The much awaited convention centre earmarked at THE LIGHT’s commercial precinct is set to
make waves soon.

Designed to compete amongst the best venues in the Asia-Pacific region, The Penang Waterfront Convention Centre (PWCC) is poised to be the latest alternative to renown convention venues in places such as Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong. PWCC was designed by Larry Oltmanns, Design Director and CEO of Vx3, a London-based architectural firm specialising in large-scale urban developments and convention centres. His impressive portfolio include landmarks such as NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hong Kong Convention Centre in Victoria Harbour and is currently working on convention centres in Singapore, Adelaide, Australia and Jakarta.

The centrepiece of the convention centre is a 10,000 square meter column-free multi-purpose hall that can be subdivided or used as a single space for exhibitions, conventions, corporate events, and private functions. In a matter of minutes, it can be entirely converted to a 9000-seat arena for world-class concerts that can be held in Penang for the first time.

Sustainability and functionality have been the main drivers of the design and the space can be arranged in an infinite number of configurations and moods. Separate entries and multiple lobbies will ensure that simultaneous events can be conducted with absolute privacy. From the outside, the facade of the building appears as a shimmering curtain: reflecting and refracting light from the sky and the sea to produce a dazzling pattern that constantly changes as one moves around the building. From the inside, the kaleidoscopic pattern of the external walls filters light from the sun and captures views of the sea as a series of vignettes that are never the same from one location to the next.

Living IJM Land’s internal mantra of “Bringing life to ordinary spaces” and our strong emphasis on quality, Suntec Penang (a subsidiary of Suntec International) was carefully handpicked to be involved in the designing, marketing and operation of PWCC. With an insurmountable wealth of experience in managing convention centres across the globe, Suntec Penang has proven themselves as an established global business network providing an all-encompassing portfolio of management services and operational expertise that is obvious from its flagship venue - the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

“We are confident that this partnership will bring strong commercial value to the surrounding economic network based on Suntec Penang’s client-focused, business driven approach and understanding of global industry trends to deliver strong growth, world-class service quality and operational excellence to PWCC. IJM Land is proud to have Suntec Penang aboard in making PWCC a world-class convention destination and with the right foundation in place, THE LIGHT is able to merge societies imperative in transforming Penang into an international city,” Dato’ Soam Heng Choon states. “IJM Land constantly scales new challenges to add value to our developments and being the first developer in the region to incorporate a convention centre, retail malls, hotels and a business district on a 152-acre waterfront development with Green Building Index certification is no mean feat. With all these essentials in place, at THE LIGHT, the world is literally at your doorstep!”

"We are delighted to collaborate with IJM Land on the design and conceptualisation of the iconic Penang Waterfront Convention Centre and see it as a big step in the ongoing development of the MICE industry in Penang. With the right mix of convention and exhibition activities, Penang has enormous potential to become one of the MICE hubs of Malaysia. We are confident that with Suntec Penang's market knowledge, experience and expertise, together with our partner IJM Land, PWCC will become the focal point for business delegates both regionally and internationally as well as creating a synergistic relationship with its upcoming surrounding businesses such as retail shops, F&B outlets and world-class hotels. Together with IJM Land, Suntec Penang aims to turn PWCC into the venue of choice in the region," commented Arun Madhok, CEO of Suntec International.