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

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