Perched high within the Merdeka 118 tower, Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur presents a rare duality: a hotel that feels both quietly intimate and architecturally monumental. For Corinna Galdies, Director at GA Group, the vision was to create a “home away from home in the sky”. One that embodies Park Hyatt’s understated luxury while remaining deeply rooted in Malaysia’s architectural and cultural heritage. The design draws from the kampung house philosophy of openness, light, and community, reinterpreting its warmth through contemporary lines, tactile materials, and a meticulous layering of craft. Batik, songket, timber, and weaving traditions appear not as surface décor, but as thoughtfully distilled gestures woven into the spatial rhythm of the interiors.
This philosophy extends across every part of the hotel, from the veranda-like arrival experience to the quietly revealing textures and handcrafted details that guide guests through its spaces. Galdies and her team approached the project with a sense of reverence. For Malaysia’s craftspeople, for the symbolism of Stadium Merdeka below, and for the cultural evolution of Kuala Lumpur itself. The result is a landmark that doesn’t simply sit within the city’s skyline. It creates a sanctuary where modern sophistication meets the soul of Malaysia, defining luxury not through spectacle but through emotional connection.
Evoking Heritage Through Architecture
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur feels deeply rooted in place. How did local Malaysian architecture inspire the design narrative of the hotel?
From the very beginning, our intent was to design a hotel that feels like a sanctuary – a home away from home in the sky that embodies Park Hyatt’s understated sense of luxury while remaining intimately connected to Malaysia’s cultural spirit.
Our starting point was the traditional Malay Kampung house, a dwelling defined by openness, warmth, and a deep relationship with its environment. We wanted to look at how we could reinterpret the elements of the Kampung house through contemporary architecture.
This idea was at the foundation of the design, informing everything from the spatial planning to the material palette. The hotel’s interiors layer the textures of local life: the intricate patterns of batik, the tactility of carved timber, and the golden shimmer of songket threads – and reinterprets them with the sophistication that is signature to the Park Hyatt brand.
What traditional forms or historical references were reinterpreted to suit the elegance of a Park Hyatt property?
Malaysia’s diverse traditional crafts and architectural motifs inspired us. The wax-resist process used in batik became the conceptual foundation for our perforated metal screens – delicately etched brass panels that filter light and shadow, mimicking batik’s rhythmic dots and patterns.
We used timber, a traditional material in Malay architecture, throughout the hotel to introduce warmth and intimacy against the glass and steel of the Merdeka 118 Tower. In contrast, polished bronze and brass details reference the shimmering threads of songket weaving.
We also explored the art of weaving and pattern-making by utilizing various stone tones into the hotel’s flooring and the tiling in the bathrooms – a subtle gesture that connects material craft with spatial rhythm. These reinterpretations ensure that traditional forms feel inherent to the architecture, not merely applied ornament.
Were there any particular design elements — from rooflines to structural motifs — that serve as subtle nods to Malaysia’s architectural legacy?
The design draws heavily on the kampung house philosophy, which informed the guest journey itself. Upon arrival, guests ascend into what we envision as the modern-day veranda – a space framed by warm timber-clad walls and pivoting shutters, echoing the breezy thresholds of traditional homes.
Throughout the property, we used batik-inspired fretwork to frame views and soften transitions between spaces, creating intimacy while maintaining openness. On Level 75, guests will see Peranakan influences appear in the patterned tiles and decorative detailing within the dining areas that we have designed in a contemporary manner to blend into the elements of Park Hyatt’s refined style.
These subtle gestures create a layered story – a modern tower interior that still feels grounded in the architectural DNA of Malaysia.
How does the hotel’s silhouette or placement within the cityscape reflect Kuala Lumpur’s cultural evolution?
Our brief was to design a luxury hotel in the upper floors of Merdeka 118 – an iconic tower whose faceted glass form symbolises Malaysia’s forward-looking energy. The goal was to create a destination that feels rooted in place, a design that tells a story through architecture, materials and atmosphere. The Park Hyatt brand delivers residential-inspired deeply personal hospitality experiences that are authentic to their local context so we wanted to create a destination that would reflect this philosophy of understated luxury, cultural identity and a commitment to comfort.
Our response to the brief was to counterbalance the vertical grandeur of the tower with an interior narrative of intimacy and heritage. The project stands next to Stadium Merdeka, where Malaysia’s independence was declared, and that symbolism resonated with us – this is a place where the nation’s past and future converge.
By integrating Malaysian craft and architectural references within one of the world’s tallest buildings, Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur becomes a physical expression of Kuala Lumpur’s evolution: a cosmopolitan city proud of its heritage, yet confidently contemporary.
Culture Woven Into Every Detail
Malaysian artist Agnes Lau’s Meditative Repetitions artwork.
Luxury travellers today crave a sense of authenticity. How did the interior design of Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur reflect Malaysia’s rich cultural fabric while still feeling refined and contemporary?
The brief was about creating a landmark hotel that would be both globally iconic and intimately connected to its surroundings. So for Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, we wanted interiors to feel locally relevant, warm and personal. We used timber for the walls and floors of the hotel as a subtle nod to traditional Malay architecture. This complements the contemporary feel of the property.
