Kuala Lumpur’s old city centre — stretching along the Gombak River from Jalan Sultan Ismail to Kampung Attap, and framed by Stadium Merdeka, Masjid Jamek and Medan Tuanku — is experiencing a hollowing-out effect. Over the past few decades, essential functions and residential populations have shifted to other areas, as housing options in the city centre become increasingly limited. Rising car ownership and the relocation of businesses have accelerated this trend, making the urban core less attractive as a place to live. While it remains a hub for work and commerce, its social and community vibrancy is fading. As a result, activity in the city centre largely ceases after working hours, leaving only tourists and foreign workers residing in the city core.
With growing interest in revitalising underused urban areas, one compelling idea worth exploring is the conversion of vacant office buildings in the city centre into residential housing. This approach offers a practical solution for both the surplus of commercial space and the rising demand for housing.
Kuala Lumpur is currently at a very ripe stage for conversion projects thanks to several existing elements. First, the city centre boasts the highest accessibility to public transport through the MRT, LRT, KL Monorail, KTM as well as RapidKL buses. This infrastructure makes it ideal for residents who prioritise mobility and convenience.
Secondly, recent and ongoing non-residential projects have enhanced the cultural appeal and cultural value of the city centre. The designation of a Warisan KL core has further elevated the heritage of the city centre and highlighted its identity and attractiveness. If poorly performing offices can be converted into residential units, urban spaces may be utilised even more efficiently, making it easier to conduct sustainable urban revitalisation that includes returning residents to the urban core, contributing to a more liveable city.
Thirdly, about 70% of Kuala Lumpur’s office buildings were constructed before 2015. Many of these ageing office towers no longer meet contemporary standards, especially as companies pursue environmental, social and governance goals. As newer offices emerge, older ones risk obsolescence or high tenant turnover — making conversion a potentially beneficial solution for all stakeholders.
Fourthly, the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 calls for diversified housing options, particularly in light of shrinking household sizes projected for 2040. It also emphasises the preference for infill development to maximise land use productivity. Vacant offices, as uneconomic spaces in existing built-up areas, align well with this strategy. Kuala Lumpur’s city centre has long been a business core, but age is catching up with many previously Grade A buildings. Many of these buildings now fall into the Grade B and C categories, and their conversion potential should be seriously evaluated.
In 2023, Kuala Lumpur had an estimated 30 million sq ft of vacant office space — 10 times the total floor area of the Merdeka 118 tower. As new office buildings such as TRX and Merdeka 118 gradually fill up, the city centre should also provide decent housing for those working in these buildings. The old central business district, with its limited land availability, is well-suited for smaller households or non-attached individuals. Ready-built housing stock, subject to appropriate retrofitting, could focus on transient tenants who need to live near their workplaces, reducing commuting time and car dependency. Its proximity to many still-occupied offices, excellent public transport and abundant lifestyle amenities makes it an attractive proposition for young single workers or working couples seeking a balanced urban lifestyle.
Vacant office blocks could help fill this demand gap. With the right conditions, converting them into residences could be a cost-efficient way to create new housing. Of course, not every building is suitable. Key considerations include the existence of manually operable windows, adaptable façade openings, appropriate entry of sunlight into living areas, distance between lifts/stairs and housing units and water supply volume to fit residential use. To aid this process, there are existing “scorecards” used globally that help evaluate multiple factors for the conversion of old office blocks — for example, the Gensler scorecard. Given the emphasis on infilling as a development strategy in the Kuala Lumpur Structural Plan 2040, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) could commission local urban planners and architects to adapt such tools to fit Kuala Lumpur’s context.
Importantly, conversion is not unprecedented. The Perumahan Bandar @TAR transformed mid-rise office lots into student housing for Malaysians aged 18 to 35 earning below RM2,000 who do not own a car or other property. The commercial building has two blocks with seven floors and a basement. DBKL allocated around RM7 million for the readaptation process.
Among the buildings that could potentially be converted from office to residential purposes are Wisma SPS, Imbi Plaza, Wisma New Asia, Menara Maybank, Loke Yew Building, Menara Raja Laut, KH Tower and Bangunan Lee Yan Lian. These buildings are over 30 years old, have high vacancy rates and are located in areas with excellent access to public transport and amenities.
As companies move to state-of-the-art office blocks, a cluster of once-fully-occupied but now deteriorating office buildings has become available. Renovating them for modern office use is possible, but not guaranteed to attract tenants in today’s competitive market. Meanwhile, the housing shortage in such a well-connected and attractive part of the city presents a compelling alternative.
Kuala Lumpur has a substantial supply of underoccupied office buildings in prime locations. Converting them into residential units could address multiple urban challenges without requiring massive new developments. It would breathe new life back into neglected buildings, revitalise urban spaces and offer affordable housing in an area often out of reach for young workers. That said, conversion is not as simple as selecting a building and starting work.
Thorough preliminary work is essential to confirm the viability of such projects, as a number of buildings may not be structurally suited for residential function. There are successful cases both locally and internationally showing the possibilities in retrofitting old office buildings into housing options. These should be studied in detail by the government and City Hall.
Demolition and decay are not the only options for ageing Grade B or Grade C office blocks. While not 100% of them would be viable for conversion, it would be worth the effort to assess them thoroughly. Doing so could help rejuvenate a historic and iconic part of Kuala Lumpur. The last thing the urban core needs is a cluster of decaying, vacant office buildings sitting around until they are no longer fit for any kind of usage.
