The House

Parliament House was designed as a symbol of a new nation and of democracy in Malaysia. The building was expressed in the modern architectural language of the International Style with the ubiquitous composition of tower block atop a podium. In this case, the three-storey podium, housing the Senate and the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat), is of very large proportions. Eleven triangular concrete pinnacles, forming a sort of concertina roof, crown the podium above the Dewan Rakyat. The unusual structure is supposed to resemble the Bugis or Melaka roof form.

The most expressive part of the building is the precast concrete panelling that envelopes the 18-storey tower block. Reminiscent of the skin of a pineapple, it functions as both sun shading and aesthetic device, providing a sense of scale, texture, rhythm and form to the facade. A ceremonial square is landscaped with ornamental pools and is used for formal ceremonies.