Once considered the tallest building in the world from 1998 to 2004, the Petronas Towers designed by Cesar Pelli stand as a cultural and architectural icon in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Completed in 1998, the Petronas Towers are a reflection and homage to the dominant Islamic culture of Malaysia.
Photography: Flickr User: Georg Wittberger
The Petronas Towers have not only put Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on the architectural radar, but it evoked the richness of the country?s culture. The towers are not simply recognized for their height, but it was Pelli?s conceptual efforts to incorporate Islamic motifs and symbols into the design process that would influence the design and the detailing of the building.

Pelli used the Rub el Hizb, an important symbol found in many Islamic cultures, as a way to generate the plan of the building.  The Rub el Hizb is characterized by two overlapping squares, one rotated 45 degrees, with a circle inscribed in the center.  Pelli used the symbol as the footprints to both towers resulting in two extruded 8 point towers that reflected Islamic art. Photography: Flickr User: einalem
Rather than just leaving the building as a simple extrusion of a preexisting symbol found in Islamic art and culture, Pelli ?scalloped? the points of the start to create a more elegant and delicate aesthetic that is found in most Islamic motifs.

As the building rises to 452 meters, it begins to taper toward the antennas that are placed on top of the towers. The tapering is m...