Once a swampy area, where houses then were built on stilts and zinc roofs and washed by the South China Sea, Kampung Air has been redesigned as one of the important areas in downtown Kota Kinabalu as it is today. This historical area has captured the heart of Hap Seng Group, a developer with over 50 years of proven track in property development to raise the 14-storey, eco-friendly building Plaza Shell, which is now regarded as the new landmark for Kota Kinabalu.

SABAH'S FIRST GREEN BUILDING The impressive façade has become the talk of the town as it has set the standards in construction building in Kota Kinabalu. With Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC), Hap Seng Group has brought an office tower that has changed the skyline of Kota Kinabalu.

Plaza Shell is described as the first truly Grade A office tower in the State of Sabah and it is set to pioneer the office and retail space standard, bringing Kota Kinabalu's corporate lifestyle to the next level. This new eco-friendly building features a ‘double-glazed' glass for heat and noise insulation - the first ever in Kota Kinabalu - and is equipped with a back-up generator system that is capable of providing 100% uninterrupted power supply to the building.

Plaza Shell has also been praised by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Panglima Musa Haji Aman, who officiated the iconic building last November, highlighting that the building concept is almost a perfect green building, the first of its kind in Sabah.

While bearing the status of ‘eco-friendly', the uniqueness of the building is clearly seen as only the finest materials are used throughout the building's common areas to highlight the property's prestige, such as the lobby's wall of natural stone highlighted with stainless panels and Portoro Gold Marble. Even the building's lavatories and washrooms are fitted with quality finishes and water-efficiency systems to reduce water wastage.The four-level basement parking bays is fitted with heat and carbon monoxide sensors.

Plaza Shell also conducts high levels of security, including vehicle access control, security check-point and elevator access control to safeguard assets as well as to secure business interests, following the footsteps of Menara Hap Seng and Menara Hap Seng 2 in Kuala Lumpur. On top of this, the whole complex is fitted with energy-saving light fittings and utilizes an efficient rainwater harvesting system. It has centralized air-condition, controlled with 24 degree Celsius with fan coil system and chiller.

MORE THAN JUST AN OFFICE BUILDING The impeccable Plaza Shell is a landmark of the company's history of partnership and progress with Sabah, according to Datuk Iain Lo, Chairman of Shell Malaysia. It also acts as a statement about the future of the giant oil-industry based company in Borneo's land below the wind. More than 400 Shell staff will occupy the top four floors of Plaza Shell, where they will run the company's deep-water business ranging from day to day production operations, maintenance, through future developments and enhancements.

Designed according to Shell's "Connect Standards” which enhances connectedness to improve collaboration through space usage and technology to seamlessly link-up with offshore and other offices, Plaza Shell also takes care of their staff's wellbeing, with a dedicated wellness area for nursing mothers, yoga and meditation. In terms of office space, the building boasts 2.8m clear head room floor to ceiling heights, with raised flooring system where electricity wirings and fibre cabling system is installed to deliver high-speed Internet connection of up to 20 megabits per second.

The building has been conceptualized, designed and constructed as a resource-efficient, high performing, and cost efficient building, in tandem with Shell's desire to provide a healthy and productive working environment which also includes a 12,000 sq. ft landscaped garden suite for relaxation.

Another feature not to be missed is the retail podium on the ground floor to the second floor. The building is designed to cater for high-end fine dining and exclusive boutique outlets. The second floor balcony offers stunning views of KK City, making it suitable for restaurants with alfresco dining. The floor layout for the retail floors allows flexibility for outlets of various sizes. There will be premium food and beverage outlets from Kuala Lumpur that will boost the businesses in the retail podium.

Perched in the heart of Kota Kinabalu, Plaza Shell enjoys immediate access to outstanding transport links and is in close walking proximity to the city core, including hotels, shopping malls, golf courses, hospitals and other public amenities such as the police headquarters and religious establishments.

With a total gross floor area of 435,055 square feet, the office tower is much more than an efficient Grade A building but is a prime benchmark that is difficult to beat in Kota Kinabalu.

Plaza Shell has Grade A retail and office space open for lease. For more information, contact Hap Seng Realty Sdn. Bhd. at 088-355 999.