Kota Kinabalu in northern Borneo of Sabah is one of the main cities of Malaysia and East Malaysia's most important economic centre. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) as of 2024 [update] , Kota Kinabalu has two skyscrapers exceeding 150 m (492 ft) in height. [1]
As the fastest growing city in East Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu is home to East Malaysia's first skyscraper, the Tun Mustapha Tower which was completed in 1977.
To date, most of the tallest buildings and skyscrapers in Borneo Island are located in Greater Kota Kinabalu, such as the 33-storey Kinabalu Tower and the 56-storey Jesselton Twin Towers, as well as the upcoming 39-storey Bayu Residence and the 40-storey Shorea & Astoria twin towers.
Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton under the British protectorate of North Borneo and its successor the Crown Colony of North Borneo under the Crown colony government of the United Kingdom, the city has been undergoing rapid development ever since its devastation through the World War II bombings where only three buildings were left standing. [2]
The city urbanised area today encompasses the wide area of Greater Kota Kinabalu which goes beyond the city boundary on the south side into two West Coast districts of Penampang and Putatan, and to a lesser but growing extent into the districts of Papar (38 kilometres to the south) and Tuaran (34 kilometres to the north). [3]
The list are high-rise buildings and skyscrapers in Greater Kota Kinabalu that are 20-storey and above.
Rank | Building | Image | Height m (ft) | Floors | Year Completed | Location within GKK | Notes | References |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jesselton Twin Towers Tower A | 192.15 metres (630.4 ft) [4] [5] [6] | 56 | 2023 | Luyang | The tallest building in Kota Kinabalu as well as Borneo island | ||
Jesselton Twin Towers Tower B | 56 | 2023 | Luyang | |||||
2 | Kinabalu Tower | 182 m (597 ft) | 33 | 2016 | Likas | |||
3 | Bay Suites | 131.4 metres (431 ft) [7] | 37 | 2024 | Likas | |||
4 | Jesselton Quay Citypads Tower 1 | 33 | 2021 | Within Tun Fuad Stephens Road | ||||
Jesselton Quay Citypads Tower 2 | 33 | 2021 | Within Tun Fuad Stephens Road | |||||
5 | Harrington Suites | 32 | 2017 | Luyang | ||||
6 | 1Sulaman Platinum Tower | 31 | 2022 | Sulaman | ||||
7 | Tun Mustapha Tower | 122 metres (400 ft) [8] | 30 | c. 1970s | Likas | First Skyscraper in Borneo Island | ||
8 | Bay 21 | 30 | 2015 | Likas | ||||
9 | 1Borneo Tower A Condominium | 29 | 2009 | Sulaman | ||||
1Borneo Tower B Condominium | 29 | 2009 | Sulaman | |||||
Ashton Tower | 29 | 2017 | Kolombong | |||||
The Gardens at Bundusan Tower A | 29 | 2017 | Bundusan | |||||
The Gardens at Bundusan Tower B | 29 | 2017 | Bundusan | |||||
10 | Sabah Apartment @ 1Borneo | 28 | 2011 | Sulaman | ||||
The Peak Vista | 28 | 2012 | Likas | |||||
Jesselton Residences Tower A | 95 metres (312 ft) [9] | 28 | 2017 | Within Haji Saman Road | ||||
Jesselton Residences Tower B | 28 | 2017 | Within Haji Saman Road | |||||
Jesselton Residences Tower C | 28 | 2017 | Within Haji Saman Road | |||||
Kingfisher Inanam Tower B | 28 | 2019 | Inanam | |||||
Kingfisher Inanam Tower C | 28 | 2019 | Inanam | |||||
Forest Hill Residences | 28 | 2024 | Bundusan | |||||
11 | Lido Avenue Tower A | 27 | 2016 | Dalapan Alley, Lintas Road | ||||
Lido Avenue Tower B | 27 | 2016 | Dalapan Alley, Lintas Road | |||||
Maya @ Likas | 95.2 metres (312 ft) [10] | 27 | 2019 | Likas | ||||
Dilenia Tower @Bukit Bantayan Residences | 27 | 2020 | Inanam | |||||
12 | The Shore KK | 94 metres (308 ft) [11] | 26 | 2022 | Jalan Sembilan Belas | |||
Sheraton Kota Kinabalu Hotel | 112 metres (367 ft) [12] | 26 | 2025 | Asia City | ||||
13 | The Bay Residence | 25 | 2016 | Off Tuaran Road | ||||
Mercure KK City Centre | 25 | 2017 | Off Gaya Road | |||||
Cemara Tower @Bukit Bantayan Residences | 25 | 2019 | Inanam | |||||
Ebena Tower @Bukit Bantayan Residences | 85 metres (279 ft) [13] | 25 | 2019 | Inanam | ||||
Kingfisher Inanam Tower A | 25 | 2019 | Inanam | |||||
Elemen Utara Precinct 2 Tower A | 25 | 2021 | Menggatal | |||||
