NEW BATCH OF THE 10 TALLEST BUILDINGS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Two years from now, Kuala Lumpur has to hand over the distinction of having the Tallest Buildings in Southeast Asia to Jakarta. New comer Hanoi would have 3 in the 10 Tallest but Bangkok and Singapore would be out of the Top 10.

The Menara Jakarta soars to a whopping 1,830 ft (347 ft taller than the Petronas) is under construction since April 2004 and will be completed in 2009. It would be the Tallest Tower in the World; 16 ft taller than CN Tower in Canada. *Go Jakarta! Make us proud!*

Another twin towers are under speedy construction in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Landmark Twin Towers would be the 4th and the 5th tallest buildings in our region at 1,246 ft high. Hanoi would also claim the 7th spot for the 1,102 ft tall Hanoi Landmark Tower.


Bangkok’s Bayoke II is currently the 4th tallest but by 2010, it would be No.12. Although Bangkok would lose this distinction, another Thai city would enter the Top 10 – the Ocean One in Pattaya City would be 1,204 ft tall with 91 floors. *I own 2 units here! Ha!*

Manila’s tallest building would be The Skycity (1,099 ft) which would replace the current 8th PBCom Tower by 2012. PBCom Tower would go down to 19th place. Skycity is the building that was rumored to displace the Petronas according to my sources – but drastic changes of plans, bad finances and construction currently on hold makes it “not quite enough”.

The 1,072 ft tall Airlangga Residences Tower 1 in Jakarta would be the 9th tallest in SE Asia by 2010. Builders of Airlangga are claiming it would be the Tallest Residential Building in the Southern Hemisphere; but this distinction would be held by the taller Ocean One in Pattaya, Thailand.

The construction of the Lopez Center Tower in the Manila has just started a few months ago. When it’s completed in 2010, it would be 1,050 ft tall making it the 10th tallest in our region.

* Please note that buildings included in the list are all under active construction. Buildings that are only drawn on blueprints, product of imagination and seen only in dreams are excluded.

This is how the list of the 10 Tallest Buildings in SE Asia would look like a few years from now (unless somebody changes plan or some honcho is building a skyscraper underground!):

1. Menara Jakarta /1,830 ft / Jakarta, Indonesia
2&3. Petronas Twin Towers (currently 1&2) / 1,483 ft / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
4&5. Landmark Twin Towers / 1,246ft / Hanoi, Vietnam
6. Ocean One / 1,204 ft / Pattaya, Thailand
7. Hanoi Landmark Tower / 1,102 ft / Hanoi, Vietnam
8. Skycity / 1,099 ft / Manila, Philippines
9. Airlangga Residences Tower 1 / 1,072 ft / Jakarta, Indonesia
10. Lopez Center Tower (under construction) / 1,050 ft / Manila, Philippines


And how the current ones would fare:


11. Menara Telekom (currently 3rd) / 1,017 ft / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
12. Bayoke2 (currently 4th) / 997 ft / Bangkok, Thailand
13. Bitexco (under construction) / 984 ft / Saigon, Vietnam
14. Saigon Financial Tower (under construction) / 958 ft / Saigon, Vietnam
15. The Landmark (under construction) / 951 ft / Hanoi, Vietnam
16. OUB Plaza (currently 5th) / 919 ft / Singapore
16. UOB Plaza (currently 5th) / 919 ft / Singapore
16. Republic Plaza (currently 5th) / 919 ft / Singapore
17. Lot C KLCC (under construction) / 876 ft / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
18. The River Residential (under construction) / 872 ft / Bangkok, Thailand
19. PBCom Tower (currently 8th) / 848 ft / Manila, Philippines
20. Capital Tower (currently 9th) / 833 ft / Singapore
21. Wisma46 (currently 10th) / 820 ft / Jakarta, Indonesia



The vertical race is still alive and kicking in Southeast Asia. Notice how Vietnam dominates the list to Top 20. The tiny but mighty Singapore losing its “skyscraper city” status to new comers like Hanoi and Jakarta is a testament that the wheel has finally turned – and it will keep turning to the benefit of all ASEAN countries and our peoples.


Build on! And make us proud!


****

--Pisanu in Kuala Lumpur

You liked this post? - Subscribe to BISEAN.

SOUTHEAST ASIA'S TALLEST BUILDINGS

Southeast Asia is still the fastest growing economic bloc in the world. *harsh comments and violent reactions are welcome* We comprise of more than 10% of the world population; our GDP is $885 billion; and our purchasing power parity is $2.756 trillion. TAKE THAT!