Published in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on 18 Sept 2025
My Say: Dead space, new life: The untapped potential of KL’s office blocks
Kuala Lumpur’s old city centre — stretching along the Gombak River from Jalan Sultan Ismail to Kampung Attap, and framed by Stadium Merdeka, Masjid Jamek and Medan Tuanku — is experiencing a hollowing-out effect. Over the past few decades, essential functions and residential populations have shifted to other areas, as housing options in the city centre become increasingly limited. Rising car ownership and the relocation of businesses have accelerated this trend, making the urban core less attractive as a place to live. While it remains a hub for work and commerce, its social and community vibrancy is fading. As a result, activity in the city centre largely ceases after working hours, leaving only tourists and foreign workers residing in the city core.
With growing interest in revitalising underused urban areas, one compelling idea worth exploring is the conversion of vacant office buildings in the city centre into residential housing. This approach offers a practical solution for both the surplus of commercial space and the rising demand for housing.
Kuala Lumpur is currently at a very ripe stage for conversion projects thanks to several existing elements. First, the city centre boasts the highest accessibility to public transport through the MRT, LRT, KL Monorail, KTM as well as RapidKL buses. This infrastructure makes it ideal for residents who prioritise mobility and convenience.
Secondly, recent and ongoing non-residential projects have enhanced the cultural appeal and cultural value of the city centre. The designation of a Warisan KL core has further elevated the heritage of the city centre and highlighted its identity and attractiveness. If poorly performing offices can be converted into residential units, urban spaces may be utilised even more efficiently, making it easier to conduct sustainable urban revitalisation that includes returning residents to the urban core, contributing to a more liveable city.
Thirdly, about 70% of Kuala Lumpur’s office buildings were constructed before 2015. Many of these ageing office towers no longer meet contemporary standards, especially as companies pursue environmental, social and governance goals. As newer offices emerge, older ones risk obsolescence or high tenant turnover — making conversion a potentially beneficial solution for all stakeholders.
Fourthly, the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040 calls for diversified housing options, particularly in light of shrinking household sizes projected for 2040. It also emphasises the preference for infill development to maximise land use productivity. Vacant offices, as uneconomic spaces in existing built-up areas, align well with this strategy. Kuala Lumpur’s city centre has long been a business core, but age is catching up with many previously Grade A buildings. Many of these buildings now fall into the Grade B and C categories, and their conversion potential should be seriously evaluated.
In 2023, Kuala Lumpur had an estimated 30 million sq ft of vacant office space — 10 times the total floor area of the Merdeka 118 tower. As new office buildings such as TRX and Merdeka 118 gradually fill up, the city centre should also provide decent housing for those working in these buildings. The old central business district, with its limited land availability, is well-suited for smaller households or non-attached individuals. Ready-built housing stock, subject to appropriate retrofitting, could focus on transient tenants who need to live near their workplaces, reducing commuting time and car dependency. Its proximity to many still-occupied offices, excellent public transport and abundant lifestyle amenities makes it an attractive proposition for young single workers or working couples seeking a balanced urban lifestyle.
Vacant office blocks could help fill this demand gap. With the right conditions, converting them into residences could be a cost-efficient way to create new housing. Of course, not every building is suitable. Key considerations include the existence of manually operable windows, adaptable façade openings, appropriate entry of sunlight into living areas, distance between lifts/stairs and housing units and water supply volume to fit residential use. To aid this process, there are existing “scorecards” used globally that help evaluate multiple factors for the conversion of old office blocks — for example, the Gensler scorecard. Given the emphasis on infilling as a development strategy in the Kuala Lumpur Structural Plan 2040, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) could commission local urban planners and architects to adapt such tools to fit Kuala Lumpur’s context.
Importantly, conversion is not unprecedented. The Perumahan Bandar @TAR transformed mid-rise office lots into student housing for Malaysians aged 18 to 35 earning below RM2,000 who do not own a car or other property. The commercial building has two blocks with seven floors and a basement. DBKL allocated around RM7 million for the readaptation process.
Among the buildings that could potentially be converted from office to residential purposes are Wisma SPS, Imbi Plaza, Wisma New Asia, Menara Maybank, Loke Yew Building, Menara Raja Laut, KH Tower and Bangunan Lee Yan Lian. These buildings are over 30 years old, have high vacancy rates and are located in areas with excellent access to public transport and amenities.
As companies move to state-of-the-art office blocks, a cluster of once-fully-occupied but now deteriorating office buildings has become available. Renovating them for modern office use is possible, but not guaranteed to attract tenants in today’s competitive market. Meanwhile, the housing shortage in such a well-connected and attractive part of the city presents a compelling alternative.
Kuala Lumpur has a substantial supply of underoccupied office buildings in prime locations. Converting them into residential units could address multiple urban challenges without requiring massive new developments. It would breathe new life back into neglected buildings, revitalise urban spaces and offer affordable housing in an area often out of reach for young workers. That said, conversion is not as simple as selecting a building and starting work.
Thorough preliminary work is essential to confirm the viability of such projects, as a number of buildings may not be structurally suited for residential function. There are successful cases both locally and internationally showing the possibilities in retrofitting old office buildings into housing options. These should be studied in detail by the government and City Hall.
Demolition and decay are not the only options for ageing Grade B or Grade C office blocks. While not 100% of them would be viable for conversion, it would be worth the effort to assess them thoroughly. Doing so could help rejuvenate a historic and iconic part of Kuala Lumpur. The last thing the urban core needs is a cluster of decaying, vacant office buildings sitting around until they are no longer fit for any kind of usage.
Published in Forum, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on 18 Sept 2025
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