The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur were dedicated in 1999 and immediately became the central focus of the “new” Malaysia. The city’s past is still evident in the colonial buildings of the British era, but the new twin towers are a potent reminder of how far Malaysia has come since gaining its independence in 1957. In the same way that Malacca was an important international center for commercial interests when the Europeans arrived here five hundred years ago in search of trading opportunities, Kuala Lumpur now serves as a key location in the economy of Southeast Asia. The Petronas Towers are proud to be the center of all this activity, and many of Malaysia’s most powerful corporations have their offices in the tower buildings.
The Petronas Towers were designed by the architectural firm of César Pelli & Associates, and the entire project was overseen by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir Muhammad who was a key visionary in the redevelopment of Kuala Lumpur and the amazing economic growth of the nation during the last two decades of the twentieth century. Construction of the twin towers began in 1992 and finished in 1998. Malaysian citizens are proud of the fact that 60% of the materials used came from Malaysia and that both the exterior and interior of the towers contain many references to traditional Malaysian crafts and architecture.
The Petronas Towers are one of if not the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, but the towers also serve as a valuable contribution to local culture. The Dewan Filharmonic in the towers is the first top quality classical music concert hall in the area, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is composed of an impressive set of international musicians.
The building of the Petronas Towers was an impressive construction project, and architects, engineers and contractors from all over the world participated in the design and building process, though the majority of physical labor was contributed by Malaysians. Records and new technology abound in the Petronas Towers, and they were the tallest buildings in the world at the time they were dedicated. The are still the tallest pair of towers, they have the deepest foundations of any structure in the world, and they have the most modern structural, electrical, fiber optic, security, and earthquake resistant systems on the planet.
The most important feature of the Petronas Towers is the way they excite the viewer’s imagination, inspiring them to believe that anything indeed is possible and that the future of Malaysia holds great promise. Not bad for a muddy spot in the jungle that was nothing more than a rowdy Chinese tin miner’s camp only a hundred and fifty years ago.