We incorporated other Malaysian crafts and materials into the design, including woven textures, handcrafted metalwork, and textile patterns, all distilled to their essence and expressed through clean lines. Batik-inspired fretwork creates a soft glow, while songket-like metallic threads appear in the detailing of screens and fittings. The material palette is warm and natural, a contrast to the tower’s crisp geometry, allowing spaces to feel grounded and welcoming.
Can you tell us about any artisanal collaborations or locally sourced materials that give the interiors a sense of place?
We were inspired by several aspects of Malaysian artisanship and crafts – for example, the hotel features custom brass fretwork inspired by batik, while bespoke joinery and carved panels is used throughout. Additionally, rugs and upholstery use patterns from traditional regional weaving.
Stone and wood were sourced within the region wherever possible, grounding the project in local materiality. This approach not only celebrated Malaysia’s craft traditions but also built lasting creative partnerships that connect the Park Hyatt brand with the community around it.
What stories are being told through the textures, artworks, or spatial rhythms throughout the property?
We hope that the Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur’s design tells a story about Malaysia’s rich craft heritage and culture. Each layer of material and form within the hotel contributes to a broader story about Malaysian identity. The narrative begins with the kampung house – its craftsmanship, sense of openness, and community – reimagined in a contemporary context.
In the public areas, textured timbers and batik-inspired screens evoke tradition and shelter, while curated artworks and decorative objects reflect Malaysia’s modern creative spirit. In guestrooms, the rhythm of materials shifts. Woven textiles and natural stone express calm, while the panoramic city view connects the guest back to the landscape of Kuala Lumpur.
The design explores the coexistence of diverse contexts – where tradition meets innovation, intimacy balances expansiveness, and the local engages with the global.
How did you ensure that cultural elements enhance — rather than compete with — the serene elegance associated with the Park Hyatt brand?
Our approach was one of distillation and restraint. We identified the essence of traditional cultural motifs – their geometry, texture, and rhythm – and reinterpreted them with precision and proportion.
Architectural gestures such as shutters, breezeways, and verandas were translated into clean lines and delicate layers, allowing craftsmanship to speak quietly rather than to shout loudly. The double-height brass screens, inspired by batik, are a key example. They break down the grand scale of the reception area into intimate moments, while still framing the drama of the panoramic city views.
Every detail serves the same purpose: to create a calm, timeless environment where cultural resonance enhances rather than overwhelms the guest experience.
Where Heritage Meets Modern Indulgence
The Spa
Today’s luxury is about immersion and meaning. How does Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur blend traditional design cues with the modern comforts guests expect?
The design blends tactile warmth with technological sophistication, embedding modern comforts like intuitive lighting into handcrafted surroundings. For example, traditional patterns and forms such as carved screens and woven patterns coexist with state-of-the-art amenities and contemporary art.
The balance is achieved through tone and proportion: every modern intervention is softened by our use of a natural material. The result is a space where luxury is defined by experience and the emotional connection rather than outright opulence.
From the guest suites to the spa and dining spaces, how do these areas transition between local expression and understated luxury?
Each area expresses a different facet of Malaysian culture within Park Hyatt’s language of calm refinement.
- Guestrooms: Layered textures of timber, woven fabrics, and batik-inspired cabinetry create warmth and tactility. Deep window seats evoke the veranda experience of traditional homes, encouraging guests to pause and take in the views of the city skyline.
- Dining spaces: On Level 75, Peranakan influences emerge in the tiling and decorative details, while neutral stone and bronze tones maintain a contemporary elegance and luxury.
- Spa and wellness: The design celebrates lightness and serenity with corridors inspired by the “five-foot ways” of traditional shophouses that guide guests through sequences of light and shadow, embodying calm introspection.
Across all these settings, the dialogue between locality and luxury is seamless rather than segmented.
Was there a particular moment in the guest journey — arrival, lounging, dining — where you felt the heritage-meets-modern balance was especially important?
Absolutely, and of course, the arrival is the most important space. Guests ascend through the vertical tower into the reception area on floor 75, the heart of the hotel — where dramatic views meet the intricacies of handcrafted design.
Here, double-height batik screens, timber surfaces, and softly filtered light immediately signal both sophistication and belonging. It offers the first impression of Malaysia reimagined — energetic yet enriching, exquisite and elevated.
This moment sets the tone for the entire stay, embodying the duality of the project — a celebration of tradition framed within modern architecture.
How do you hope guests feel as they experience these layered spaces — is it a quiet reverence, a sense of discovery, or something else entirely?
We hope guests feel a quiet sense of discovery that brings them an awareness of where they are. The design doesn’t boast about its cultural references; it reveals them slowly with subtlety through textures, details, and light.
For local guests, there’s recognition and pride in their culture; for international visitors, curiosity and appreciation. Above all, we want them to feel at home, yet deeply connected to the spirit of Malaysia.
That personal emotional connection, we believe, is the new measure of true luxury – and luxury is personal at Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur.
(Photos courtesy of Park Hyatt KL)
