Created for PETRONAS' 45th anniversary at Suria KLCC, Tree of Tales is a sculptural installation developed with Formzero and MOA. With just eight weeks for design, fabrication, testing and construction, the engineering required an innovative structural solution that could be rapidly manufactured and assembled.
The installation adopts load-bearing structural fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) cubes, assembled into a self-supporting three-dimensional form without a separate structural frame. The engineering considered the strength and stiffness of the individual modules, their connections and the distribution of loads through the assembled structure.
The use of repeatable FRP modules enabled off-site fabrication and efficient on-site assembly within the eight-week programme. The modular system also allowed the installation to be dismantled, combining structural efficiency with the practical demands of a temporary exhibition.
Formzero / MOA
2019
Structural engineering
Completed
The completed installation demonstrates how the interconnected FRP cubes collectively form the load-bearing sculptural structure.
Structural analysis of the interconnected FRP modules, examining load paths and the behaviour of the self-supporting assembly.
The prefabricated FRP cubes were brought together on site to form the installation’s three-dimensional geometry. Connecting the individual modules created the interconnected, self-supporting structure.
On-site construction had to fit within a short working window while the mall was closed. The modular system supported rapid assembly, with the installation taking shape in the Suria KLCC concourse between trading periods.