Merdeka 118 - Kuala Lumpur

The spire of a towering 118-story skyscraper has reached a height of almost 2,227 feet above Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital. Merdeka 118, when finished next year, will be the world's second-tallest tower, surpassing China's 2,073-foot Shanghai Tower and only being surpassed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob characterized the spire as an "iconic tower for the future" during a ceremony marking its completion on Tuesday. He told reporters, "This is not only a great achievement in the field of engineering, but it also further strengthens Malaysia's position as a modern and developed country."

The skyscraper will have a mall, a mosque, a Park Hyatt hotel, and Southeast Asia's highest observation deck. It will have 3.1 million square feet of floor space, more than half of which will be marketed as offices. On the ground level of the larger four-acre site, there will be public areas and a park.

The skyscraper, which is located in a historic area of Kuala Lumpur, looks out over the Stadium Merdeka, where previous Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman declared Malaysian independence in 1957. The sculptural design "reflects the picture" of Rahman memorably lifting his fist to exclaim "merdeka!" (Malay for "independence!") more than six decades ago, according to Ismail Sabri, who was chosen Prime Minister in August.

The triangular glass planes on the building's front were inspired by patterns seen in Malaysian arts and crafts, according to Fender Katsalidis, the Australian architecture firm behind the project. In a press release, the firm stated the design "symbolically (represents) the rich cultural mix that defines the people of the country."

Karl Fender, one of the company's founding partners, said in a statement that the structure was designed to enhance "the city's social dynamic and cultural fiber." He is reported as saying, "In addition, the achievement of creating the second tallest building in the world celebrates the years of planning, problem-solving, collaboration and human endeavor required to realize a building of this complexity, achieving this height milestone is a welcome bonus."

Despite worries raised by several local heritage campaigners about the impact, it could have on the historic area, the project broke development five years ago. Though the structure was set to open this year, construction was briefly suspended in March 2020 when the Malaysian government imposed severe lockdown measures to stem the spread of Covid-19.

According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Kuala Lumpur's skyline has been changed by skyscrapers in recent decades, and the Malaysian capital is currently the world's 13th tallest metropolis.

Location: Kuala Lumpur

Height: 2,227 ft (644 m)

Floors: 118

Architects: Fender Katsalidi

Building Function: Residential, Offices, Shop(s)

Planned Completion: 2022