Why were the Petronas Towers built?
The Petronas Towers, in Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia, were the world’s tallest buildings from 1996 to 2003 only to be surpassed by Taiwan’s Taipei 101 building. The towers were built to serve as the headquarters for Petronas, a Malaysian gas and oil company.IdentificationThe Petronas Towers stand 1,483 feet tall and cost more than $1.2 billion to build. They are 33 feet taller than the Sears Tower, the tallest building in the United States.DesignThe buildings were designed by Cesar Pelli, an Argentine architect. They are 88 stories each and were designed to symbolize the same geometry used in Islamic buildings.FunctionOne of the towers is dedicated entirely to Petronas, while the other is leased to Petronas’s subsidiaries and other corporations.Fun FactsThe Petronas Towers are also home to an 864-seat concert hall and an interactive museum about petroleum.
