London-based architecture firm Szczepaniak Astridge has won an international competition to design a new Malaysia headquarters of Supermax, the brand is a leading international manufacturer, distributor and marketer of high quality medical gloves in the world. 

Supermax currently exports to over 160 countries worldwide in the regions of America, Europe, Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific. 

After seeing a rise in demand for medical gloves and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) due to coronavirus, the company decided to expand its capacity with new headquarters.

The winning-proposal will be built in Klang, Malaysia, the new building, covering a total of 3,576-square-metre area, will have 9 floors and contain offices, parking, exhibition spaces, courtyards, restaurants and a 1000-seater ballroom for entertainment. 

For design, the studio was inspired by the humble rubber tree which gives a delicate façade that wraps around the building, whilst vertical elements filter incoming light and allow air to cool.

Reception and showroom will be arranged on the ground floor, while the floors between first level and fourth level are arranged as car park. In the middle floor, the architects created double-volume ballroom. 

On the rest of the floors, there will be R&D training corporate offices, finance, banking department, global sales and marketing. On the roof level, there will be canteen and restaurant. 

The facade of the building is articulated with plenty of green infills and trees and slender vertical elements that create semi-transparent facade. 

"The health and wellness of employees is of the upmost importance and is aided by a green belt along the perimeter of the offices and a design guided by the principles of Feng Shui," said the office. 

The architects are also building two factories on the same site, alongside the new headquarter, to meet increasing demands in PPE in the town. 

The design is currently in early design process but it is expected to start construction in 2021. 

All images © Secchi Smith 

> via Szczepaniak Astridge