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Petronas Twin Towers - Places to Visit in
Kuala Lumpur
Destinations and Sights - Within Downtown KL
The PETRONAS Twin Towers rise like sentinels in
the heart of Kuala Lumpur. At a height of 1,483ft (451.9m) and costing US$1.2
billion it is the tallest twin towers in the world and lay claim to being
the world's tallest high rise of the 20th century. Situated in a prime location
in the capital, the gleaming 420m Petronas Twin Towers, a symbol of the nation's
soaring success, exemplified Malaysia's sky-high ambitions towards the new
millennium.
 Facts
at a Glance
Height - 1,483ft /451.9m
Cost - USD 1.2 Billion
Architect - Cιsar Pelli
Material Used -
80,000 cubic metres of high strength concrete
37,000 tons of steel
5,000 square metres of 20.38 mm laminated glass
Floors - 88
combined towers floor Space - 1,000,000 square meters
Milestones in the Construction of PETRONAS Twin Towers
Jan 1992: Start of project planning.
Mar 1993: Start of foundation work.
Apr 1994: Construction of the superstructure.
Jul 1995: Lifting of the Skybridge.
Jan 1996:Fitting out of the interiors complete with furniture.
Mar 1996: Jacking of the spire of Tower 1 and Tower 2.
Jan 1997: Moving in of the first batch of PETRONAS' personnel.
Aug 31, 1999: Official opening by Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the 4th Prime
Minister of Malaysia.
The 88-floor towers, designed by architect Cιsar Pelli, were
completed in 1997. The Twin Towers are a striking glass-and-steel combination
with floor plans based on an eight-pointed star. The Towers were designed to
symbolize strength and grace using geometric principles typified in Islamic
architecture. The towers are also joined at the 41st and 42nd floors (175m above
street level) by a 192ft-long (58.4m) double-decker skybridge - linking the two
sky lobbies and facilitating the movement between the two towers.
The 'composite' structure of the Towers employs both the flexibility of steel
and the rigidity of high-strength concrete. Each component material was used to
best effect in constructing the 452 m-high buildings. About 80,000 cubic metres
of high strength concrete with 37,000 tons of steel were used to form the frames
of both Towers. Complementing the stainless steel is 55,000 square metre of
20.38 mm laminated glass designed to minimise heat gain by reflecting harmful UV
light and unwanted solar radiation.
Supported by 23-by-23-metre concrete cores and an outer ring of widely-spaced
super columns, the towers use a sophisticated structural system that
accommodates its slender profile and provides from 1300 to 2000 square metres of
column-free office space per floor.
Pinnacles
The PETRONAS Twin Towers' pinnacles, made of structural steel, stand 73.5m tall.
The pinnacles play an important part in both the aesthetics and functionality of
the Towers. The timeless minaret design is a crowning symbol of the country and
its culture.
Each pinnacle is composed of a spire, mast ball and ring ball, which are in turn
made up of 50 unique elements, interlocked into single 176-ton pieces.
Interior
In the entrance halls' foyer, inspired by traditional Malaysian motifs from
handicraft and weaving, stainless steel fittings and screens float in the
spacious voids overhead. The wall panels and screens are inspired by the
traditional 'songket', a hand-woven traditional Malay fabric with gold and
silver threads and worn mainly during official functions and ceremonies, as well
as hardwood carvings from villages along the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
 The Skybridge
The Skybridge symbolises a gateway to the future and is used to
facilitate movement between the two towers. It is supported by a "three-hinged arch" consisting of giant round
bearings at the base and a pair of legs 51 metres in length. The base of the
arch is located at level 29 of each tower. The cylindrical legs are bolted to a
box girder below the centre of the double-decked bridge.
The Skybridge of PETRONAS Twin Towers is open to public visits since May 2000.
Admission is free, although visitors have to queue up for tickets.
Visiting hours are from 9 am to 7 pm daily except Mondays.
The PETRONAS Twin Towers, was built by Petronas,
Malaysia's national oil company and developed as an integral part of the Kuala
Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) project.
Places of interests within KLCC
Suria KLCC - a popular chic
shopping mall
Petrosains - featuring hands-on learning environment and the wonders of
science and technology related to the petroleum industry.
Aquaria KLCC - Featuring
aquatic animals from Malaysia and around the world.
Dewan Filharmonik Petronas
- the home of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.
TIP - Best way to Visit - Take a City Tour
DESTINATIONS & SIGHTS - WITHIN DOWNTOWN KL
Chinatown /
Central Market / Jamek
Mosque / Sri Mahamariamman Temple /
Thean Hou Temple /
Twin Towers / KL Tower
/ Merdeka Square /
King's Palace /
Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman
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