merdeka 118, the world's second tallest tower, tops out in malaysia

the world’s second tallest tower takes shape

designed by australian architects fender katsalidis, merdeka 118 has officially topped out at 118 stories in malaysia, soon to become the world’s second tallest tower.

reaching a height of 678.9 meters (2,227 feet), the supertall skyscraper is a landmark which defines the stadium merdeka precinct in downtown kuala lumpur, the location where malaysian independence was declared in august 1957. the topping out of this breathtaking new addition to the city’s skyline was marked with the completion of the spire, five years after the building’s groundbreaking ceremony. the construction of the merdeka 118 tower will be completed in late 2022.

images courtesy of fender katsalidis

australian design in malaysia

the world’s second tallest tower ‘merdeka 118’ in malaysia includes over 3.1 million square feet of floor area and 1.7 million square feet of office space. as a major new tourist destination, the mixed-use skyscraper will be home to the city’s most exciting hospitality, retail, and residential experiences including the park hyatt kuala lumpur and a double height observation deck which will be the highest in southeast asia.

with the newly topped-out tower, architects fender katsalidis (see more here) bring australian design prowess to the global arena. founding partner of the firm karl fender comments: ‘we feel incredibly proud to have contributed to the creation of this building and its host of community assets which enrich one of the most culturally significant sites in malaysia. first and foremost, our priority was to respect this site and harness every opportunity to create a tower that enriched the social energy and cultural fabric of the city.

‘in addition, the achievement of creating the second-tallest building in the world celebrates the years of planning, problem-solving, collaboration and human endeavour required to realise a building of this complexity. achieving this height milestone is a welcome bonus.’

visualization © binyan studios | @binyanstudios

influence from traditional malaysian craft

the facade of merdeka 118 is defined by its sculptural folds of triangular glass facets — this condition takes inspiration from the patterns inherent in malaysian art and craft while symbolizing the rich cultural diversity that defines the people of the country.

the building sits within a four-acre linear water park with associated public open spaces designed by landscape architects sasaki from boston. it is a car-free recreational area designed to promote vibrant community interaction within the city for people of all ages and backgrounds. it will also create an important visual alliance with the revered petronas towers and the kuala lumpur tower.