Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)

Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC)


The History of KLCC - The World's Tallest Twin Skyscrapers

The distinctive, rising Petronas Towers are without a doubt the emblem of contemporary Malaysia, perhaps having the same significance for Kuala Lumpur as the Eiffel Tower has for Paris and the Statue of Liberty for New York. It ignited national pride and came to symbolise Malaysia's foray into the twenty-first century.

PETRONAS Twin Towers site planning began in January 1992, led by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, together with Deejay Cerico, J.C. Guinto, and Dominic Saibo. The twin towers were originally planned to be built at a height of only 1400 feet (427m). Fortunately, Tun Dr. Mahathir, former Prime Minister of Malaysia recognised the building's potential as one of the tallest structures in the world and pushed designers and engineers to add a few additional metres to its height reaching 1483 feet (452m) tall, surpassing the Sears Tower in the USA. After enduring numerous demanding tests and simulations of wind and structural loads on the design, the superstructure's construction started in April 1994. Ultimately, in June 1996, the steel and glass encasing of the PETRONAS Twin Towers was finished.

Each tower has 88 stories and 5 floors below ground for mechanical and parking facilities. The architecture of each tower's floor plate is based on two interlocking squares that form an eight-pointed star using basic Islamic geometric shapes. These forms serve as architectural representations of the core Islamic values of harmony, stability, and reason.

The double-decker skybridge, which weighs 750 tonnes, serves as a link between the two buildings on Levels 41 and 42. Curiously, the skybridge is not completely joined to the main building; engineers purposefully designed the skybridge this way to allow for minor movements during high winds and other inclement weather. As a result, the bridge won't detach from the towers. The bridge is 58.4 metres (192 feet) long and rises 170 metres (558 feet) above the earth.

The Petronas Twin Towers' observation decks are located on Level 86 of both towers. Visitors to the deck can take in a breathtaking view of the cityscape from a height of 370 metres. Via digital exhibits and displays, visitors may also learn more about the history of the twin towers.