Malaysia

To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia. A bubbling, bustling melting pot of races and religions where Malays, Indians, Chinese and many other ethnic groups live together in peace and harmony.
Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its culture. Malaysia is divided into 13 states and 3 Federal Territories, separated by the South China Sea with 11 states and 2 federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) in Peninsular Malaysia and two states and 1 federal territory (Labuan) in East Malaysia.

One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several meters away from ancient reefs. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.

KUALA LUMPUR : 

Petronas twin towers  :   An Architectural Icon

The tallest buildings in the world for six years, until Taipei 101 were completed in 2004. The height of the towers is measured to the top of their structural components such as spires, but do not include antennas. Spires are considered actual integral parts of the architectural design of buildings, to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the building, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences.

The PETRONAS Twin Towers was designed by Cesar Pelli & Associates (USA) in association with KLCC architects.

The tower's floor plate design is based on simple Islamic geometric forms of two interlocking squares creating a shape of eight-pointed stars. Upon the eight-pointed stars, are eight superimposed semi-circles softening the inner angles.

These semicircles are themselves anchored by the arcs of the main structural columns of the buildings. The semi-circles were superimposed in the inner angles of the interlocked squares to create more usable floor space.

The design details continued to dictate the way in which the buildings would rise in as graceful a fashion as possible. To maintain the vertical axis and tapering of the design, each tower is set back five times in its ascent.

Architecturally, these forms reflect the paramount Islamic principles of "unity within unity, harmony, stability and rationality."

At the uppermost floors, the walls are gently sloped inward to taper and contribute visually to the height and the elegant form of horizontal silver ribbons of stainless steel.

Every aspect of the design contributes to the audacious verticality of the Towers. The decision to symmetrically align the Twin Towers and connect them with a spanning bridge emphasised the classical nature of the architectural design.

Facade                                                                                                                                                  

The diamond-faceted facade and external architectural details give the PETRONAS Twin Towers a unique articulation and form. Comprising of 83,500 square metre of stainless steel extrusions, the specially designed 33,000-panel unitised curtain wall cladding system is tailored to suit the Towers. The choice of stainless steel not only reflects the hi-tech industrial ideal of Malaysia, but also the lustre of the tropical sun.

Complementing the stainless steel is 55,000 square metre of 20.38 mm laminated glass designed to minimise heat gain by reflecting harmful UV light and unwanted solar radiation. This greatly assists in ensuring that the internal spaces of the office buildings are maintained as a comfortable working environment. More direct sunshading devices are built into the highly intricate facade design of 'teardrop and 'bullnose' steel sections which frame and line the open glass areas. These elements also provide a distinctive play of shadow and line over the facade of the buildings.

The Pinnacles                                                                                  

The PETRONAS Twin Towers' pinnacles, made of structural steel, stand 73.5m tall. Each pinnacle took over 19 weeks to fabricate. One was fabricated in Japan and the other in Korea, while the primary structure was manufactured locally in lpoh, Perak, and Sungai Buloh, Selangor. Three days of hydro-jacking set the pinnacles almost half a kilometre above the city of Kuala Lumpur to the exacting tolerance of 30mm in line with the Towers below.

The pinnacles play an important part in both the aesthetics and functionality of the Towers. The timeless minaret design is a crowning symbol of the country and its culture. However, the more urbane functions of housing aircraft warning lights and window washing equipment for the Towers are also stored within the pinnacle assembly.

Each pinnacle is composed of a spire, mast ball and ring ball, which are in turn made up of 50 unique elements, interlocked into single 176-ton pieces. Thus from the ground to the pinnacle-tips, the Towers are an embodiment of state-of-the-art engineering and visionary design.

Interior Design: Tradition in Modernity                             

Despite its avant-garde exterior and the use of modern materials, the interiors of the PETRONAS Twin Towers reflect the grace and tradition of Malaysian arts and handicrafts.

In the entrance halls' foyer, inspired by traditional Malaysian motifs from handicraft and weaving, stainless steel fittings and screens float in the spacious voids overhead. The wall panels and screens are inspired by the traditional 'songket', a hand-woven traditional Malay fabric with gold and silver threads and worn mainly during official functions and ceremonies, as well as hardwood carvings from villages along the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

In the foyer, visitors are guided by floor design of pandan weaving and 'bertam' palm wall matting presented as metal inlays into patterned marbles and granites.

 

The Double-Decked Skybridge                                                       The Skybridge, a major attraction at the PETRONAS Twin Towers, symbolises a gateway to the future and is used to facilitate movement between the two towers. It can also function as an escape route in case of emergencies.
The Skybridge is supported by a "three-hinged arch" consisting of giant round bearings at the base and a pair of legs 51 metres in length. The base of the arch is located at level 29 of each tower. The cylindrical legs are bolted to a box girder below the centre of the double-decked bridge.

