Merdeka 118: The second tallest skyscraper on the planet (pic)

The 678.9-meter-high Merdeka 118 skyscraper, designed by Australian architectural firm Fender Katsalidis, was raised in the skies of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. It is now the second tallest building on the planet, surpassing the Shanghai Tower skyscraper, which was designed by Gensler’s office at a height of 632 meters. The completion of the Merdeka 118 is scheduled for the end of 2022.

“We are incredibly proud to have contributed to the construction of this building and its abundance of community property that enriches one of Malaysia’s most culturally important sites,” said co-founder of Australian Architecture Karl Fender. “First of all, our priority was to respect the location and take every opportunity to build a tower that enriches the social energy and the cultural fabric of the city.”

The polyhedral outer surface of the skyscraper consists of triangular glass planes, the model of which was found in Malaysian art and crafts, as pointed out by Fender Katsalidis. With a total area of ​​288,000 square meters, the skyscraper has office space for rent with an area of ​​158,000 square meters. It also includes various retail and residential facilities as well as a hotel and observation platform which is expected to be the highest in Southeast Asia. It is complemented by a 16,000-square-foot amusement park at its base, designed by Boston-based Sasaki Landscape Architecture Bureau; no cars will be allowed on site.

“This building and its surroundings have added to the city’s identity an ambitious sense of a new place and at the same time have made possible a much-needed improvement of the area’s pedestrian and car infrastructure,” added Karl Fender.

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