BIG inverts the traditional skyscraper with kuala lumpur proposal
in 2013, a decade after the completion of kuala lumpur’s distinctive petronas towers, bjarke ingels group was invited to design a new landmark for a central business district adjacent to césar pelli’s celebrated structures. in an attempt to create a visual counterpoint to the existing urban epicenter, the design team sought to establish a new tower which could enter into a dialogue with the neighboring petronas towers.
all images courtesy of bjarke ingels group / BIG
a typical skyscraper steps back as it rises, providing less space as the views get more desirable. BIG’s design exploits the changing context from the foot to the pinnacle, proposing a skyscraper turned upside down. as it reaches for the sky, the surroundings open up to leave more room, air, and light around the trunk of the tower.
exploiting the necessary separation of the tower into distinct fire sections with evacuation terraces and sky lobbies at regular intervals, the tower is articulated as a stack of balancing volumes rather than a single mass. consequently, each part constitutes a different typology: tower, slab, cube and perimeter block.
the hotel is positioned at the top of the tower with a sky lobby presenting 360° views beneath the hovering half cube. the center of the volume is excavated to create a courtyard in the sky — like a crown balancing at the top. sheltered from the winds at 1,250 feet, and surrounded by rooms with spectacular views of the city, the courtyard is an oasis in the sky, a garden with water and nature orchestrated in precise geometries. the façades are designed as a double-skin, creating a chimney effect for natural ventilation that allows for spectacular views without resulting in overheating.
project info:
project: kuala lumpur signature tower
year: 2013
type: prequalified competition
client: 1malaysia development berhad
collaborators: kumpulan senireka sdn. bhd.
size: 200,000 sqm
location: kuala lumpur, malaysia
status: idea
partners in charge: bjarke ingels, andreas klok pedersen
project leader: min ter lim
team: blake smith, david tao, daram park, ricardo palma prieto, edouard champelle, hanna johansson, ryohei koike, romain pequin, lucian racovitan, andre schmidt, katarzyna siedlecka
architecture in malaysia (17 articles)
leon leong recalls malaysia's 1960s public housing with 'cracks in the wall' exhibition
neri&hu inserts a lush internal courtyard into the alila bangsar hotel in kuala lumpur
eleena jamil architect proposes sustainable bamboo structures for malaysian housing
another tales applies red brick and metal finishes to the madam wong bar in malaysia
POW ideas captures retro neon style for the swimming club in kuala lumpur
FORMZERO introduces urban farming in malaysia with the planter box house
bjarke ingels group / BIG (214 articles)
bjarke ingels group masterplans 'qiddiya', saudi arabia's sprawling capital of entertainment
bjarke ingels group's MÉCA cultural center in bordeaux documented by nils koenning
'the twist' museum by bjarke ingels group prepares to open in norway
skyscraper architecture and design (166 articles)
KPF-designed tower in singapore promotes 'sustainable urbanism'
FILTRATION is a floating skyscraper envisioned to recycle ocean garbage
plans for foster + partners' 'tulip' tower scrapped by london mayor
architecture news
WARchitect builds the skyscape apartment on a rooftop in bangkok
#architecture
the design team wanted to make the apartment feel like a borderless box that emerges out of nowhere in the sky.
the design team wanted to make the apartment feel like a borderless box that emerges out of nowhere in the sky.
zaha hadid architects completes topographical river promenade in hamburg
#architecture
the project was designed in response to the need for increased flood protection along the elbe river in hamburg.
the project was designed in response to the need for increased flood protection along the elbe river in hamburg.
norberto miranda creates huge inflatable beans to host exhibitions in mexico
#architecture
the inflatable structures have been formed to host music, science and cultural events for all ages in the village of papalotla.
the inflatable structures have been formed to host music, science and cultural events for all ages in the village of papalotla.
GEOM design stacks red bricks to build the façade of JPG coffee in china
#architecture
the 'take-out-only' cafe is designed to cater for the fast-paced urban context of zhujiang new town.
the 'take-out-only' cafe is designed to cater for the fast-paced urban context of zhujiang new town.
that’s a bullshit plan….once a time he made a mistake 😉
it’s wrong.
Such a splendid idea, a building that opens its heart to the sky.
Gee it fits into the skyline when viewed from about 50 stories up and from only one direct line of sight. That’s a pretty lame dialogue with the Petronas Towers. Looks like Thor dropped his hammer and it landed shaft first. Oh sigh, modern architecture!
it just hurts the structural engineer’s feelings very deeply!