KUALA LUMPUR | Petronas Towers | 1,483 FT / 452 M | 88 FLOORS | 1998
Controversely being declared the World's Tallest buildings in 1998 were Cesar Pelli's Petronas Towers, a headquarters for the Malaysian state oil company. The buildings were built as economic power symbols as much as for office space. Nonetheless, the buildings are now filled with oil company offices from around the world.
Having seen nearly all of Pelli's major towers in person (Canary Wharf being a notable exception), I have to say that this is his masterwork. The stainless facade and green tinted glass perfectly reflects the jungly nature of KL. The overlaid shapes (circles and squares) form a rythmic facade culminating in a sleek shiny spire. Joining the two towers at the 42nd floor is a bridge which forever gives the buildings an inconic gateway form.
This is another set of towers (like Jin Mao) that I'd never really been impressed with until I saw them in person. They really are quite exceptional.
The mall at the base of the towers is just a mall, nothing too impressive.
I've got lots of pictures...but please share your own and thoughts too!
BTW, this is essentially a similar post to one I did in October of 2006 after my return from Asia. Unfortunately it got pruned somewhere along the way.
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They have. Working here, I see them hundreds of times a day on watches, caps, mugs, tshirts and hundreds of other cheap items sold in shops. They are also used as an identifier in countless commercials and tv shows.
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^That's nice. No one in this particular thread actually said they were the tallest. The thread is about these particular buildings and their attributes, not the CTBUH policy.
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Maybe I need to see these in person to fully appreciate them. As much as I like Pelli, I never much cared for the Petronas Towers. I always thought the design was too overdone, er...too flashy for my tastes, maybe?
they were so not the tallest building in the world.
Since you're relatively new here, consider yourself warned - the admins don't take kindly to Petronas vs. Sears fights and may strike thee down with great vengeance if it comes down to it.
Anywho, the Petronas towers are quite beautiful and a great example of early 21st Century design.
Maybe I need to see these in person to fully appreciate them. As much as I like Pelli, I never much cared for the Petronas Towers. I always thought the design was too overdone, er...too flashy for my tastes, maybe?
I agree, I love most Pelli Buildings but I just never seemed to care about the Petronas Towers, I dont hate them, they're very nice and I love the skyline as a whole, but sometimes I'm just "eh" about them. I LOVE the massing and shapes of the towers, the facade up close is AMAZING but theres just something about them I dont like. It could be the whole Petronas vs. Sears, pshh they where never the tallest.
Anyway, true to form, Pelli may not have come up with the most envelope-pushing form, and he definitely sticks to a contextual approach but he did a great job here. The facade, the Islamic references to the form, the facade... well, you get the idea.
I love these towers. I am in love with them and the design is great. I don't really care if they cheat they're still better looking than other buildings similar in height. Those night shots are amazing! That building with the setbacks next to these towers is pretty sweet too.
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The buildings that started all the CTBUH faggotry.
To its credit, it's still a very nice design, and may very well be the icon of Southeast Asia's skyscrapers. The facade in particular just seems so... Malaysia-ish xD
I agree with Jonas. Before I had a similar opinion to most people in this thread-- ie. they're nice but not that special, but having seen them in person back in October this year I have to say they belong to the most impressive skyscrapers I have ever seen (and I have seen quite a few of them ). Especially at night they are just super spectacular. A truly surreal experience.
The same was the case for Jin Mao Building in Shanghai too btw. I didn't think it was that special until I saw it with my own eyes. I guess this is common for buildings with very detailed and intricate facades and many setbacks, etc.
I absolutely LOVE these buildings!
Also, it was asked if they have become a symbol of Kuala Lumpur, and since they are what I automatically think of when I hear about the city, I would say yes
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). Especially at night they are just super spectacular. A truly surreal experience. 
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