At the beginning of the project, Unilever Indonesia faced several challenges and concerns. The primary goal was to consolidate their operations into a single, cohesive headquarters that not only embodied the Unilever brand but also resonated with Indonesian culture. The client demanded a design with a significant "wow" factor, ensuring the building would stand out as a landmark. Additionally, achieving efficiency and functionality within the workspace was crucial. The building's thermal performance posed a challenge due to Jakarta's equatorial location, requiring innovative shading solutions to manage east and west solar exposure. Integrating a wide range of amenities, such as a restaurant, gym, child care, and prayer facilities, while maintaining a cohesive design was another concern. Ensuring the building met Green Mark gold rating standards added to the complexity, necessitating meticulous environmental engineering and sustainable design practices.
35,000 m² of office space for the headquarters of the world's largest transnational consumer goods company, Unilever HQ.
Client
Unilever Indonesia
Architect
AEDAS
Scope
Façade Consulting, Lighting, Building Physics + Acoustics + Access + Maintenance
Awards
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2018 Design For Asia Award, Bronze
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2017 MIPIM Asia Award, Gold – Best Office and Business Development
When Unilever Indonesia consolidated their operations across Jakarta into a single, company-owned building, they aimed to create a landmark headquarters in BSD City. The project, spanning 35,000 sqm, includes five storeys of office space accommodating over 1,800 workstations and various staff amenities. The design reflects Unilever's brand and Indonesian culture, aiming for a vibrant, efficient, and distinctive workplace. The building also targets a Green Mark gold rating, optimizing thermal performance through innovative shading solutions.
The challenge.
Our added value.
What makes this project unique is its innovative and sustainable approach, combined with meticulous design and functionality. The headquarters, spanning 35,000 sqm, integrates various staff amenities, creating a cohesive environment.
The building's façade employs advanced materials and design concepts to optimize thermal performance. The use of fins and nosing as shading elements, refined through iterative simulations, balances thermal performance, cost, and aesthetics. The final design includes denser shading with 11 fins per floor on the east and west sides, reducing to 5 fins per floor on the north and south elevations, minimizing solar gain and enhancing energy efficiency.
The large 5-storey atrium, illuminated by two skylights, floods the ground level with natural daylight and maintains visual connectivity with the sky. Inhabit’s lighting scheme integrates elements from the exterior to the interior, ensuring a cohesive design. Flexible LED technology provides a continuous glow, highlighting the building’s layers and form.
Inside, bespoke curved-linear LED fixtures echo the exterior’s curvature, with warm and cool lighting temperatures distinguishing office areas from public amenities like the restaurant. The limited use of downlights in favor of softer, indirect lighting creates a unique and comfortable workplace environment.
The project’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its pursuit of a Green Mark gold rating, optimizing solar exposure management, and ensuring overall energy efficiency. This project exemplifies how innovative design, advanced engineering, and sustainable practices can create a functional, efficient, and visually stunning workplace.