Elemen Utara Precinct 2 Tower B | 100 metres (330 ft) [14] | 25 | 2024 | Menggatal | ||||
14 | SkyVue Residence | 23 | 2019 | Kobusak | ||||
SkyMillion Residence | 23 | 2025 | Kobusak | |||||
15 | The Light Residence | 22 | 2016 | Donggongon | ||||
Tropicana Landmark Condominium | 22 | 2015 | Bundusan | |||||
Hyatt Centric Kota Kinabalu | 22 | 2022 | Off Gaya Road | First Hyatt Centric in Southeast Asia region. | ||||
K Avenue Tower A | 86 metres (282 ft) [15] | 22 | 2022 | Kepayan | ||||
K Avenue Tower B | 22 | 2022 | Kepayan | |||||
16 | PPR Gayang Ria 2 | 21 | 2021 | Tuaran | ||||
K Avenue Tower C | 21 | 2022 | Kepayan | |||||
17 | Vetro 11 | 74.83 metres (245.5 ft) [16] | 20 | 2024 | Jalan Penampang | |||
Emerald Tower @Alam Pesona | 70 metres (230 ft) [17] | 20 | 2024 | Putatan |
High-rise buildings (12-storey and above) that are currently under construction
Rank | Building | Height (m / ft) | Floors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Shorea tower @The Logg Luyang | 40 | |
2 | Astoria tower @The Logg Luyang | 40 | |
3 | Parkhill Residence @The Logg Luyang | 39 | |
4 | Kayana Heights tower A1 @Ayuria Place | 39 | |
5 | Kayana Heights tower A2 @Ayuria Place | 39 | |
6 | Tower A @Bayu Residence | 39 | |
7 | Avani Hotel @The Logg Luyang | 37 | |
8 | LikasVue | 138m/452ft [18] | 37 |
9 | Residential tower @Boulevard 360 Bundusan | 36 | |
10 | Tower B @Bayu Residence | 35 | |
11 | Tower A @88 Avenue | 35 | |
12 | Tower B1 @88 Avenue | 35 | |
13 | Tower C @88 Avenue | 35 | |
14 | Tower D @88 Avenue | 35 | |
15 | Grand Meridian | 32 | |
16 | Agate Tower @The Peninsula | 30 | |
17 | Sky88 Residences phase 1 | 30 | |
18 | Q Suites @Jesselton Quay | 28 | |
19 | Infinity Suites @Boulevard 360 Bundusan | 28 | |
20 | Sheraton Hotel Kota Kinabalu | 112m/367 ft [19] | 26 |
21 | Eco Peak Residence | 26 | |
22 | Damar Residence @Tropika Park City | 24 | |
23 | Skymillion Residence | 23 | |
24 | SkyWalker Condominium @Kobusak | 23 | |
25 | EG Tower @EG Penampang | 22 | |
26 | Oakwood @Metro Town | 21 | |
27 | EG Suites @EG Penampang | 21 | |
28 | 4-star Hotel @The Peninsula | 20 | |
29 | Parklane Residences @Benoni | 19 | |
30 | InterContinental Resort @Melinsung | 18 | |
31 | Mutiara Residence @Kepayan | 18 | |
32 | The Horizon @Damai | 18 | |
33 | Block A @ PR1MA Residensi Manggatal | 17 | |
34 | Block B @ PR1MA Residensi Manggatal | 17 | |
35 | Damai Suites | 16 | |
36 | Meritin Hotel KK | 15 | |
37 | Service Suites @The Crown KK | 14 | |
38 | Crowne Plaza @The Crown KK | 14 | |
39 | Fairfield by Marriott KK | 13 | |
40 | The Westfield Suites @Putatan | 13 | |
41 | Pembinaan Bangunan Tambahan Wisma Laskar Di PTKK | 12 | |
42 | Kingston Hotel | 12 | |
Rank | Building | Floors |
---|---|---|
1 | KK One | 59 |
2 | Likas Boulevard | 34 |
3 | Ascott Kensington Suites | 31 |
4 | Wisma Tiong Hwa | 28 |
5 | Kopeks Saujana @Menggatal | 28 |
6 | D23 Suites @Damai | 24 |
7 | 313 Suites | 21 |
8 | Sapphire tower @Alam Pesona | 21 |
9 | Harumanis Residence | 20 |
10 | ALLOUNGE @KKIA | 12 |
Rank | Building | Height (m / ft) | Floors |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Tower 1 @1 Sulaman Gold Tower | 35 | |
2 | Tower 2 @1 Sulaman Gold Tower | 35 | |
3 | Pacificity Residence | 19 | |
4 | Tower A @Triconic Tower | 18 | |
5 | Tower B @Triconic Tower | 18 | |
6 | Tower C @Triconic Tower | 18 |
Kota Kinabalu, colloquially referred to as KK, is the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia. It is also the capital of the Kota Kinabalu District as well as the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies to its west and Mount Kinabalu, which gave the city its name, is located to its east. Kota Kinabalu has a population of 452,058 according to the 2010 census; when the adjacent Penampang and Tuaran districts are included, the metro area has a combined population of 628,725. The 2020 Census revealed an increase in the municipal population to 500,421, while the wider area including the Penampang and Putatan districts had a population of 731,406.
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