AstraZeneca is growing its Innovation Hub in Kuala Lumpur as a centre for science, data and collaboration. A place where teams and partners come together to share ideas and move projects forward. To support this ambition, we were tasked with designing a workplace that balances flexibility, technology and wellbeing. The hub extends the company’s existing office and offers a compact, adaptable environment that meets daily needs while showing visitors what innovation looks like in practice.
Our team designed the hub to make AstraZeneca’s ambition tangible and experiential from the moment of entry. A digital “Time Tunnel” of light and reflections sets the stage as people arrive. Beyond it, a curtain of LED panels comes to life with talks, live data or calming nature scenes, shifting the space in seconds from a lounge to a presentation stage or an interactive demo zone.
We brought strategy, design, technology and delivery together from the start. That meant LED installations were planned into the structure early, and the right vendors were on board before construction began. Our team sequenced the build to protect sensitive equipment and worked closely with AstraZeneca to test content and user flows. The hub opened fully operational, with all technology tested and integrated so teams could start using the space straight away.
AstraZeneca Innovation Hub in Kuala Lumpur is built to flex. A central open area can host a small group in the morning, then expand into a town hall by afternoon. Movable walls and modular furniture make those changes fast and practical. Desks along the windows take advantage of daylight and views, while greenery and preserved moss walls add a calm counterpoint to the technology.
Every part of the hub is equipped with technology that feels natural to use. The training room has cameras and AV that make hybrid meetings clear and reliable. The LED curtain in the lounge connects people around content or updates. Flexible displays and sound systems mean sessions run smoothly without technical distractions. For a science-driven organisation, this makes sharing complex information easier and faster.
Health guided all the decisions. We also brought movement and wellbeing into the plan. Cycling desks let people work while staying active. A games corner gives a different way to recharge between tasks. Plants and natural finishes improve comfort and acoustics.
These choices improve daily wellbeing while supporting AstraZeneca’s broader commitment to sustainable operations. Recycling points sit where people naturally gather. Materials are responsibly sourced, finishes are low in VOCs and lighting and systems are designed to cut energy use.
The Innovation Hub gives AstraZeneca’s teams and partners greater freedom in how they work. It acts as a platform where science and collaboration come together, helping people make faster decisions, connect with partners more effectively and express the company’s innovative spirit in a tangible way. The hub combines the right settings and tools in an optimised footprint, so work feels fluid and purposeful.
Completed
2023
Kuala Lumpur
520 sq m / 5,600 sq ft
The Space Storyteller
