Designed by the Argentine-American architect César Pelli, the Petronas Towers rise 1,483 feet (451.9 m) over 88 floors in Kuala Lumpur. Construction began on March 1, 1993, and the towers were finished in June 1996, with an official opening on August 31, 1999. From 1998 to 2004 they were the world's tallest buildings, until Taipei 101 surpassed them.
The design is postmodern and draws on Islamic art, and the floor plan is based on a Rub el Hizb, a traditional Islamic geometric form. The towers are built largely of reinforced concrete with a steel and glass facade, on foundation piles that reach 197 to 374 feet (60 to 114 m) deep. Two competing teams built them: Hazama Corporation led Tower 1 and Samsung C&T led Tower 2.
A double-decker Skybridge links the towers on the 41st and 42nd floors, 558 feet (170 m) above the ground. Visitors can buy tickets for the Skybridge and the level 86 observation deck.
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