   

Tallest Building

  

KL TOWER :   
    

The Kuala Lumpur Tower (officially known as Menara Kuala Lumpur; referred later as KL Tower) is a tall tower located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Its construction was finished in 1994. It is used for communication purposes and features an antenna that reaches 421 m (1,381 ft), which currently makes it the eighteenth tallest freestanding tower in the world. The roof of the pod is at 335 m (1,099 ft). The rest of the tower below has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the upper area, which also contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners a beautiful view of the city. Races are organised yearly where participants race up the stairs to the top.

The KL-Tower's architecture reflects the country's Islamic heritage with the construction detailing Arabic Scripts, Islamic tiles, classic Islamic floral and abstract motifs and soothing colour combinations.

The main public area and entrance is at the upper ground level. At this level there are 9 shops, a fast food restaurant, a mini-theatre, which shows a documentary on the construction of the tower (every 15 minutes) and an open-air amphitheatre (222 seats).

The view is fantastic. You'll have a much better view than at the Petronas Towers, because you're much higher now. You can see clearly now the Genting Highlands, the Klang Valley and other buildings of Kuala Lumpur.

Genting Island : City of Entertainment and Attractions

The Island City

Welcome to Singapore :

Singapore is one of South East Asia's most vibrant cities and is a gateway to the rest of Asia.Dynamic, unique, friendly are just a few names that truly depict the character of Singapore, one of the most visited countries in Southeast Asia. One of the cleanest countries, Singapore has a harmonious blend of arts, architecture, culture and cuisine. Singapore, the Lion City has everything ranging from stylish nightclubs, miles and miles long shopping arcades and some top notch hotels of the world.

Places to visit

Esplanade :

Principal Architect -KOH SEOW CHUAN
Architects: Gan Eng Oon Vikas Gore Project Director,

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Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay is a beautiful waterside building located on six hectares of waterfront land near the mouth of the Singapore River. It  is one of the world's busiest arts centres, officially opened on 12 October 2002. This architectural icon with its distinctive twin shells aims to be a performing arts centre for everyone. The original plans called for five major performance spaces. The first phase includes the 2,000-seat Lyric Theatre and the 1,800-seat Concert Hall, in addition to a 250-seat recital studio, and 220-seat theatre studio, plus outdoor performance spaces, private functions rooms, dining and a shopping mall. Surrounded by the high-rise buildings of Singapore, Esplanade is also designed to be viewed from above. With its spiked aluminum sunshade, the Esplanade strikingly resembles a Durian, a spiky and fragrant fruit common in Southeast Asia.

 

 http://cruic.blogspot.com/2011/06/esplanade-theaters-on-bay-behind-scenes.html

 

The Merlion: 

The Merlion is a lion-headed statue with a body like a fish. His name is a combination of mermaids and lions. The Merlion was designed by Fraser Brunner. The Merlion is a symbol of the country singapore. Used to greet the visitors in Singapore
The Merlion is also the logo of Tourism Promotion Board (STPB) in singapore. Merlion is 8.6 meters tall and weighs 70 tonnes. Merlion statue was built from a mixture of cement skin from porcelain plates and eyes from small red teacups.

SENTOSA ISLAND:

It is an island just off the southern coast of Singapore.

UNDERWATER WORLD: 

  A visit to Underwater World, gives a fish-eye view of the mysteries of the sea. Its submerged tunnel, with a moving walkway, takes more than 2,500 marine creatures from 250 species.

THE SONG OF THE SEA SHOW: 

The world's only permanent show set in the sea - boasting spectacular pyrotechnics displays, a live cast and an open-air viewing gallery which can comfortably accommodate 2,500 visitors. The show is inspired by Sentosa's history as a fishing village community, evoking the power and beauty of several sensory elements. A Must-see water show - A spectacular visual treat indeed!!

NIGHT SAFARI

Shopping in Singapore

Not surprisingly, Singapore is fondly called the paradise of shopping. It would not be wrong to say that it is the awesome shopping experience that makes Singapore one of the most sought-after destinations. This small island country has around 250 shopping malls that offer excellent shopping places which will leave you with an enriching buying experience at the end of the day.

Orchard Road: This place has some biggest malls of Singapore. You can get all the items like stylish clothes, electronic goods, cosmetics, shoes, furniture or anything you are looking for, at Orchard Road.

Little India: A place to find Indian handicrafts and anything that is inspired by Indian culture.

Chinatown: Here one can find beautifully embroidered kimonos, clothes, jewelery and traditional crafts.

Mustafa Centre – 24 hours shopping manna for electronics, perfume, food and much more!