As the Kuala Lumpur skyline welcomes a new record-breaking skyscraper, we highlight five iconic skyscrapers designed by local architects
The Kuala Lumpur (KL) skyline seems to always be in a state of flux. In fact, according to the World Tallest 50 Urban Agglomeration 2010 Projection by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), KL was ranked 10th among cities to have most buildings above 100 metres (330 feet), with a combined height of 34,035 metres (111,663 feet) from its 244 high rise buildings then.
Looming over Chinatown is Merdeka 118, which is racing towards completion this year. It will be Malaysia as well as Southeast Asia's tallest building; it will also be the second tallest building in the world. The faceted tower was designed by an Australian firm, Fender Katsalidis Architects, and will no doubt be the subject of many photo opportunities.
As Malaysia's 65th Merdeka celebration approaches, let's discover five iconic skyscrapers, old and new, designed by local architects.
1. Dayabumi
One of the earliest skyscrapers in the city with 35 floors, Dayabumi, at the height of 157m (515 ft), was the tallest building in Malaysia when it was completed in 1984.
Designed by Arkitek MAA and BEP Akitek under joint venture firm BEP+MAA, Dayabumi was the first modern building in the capital to incorporate the principles of Islamic design into its architecture. The Moorish and Byzantine architectural influences ensure that it fits into its immediate surrounding of heritage buildings such as Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad, the old railway station and railway administration building, and the National Mosque.
Dayabumi was the first steel frame building in the country and one of the few buildings in the city at that time that had a rooftop helipad for emergency evacuation. Its gleaming white glass mosaic tower is undoubtedly its focal point and looks just as majestic today as it did then.
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