The Merdeka 118 building in Malaysia has reached the final stage of construction

(CNN) – The tower or tower of the 118-story skyscraper rises almost 700 meters above the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

The Merdeka 118, which will become the second tallest building in the world when completed next year, is now 631.8 meters taller than the Shanghai Tower and is the second tallest building in the world. Burj Khalifa, From Dubai.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yacoub described the project as “the iconic tower for the future” at Spire’s closing ceremony on Tuesday.

“This is not just a major achievement in the field of engineering,” he said. He told reporters. “But it further strengthens Malaysia’s position as a modern and developed country.”

Covering an area of ​​288,000 square meters, more than half of which will be provided as offices, the tower will house the shopping mall, the mosque, the Park Hyatt Hotel and the tallest observation deck in Southeast Asia. The sprawling 1.6-hectare site will also have public spaces and a ground-level park.

Located in a historic area of ​​Kuala Lumpur, this skyscraper looks like it overlooks the Merdeka Ground, where former President Tunku Abdul Rahman declared Malaysia’s independence in 1957. Ismail Sabri, who took over as prime minister in August, said on Tuesday. Rahman famously called “Merdeka!” The film that raises its hand to shout that. (Malay, “Freedom!”) Six decades ago.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yacoub (center) at the closing ceremony of the tower. Credit: Saiful Retsuwan / Anatolia Agency / Getty Images

Fender Katsalidis, the Australian architectural studio behind the project, said the triangular glass planes on the facade of the building were inspired by patterns found in Malaysian crafts. The design “represents a rich cultural mix that defines the people of the country,” the company said in a statement.

In another statement, Carl Fender, one of the company’s founding partners, said the building was designed to enrich the “social energy and cultural framework of the city.”

“In addition, the achievement of creating the second tallest building in the world celebrates years of planning, problem solving, collaboration and human effort required to construct this complex building,” he was quoted as saying. “Reaching this high milestone is a welcome award.”

This is the construction site of the second tallest skyscraper in the world.

The project, announced in 2010, began construction five years ago, though Concerns It was revealed by some defenders of the local heritage about the impact it could have on the historical environment.

Although the building is expected to open this year, the Malaysian government has suspended construction in March 2020. Strict control measures To combat the spread of Govt-19.

The skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur have been replaced by skyscrapers in recent decades, and the Malay capital is now 13th tallest city in the world, Tall buildings and urban habitat according to the Council. Between 1998 and 2004 the 452 meter Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world, being demolished by Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

In 2019, the 106-storey Exchange 106 will become the tallest skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur and Southeast Asia. 1MDB embroiled in financial controversy, Which charged the country’s former prime minister Najib Razak with crimes such as money laundering and abuse of power.