1. Humans and Buildings
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is certainly a false statement. In reality, everyone judges anything by its appearance first before looking deep into it. That is why we have to dress up nicely when attending an interview to impress people. Your impression is as important as you future. We are all easily attracted to something unique-looking such as the Petronas Twin Tower, Burj Khalifa and so on. What makes those buildings look uniqu is their appearances or known as designs.
Firstly, Petronas Twin Tower, the combination of 2 corn-like skyscrapers was built at the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. 12 years ago, 1.6 Billion USD and 4 years of hard work were invested into the 451.9 m tall landmark building to boost Malaysia’s tourism industry. On the other hand, United Arab Emirates (UAE), a country which was relying on its oil and gas industry had decided to diversify into the tourism industry. They forecasted that their cash-cow oil reserves could only last for 100 more years. So, the government of UAE had decided to invest in Dubai. They poured 1.5 billion USD and 6 years of effort into the Burj Khalifa. At 828m, the tower has more storeys than any other building in the world. More than 45,000m³ of concrete and 39,000t of steel rebar were used in its construction. Work on the exterior glass cladding, which started in May 2007, was completed in September 2009.( Armani Hotel Burj Khalifa, Dubai,
2. United Arab Emirates. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2014.) The 829.8 m tall building had successfully became the symbol of Dubai.
Secondly, Petronas Twin Tower was designed by the famous Argentine- American architect, named Cesar Pelli. He designed the 88 floors Petronas Twin Tower based on the Islamic art that resembles Malaysia’s Muslim religion. The iconic tower was constructed using mainly reinforced concrete and steel and glass facades. The design had successfully given the building a postmodern style. In contrast, the Burj Khalifa was designed by Adrian Smith, an award- wining architect from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM). The design of the building was based on the tubular system which was normally used on skyscraper. The system allows buildings to be constructed of concrete and steel. Thanks to the system, the amount of steel needed was reduced and hence the overall cost of the project was decreased.
Thirdly, the Petronas Twin Tower which is located at the heart of Malaysia has many functions. It has Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra Hall (MPO), Underwater Aquarium, Petroscience Science Center and Suria KLCC shopping mall. These are the ideal destinations for children and adults to escape from their hectic lives. Conversely, Burj Khalifa which is located at one of the fastest growing cities, Dubai, doesn’t have many places for human activities as it serves more like a hotel. But it has The Dubai Fountain which plays music and shoots water into the air and Burj Khalifa Park around it.. “A fabulous sound and light show choreographed by the Dubai fountain set the stage for the firework display”. (Saberi, M. (Ed.). (2010, December 31). Jaw-dropping fireworks at Burj Khalifa
3. enthrall thousands. Retrieved September 28, 2014.) The investment made by the government had paid off handsomely as the properties of Dubai have become very valuable. Investor from all walks of life had invested in this oil-rich country.
In a nutshell, people from all walks of life have witnessed what humans are capable of. “We are able to create, build and manage anything we want. It’s just the matter of whether we want or we don’t. Those jaw-dropping buildings built by the humans are the best examples to show that humans are capable to exceed the limits.
(610 Words)
4. Reference
1) Petronas Towers. (2014, September 28). Retrieved September 28, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petronas_Towers
2) Wee, C. J. Wan-Ling, April Stonghold, James Parpan Almeda (2002). Local cultures and the "new Asia": the state, culture, and capitalism in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p. 193.
3) Armani Hotel Burj Khalifa, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2014 4) "The Burj Khalifa". Glass, Steel and Stone. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
