Recently my Uncle announced his engagement to his soon to be Malaysian wife. The wedding is in April, in Kuala Lampur, and the entire family will be attending. The entire family, besides me that is. Unfortunately, due to my academic demands, school will not allow for a week long absence. But this got me thinking about the my first visit to Kuala Lampur and my first associating thought with it: The Petronas Twin Towers. In my opinion, true architectural wonders.
Petronas Twin Towers, pair of skyscraper office buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are among the world’s tallest buildings. The Towers, built to house the headquarters of Petronas, the national petroleum company of Malaysia, were designed by the Argentine-born American architect Cesar Pelli. The 88 story structures, linked by a bridge at the 41st floor, are identical and were completed in 1998.
To express the 'culture and heritage of Malaysia', classic Islamic motifs such as, arabesques and repetitive geometries, characteristic of Muslim architecture, have been evoked in the overall construction of The Towers. An 8-point star- reflecting unity within unity, rationality, stability and harmony- formed by intersecting squares is an obvious reference to Islamic design; curved and pointed bays create a scalloped facade that suggests temple towers. Radiating structures, rhythmic patterns, and organized columns have also been a significant feature in the towers. Influences arrived from old Hindu and Buddhist temples have also been incorporated in the construction.
In both engineering and design, the Petronas Towers succeed at acknowledging Malaysia's past and future, embracing the country's culture while proclaiming its modernization.
These Towers are an indescribable site definitely worth seeing!
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