Listed here are the tallest buildings in Southeast Asia and their corresponding ranks in the world. I was wondering…are really tall buildings a measure of progress? Does it mirror prosperity or it’s all just a big statement?

What about in other parts of the world? Skyscrapers in Europe cannot compete at all with our tall buildings but yet, they are among the richest in the world? Hmmm…

Call it “old school” but still, we can’t deny to ourselves that having tall buildings in our region is our way of saying: “We have arrived”.

Here are The Tallest Buildings in Southeast Asia...is your country included?...

1st. PETRONAS TOWER I (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
1st. PATRONAS TOWER II (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

These two towers share the distinction of the tallest buildings in SE Asia. They are both 1,483 ft. high and have 88 floors each. Both towers are connected by a suspended bridge between the 41st and the 42nd floor. Malaysia really surprised the world when they announced the total height back in1998. Both towers rank as the World's 2nd Tallest Buildings (ranked 2&3 slots) and the Tallest Twin Towers in the whole dang world! TAKE THAT!

3rd. MENARA TELEKOM (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

No, this not the 2nd Tallest because there are 2 Petronas Towers, remember? This architectural beauty on the other side of Kuala Lumpur is 1,017 ft tall (*why did they build it so far from the city center by the way?). It has only 55 floors (too few for a really tall building) and completed in 2001. I don’t know why it didn’t make any noise in Kuala Lumpur or feature it as one of the city’s landmark although it is the 27th Tallest Building in the World and the 3rd tallest in SE Asia. Not bad. Not bad at all.



4th.BAYOKE TOWER II(Bangkok, Thailand)

The 4th Tallest Building in SE Asia is arguably the tallest hotel in Asia as well (so I was told), but of course I know it’s not. The design is just so and so but it does dominate the Bangkok skyline. It is 997 ft with 85 floors completed in 1997. My uncles told me that the construction of this building was almost stopped and abandoned. It was found out halfway that they were building it slightly tilted to the side! Let's hope they corrected it already. But you can still feel the lifts brushing with the building's interior. Scary! It ranks 31st in the world.


5th. OUB CENTER (Singapore)

At 919 ft., this is one of Singapore’s most recognizable land marks. It ranks 50th in the world. But OUB Center only has 63 floors and completed in 1986. Hmmm...1986? This must be the tallest building in Southeast Asia that time, right? Interesting.

5th. UOB PLAZA (Singapore) No, it’s not a typo error. This is also the 5th and the next one below. This building shares the 5th ranking with 2 other Singaporean buildings. I so love the clean and crisp design of this beautiful building! It’s 919 ft tall and has 66 floors. Completed in 1992. World ranked as 50th as well.

5th. REPUBLIC PLAZA (Singapore)

This red graphite building is a real eye candy to me. Love the lines. Love the contour. Love the imposition. It also stands 919 ft tall and has 66 floors and world ranked at 50th as well.








8th. PBCom TOWER (Makati, Philippines)

The tallest building in the Philippines is a glass and steel masterpiece indeed. It’s situated in the country’s financial district, 848 ft tall with 52 floors, completed in 2000. Its simple and plain design makes it rather indistinguishable with other towers in the city, well, aside from it’s height. By the way, rumor has it that they are building the Tallest Building in Southeast Asia? Would they beat the Petronases? (*smiling mischievously). Hmmm…I’ll tell gather more info about it.

In the meantime, they must have to be satisfied as the 8th in SE Asia and 79th in the world. Take that!

9th. CAPITAL TOWER (Singapore)

This building reminds me of the kind of buildings in Gotham City. LOL. Y’know, those really tall towers with a pantheon on top! That’s cool! It’s 833 ft tall and has 52 floors. Ranked 93rd in the whole world.








10th. WISMA 46 (Jakarta, Indonesia)

Surprise, surprise! Jakarta made it to the list as the 10th tallest building in SE Asia. This nicely designed tower is one of Jakarta’s most recognizable land marks. It’s 820 ft tall with 48 floors and completed in 1996. It ranks 99th in the world! Barely made it to 100! Not bad. Not bad at all.






So there it is! The 10 Tallest Buildings in our region. The symbols of progress of our cities. If we would continue the list to 20, it would all be shared by Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore only. TAKE THAT!



****

Related article: New Batch of the 10 Tallest Buildings in 2-3 years.