The Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur City Centre from the perspective of critical regionalism

Abstract

Critical regionalism is a post modern theory conceived as an architecture of resistance to bring back humanistic agenda to architecture to create a contemporary regional identity, an aspect which modernism neglected. This thesis cites an already established strategy of critical regionalism which is a combination of the visions of the progenitors of the theory. This thesis groups these strategies into place-making and place-form making concepts, and distinguishes them through the meanings which they manifest through experience of place and physical form of place respectively. The purpose of this research was to use place-making and place-form making concepts to examine how the mega development of Petronas Twin Towers and Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) established meaning in the built-form using place making and place-form making concepts. Human agenda in architecture is manifested by shared meanings and experience of place that stimulate human response which are achievable through place making and place-form making methods. The thesis explored a descriptive and interpretative research methodology while simultaneously using critical regionalism as a theoretical lens to critically analyze the mega development of KLCC. The thesis strove to expand knowledge on critical regionalism through place making and place form making methods that stimulate human response and build a contemporary regional identity. Mega developments which are places for recreation, symbols of pride and community identity, like KLCC, should be developed with the intention and art of place making and place form making methods to stimulate human response. The thesis contribution to Malaysian context lies in the expansion of knowledge of critical regionalism because it is a concept that has not been established yet in Malaysia.