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Malaysian Architecture A Major Source of Inspiration
FEATURE
Written and photographed by Cami Ismanova
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple: “Gopuram” the gateway decorated with depictions of hundreds of Hindu deities.
www.gwangjunewsgic.com
April 2020
“There are 360 degrees. So why stick to one?” — Zaha Hadid
T
he foundation of diverse architecture is a diverse culture. We can truly observe this by visiting Kuala Lumpur, the hub that merges several major cultures into one. The incredible skyline catches your eye immediately after you land in the capital of sunny Malaysia. While walking around the city, you can see dozens of mosques, Hindu and Chinese temples, churches, and postmodern buildings that make you both genuinely inspired and astonished. Since I have fallen victim to the irresistible vibe of Malaysia’s flamboyant and disparate architecture, I would like to share what I have learned about it. I have decided to begin with the biggest fish in the pond: the Petronas Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world, designed by Argentine architect Cesar Pelli. These twin towers were once the tallest buildings in the world from
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1998 to 2004, but later they were surpassed by Taipei 101. The construction of the towers started in 1993 and finished in 1996. Their official inauguration was held in 1999 by the prime minister of Malaysia. What makes the Petronas Towers so special, besides their obvious height, is their “tube in a tube design,” which was invented by Fazlur Rahman Khan. Moreover, the influence of Islamic art (a reflection of the country’s religion) smoothly interlaces with the postmodern style of the architecture. The height of each tower is exactly 451.9 meters (1483 feet). The buildings are owned by KLCC Holdings and cost 1.6 billion U.S. dollars. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that South Koreans contributed to the construction of the Petronas Towers. In fact, Samsung Engineering and Construction was employed as the contractor
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