The Petronas Twin Towers

The Petronas Twin Towers are Kuala Lumpur’s most prominent landmark. At 452 meters-high, it is the world’s second highest structure and was built in 1998. The towers’ design and architecture are inspired by Islamic art with a modern outlook, reflected by its steel and glass façade.

A sky bridge connects the two towers mid-way, and it is here that visitors can come up and catch a bird’s eye view of the surrounding city.

At the base of the Twin Towers is a popular up market shopping mall, mostly for tourists and society’s upper class, called Suria KLCC, the mall houses a large array of expensive fashion shops and other elite stores such as Marks and Spencer.

The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is also located inside the Towers’ base. Outside, there is a beautifully-landscaped park where visitors can conduct recreational exercise or simply stroll around the marble paths and admire the fountains and flowers. There’s also a wading pool that’s free for children to swim in.

The Burj, Dubai

The Burj, Dubai will be the world's tallest building when it opens in 2009.

Its shape is inspired by the indigenous desert flowers that often appear as decorative patterns in Islamic architecture, but it also has an engineering purpose: The swirl shape ensures that the mass of the structure lessens as it reaches the top, making the structure steadier.

A mixed-use building developed by Dubai's Emaar Properties, the Burj Dubai will house shops, offices, residences, and entertainment venues.

The World, Dubai

Ever wish the world was smaller? This group of more than 250 man-made islands was designed to resemble the entire world when seen from the air. The islands, which range from 250,000 to 900,000 square feet, can be bought by individual developers or private owners, starting at $6.85 million.

The only way to get between each island is by boat...or yacht, given the clientele. A notable engineering feat, the project incorporates two protective breakwaters to protect the islands from waves, consisting of one submerged reef (the outer breakwater) and an above-water structure (the inner breakwater).