Completed in 1998 to anchor Kuala Lumpur City Centre, César Pelli’s 451.9‑meter twin towers fused a high‑tech tube‑in‑tube structure with an Islamic eight‑point star plan. Once the world’s tallest buildings (1998–2004) and still the tallest twins, they pair composite steel‑and‑concrete frames, a 170‑meter deep foundation, and a two‑level skybridge with public realm and cultural venues, symbolizing Malaysia’s late‑20th‑century ambition.
Malaysia’s 1990s development strategy concentrated prestige, culture, and green space at Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). An international design search selected César Pelli & Associates for a signature corporate headquarters above a retail podium and adjacent park. Two identical towers would create a memorable skyline and a symbolic gateway.
The floor plate derives from an eight‑point star—two interlocking squares—evoking Islamic geometry and local identity. Rounded notches soften corners for usable perimeter offices. Paired elevator banks and mechanical cores maximize rentable area while distributing lateral resistance.
Each tower uses a high‑strength reinforced‑concrete tube with a steel‑and‑concrete composite superstructure. Concrete, better for local supply chains and stiffness, enabled thin walls with high compressive capacity. A ring of perimeter columns ties into outriggers at mechanical floors, coupling core and frame. The 58‑meter, two‑level steel skybridge at levels 41–42 is pinned at both towers, designed to slide to accommodate differential motion.
Subsurface karst demanded an enormous piled raft: each tower sits on a 4.6‑meter thick raft supported by 100+ bored piles extending up to ~170 meters to competent limestone. A fast‑tracked program split construction between two joint ventures racing up the superstructures, with a handover ceremony when the spires topped out in 1998.
Double‑deck elevators reduce core footprint and waiting times. Redundant mechanical floors feed zoned air‑conditioning; tuned sloshing dampers and structural stiffness manage wind accelerations. Lightning protection and spire access systems support maintenance at height.
Below the towers, Suria KLCC retail and the Philharmonic Hall animate the podium; a 20‑hectare park provides respite, water features, and connectivity. The towers’ stainless‑steel cladding and rhythmic mullions sparkle in equatorial sun, becoming Malaysia’s global emblem on coins, stamps, and films.
Facade sealants, glazing coatings, MEP retrofits, and elevator controls have been refreshed to improve energy use and comfort. Skybridge access is ticketed for crowd and security management, and structural monitoring continues to track drift and vibration.
