkins)

Atkins was awarded the contract by MARA, the Malaysian government agency responsible for education and entrepreneurship.

Chris Birdsong, Atkins’ chief executive for Asia Pacific, said: "This is an important project for Malaysia’s economic transformation plan and Atkins is honoured to be working with MARA to deliver an outstanding academic and industry facility for the aerospace sector."

The aerocity hopes to attract global engineering services business worth $1.1bn to Malaysia by 2020.

Datuk Apdal, Malaysia’s rural and regional development minister, added that he hoped the development would enable Malaysia to become the aerospace hub of south-east Asia.

Atkins has recently announced a "rail university" in the Middle East and will design Puerto Rico’s airport infrastructure.

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