Saloma Link

Weaving Culture and History into KL’s Public and Social Mobility

CLIENT

Kampong Bharu Development Bhd

REGION

Kampong Bharu, Kuala Lumpur

YEAR

Completed in 2020

GFA

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DISCIPLINES

Architecture

The Saloma Link is a landmark pedestrian connection that threads across the Klang River and the AKLEH highway, uniting two distinct realms of Kuala Lumpur: the historic, village-scale fabric of Kampong Bharu and the contemporary skyline of the KLCC precinct. As both an infrastructural intervention and a cultural gesture, the link completes a long-missing pedestrian connection while reframing the city’s urban experience through walkability, heritage, and visual spectacle.

ARCHITECTURE

Central to the bridge’s identity is the Sirih Junjung—a ceremonial arrangement traditionally presented at Malay weddings as a symbol of unity. This motif informed not only the bridge’s form but its purpose: to embody the bond between Kampong Bharu and KLCC, two communities once separated physically and socioeconomically. The bridge’s name, Saloma, pays homage to the Singaporean-Malaysian performer laid to rest nearby, further rooting the project in local memory and cultural continuity. As a ceremonial gesture cast at an urban scale, the link expresses oneness, transition, and shared aspiration.

The project begins with the redevelopment of Jalan Saloma into a generous pedestrian spine, incorporating a plaza, widened walkways, landscaping and street furniture. This spine rises into a 370-meter elevated walkway that culminates in the iconic 69-meter bridge spanning the Klang River and AKLEH. The bridge itself unfolds as a sculptural, lantern-like tunnel whose overlapping form recalls the layered arrangement of the Sirih Junjung. Ramps, stairs and lifts ensure accessible movement for both pedestrians and cyclists, reinforcing the link’s role as an inclusive piece of public infrastructure.

Its curved steel canopy is clad in 4,100 diamond-shaped modules composed of solid and perforated aluminum, glass and transparent panels. These panels reference motifs found in traditional Malay craft and create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow as pedestrians move through the structure. By day, the facets shimmer under reflected sunlight. And by night, embedded programmable LEDs transform the bridge into a vibrant, colour-shifting beacon visible across the city.

Beyond forming a safe and seamless crossing, the Saloma Link re-establishes a vital cultural connection between the kampong and the modern city centre. By drawing foot traffic across previously impassable barriers, the bridge encourages healthier, more sustainable urban mobility—walking, cycling and multimodal transport. The improved accessibility stimulates economic activity in Kampong Bharu, helping to distribute the prosperity of the CBD into the historic enclave.

At the same time, its photogenic form and strategic vantage points—framing views of the Petronas Twin Towers and the evolving skyline—have made the link a popular public destination. In doing so, the Saloma Link elevates infrastructure into civic identity, bridging not only geography but culture, opportunity and community.