Following a competitive process, we were selected to provide the British Council with concept designs for their worldwide estate. The Kuala Lumpur facility provides a regional headquarters for south-east Asia and is located in the bottom four floors of a tower block in the central business district. Our award winning design combines a cool restrained palette with moments of drama, matching the best of contemporary Britain with the fast moving high tech economy of Malaysia. Public spaces are arranged at ground level and include a library, digital interactive zones, children’s area, education and research space, video conference facility, a classroom of the future, self access centre and café. The double height entrance space is animated at night by a cold cathode colour changing back-lit stretch fabric ceiling. Circulation between floors is managed with an elegant new giant steel helical stair. The first floor mezzanine has been extended to accommodate 100 workstations and the second floor houses the teaching centre, one of the Council’s most important worldwide.