Petronas Twin Towers: The Architecture of High ConstructionIn a world with Jumbo jets, microchips and artifical hearts, architecture had appeared to have lost its wonder, but with the building of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, now the tallest buildings on earth, this has changed and their construction has rightly restored architecture as a world wonder. It is not just because the towers are the tallest that they can make this claim. Their design by Cesar Pelli also reflects a melding of East and West. The towers embody the great spirit born of the American mid-West and now found all over the world. They also reflect the latest technology in making tall buildings, with modern materials such as stainless steel cladding which makes their spires glisten on the horizon. The design of the Petronas Towers began with an international design competition. In June 1991, eight firms were invited to participate. The architects were asked to providee a general plan for the Kuala Lumpur City Centre and a more detailed design for two towers to be occupied by Petronas, the national petroleum company of Malaysia. The Petronas Towers were expected to define a gateway, "a place that people can identify as unique to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia." It was never discussed that the towers should become the tallest buildings in the world, only that they be beautiful. |
Contents
RESTORING ARCHITECTURES WONDER | 6 |
PETRONAS Towers | 7 |
SITE AND DESIGN | 16 |
Copyright | |
5 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
acoustically architects architecture base podium stacking Berhad bustle top Cesar Pelli client competition Conceptual concert hall entrance concrete CONFERENCE CENTER Consultant create cultural Detail of concert Detail of tower Dewan Filharmonik Petronas double-deck double-deck elevators Early tower foundation eight-pointed star EXPOSED STRUCTURAL FAIA FLOOR PLAN forecourt foundation mat Fred Clarke geometric Height International Modernism Islamic January-February 1994 Kuala Lumpur City Lao Tse Lumpur City Centre Master plan base Night time view OPPOSITE BOTTOM OPPOSITE LEFT OPPOSITE RIGHT OPPOSITE TOP Pelli & Associates Petronas Plaza Petronas Towers Pipe Organ plan base podium podium stacking study REFLECTED CEILING retail court ring ball Roberto Burle Marx Selangor Turf Club sky lobbies skyscraper space sq ft square meters stainless steel street level structural engineers sunshades Suria KLCC symbolic tall buildings tower foundation construction tower pinnacle tower top tradition typical plan levels View of skybridge View of towers window washing York