Taipei 101
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The Taipei 101 (; stylized in
all caps In typography, text or font in all caps (short for "all capitals") contains capital letters without any lowercase letters. For example: All-caps text can be seen in legal documents, advertisements, newspaper headlines, and the titles on book co ...
), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is a 508 m (1,667 ft), 101-story skyscraper in
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
, Taiwan. It is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. It was officially classified as the world's tallest building from its opening on 31 December 2004, until it was dethroned by the
Burj Khalifa The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but inc ...
. Upon completion, it became the world's first skyscraper to exceed half a kilometer. It is the tallest building in Taiwan and the eleventh tallest building in the world. The building's high-speed elevators were manufactured by
Toshiba is a Japanese multinational electronics company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, elevators and escalators, electronic components, semiconductors ...
of Japan and held the record for the fastest in the world at the time of completion, transporting passengers from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds (attaining ). In 2011, Taipei 101 was awarded a Platinum certificate rating under the LEED certification system for energy efficiency and environmental design, becoming the tallest and largest
green building Green building (also known as green construction, sustainable building, or eco-friendly building) refers to both a structure and the application of processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's li ...
in the world. The structure regularly appears as an icon of Taipei in international media, and the Taipei 101
fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...
displays are a regular feature of New Year's Eve broadcasts and celebrations. Taipei 101's
postmodernist Postmodernism encompasses a variety of artistic, Culture, cultural, and philosophical movements that claim to mark a break from modernism. They have in common the conviction that it is no longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting ...
architectural style evokes traditional Asian aesthetics in a modern structure employing industrial materials. Its design incorporates a number of features that enable the structure to withstand the Pacific Ring of Fire's earthquakes and the region's
tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its lo ...
s. The tower houses offices, restaurants, shops, and indoor and outdoor
observatories An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...
. The tower is adjoined by a multilevel shopping mall that has the world's largest ruyi symbol as an exterior feature.


History


Planning

In 1997, led by developer Harace Lin, the Taipei Financial Center Corporation, a team led by several Taiwan banks and insurance companies, won the rights to lease the site for 70 years and develop a building, placing the winning bid of NT$20,688,890,000 for the Build Operate Transfer agreement with the city government.


Construction

Planning for Taipei 101 began in July 1997 during
Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian ( zh, t=陳水扁; born 12 October 1950) is a Taiwanese former politician and lawyer who served as the fifth president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progres ...
's term as Taipei mayor. Talks between merchants and city government officials initially centered on a proposal for a 66-story tower to serve as an anchor for new development in Taipei's 101 business district. Planners were considering taking the new structure to a more ambitious height only after an expat suggested it, along with many of the other features used in the design of the building. It was not until the summer of 2000 that the city granted a license for the construction of a 101-story tower on the site. In the meantime, construction proceeded and the first tower column was erected in the summer of 2001.Keith Bradsher
Taiwan Close to Reaching a Lofty Goal
. ''The New York Times''. 11 January 2004. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
A major earthquake struck Taiwan on 31 March 2002, sending a construction crane falling from the 56th floor to Xinyi Road. The crane crushed several vehicles and caused five deaths – two crane operators and three workers who were not properly harnessed. However, an inspection showed no structural damage to the building, and construction work was able to restart within a week. Taipei 101's roof was completed three years later on 1 July 2003. Taipei 101 was completed in 2004. The construction was a joint venture led by Kumagai Gumi, a Japanese construction company, in cooperation with Samsung C&T, a South Korean construction company. Samsung C&T was responsible for overseeing the construction of the main structural framework, and RESE was responsible for the construction logistics and main foundation.
Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou ( zh, t=馬英九; pinyin: ''Mǎ Yīngjiǔ''; ; born 13 July 1950) is a Taiwanese politician, lawyer, and legal scholar who served as the sixth president of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016. A member of the Kuomintang (KMT ...
, in his first term as Taipei mayor, fastened a golden bolt to signify the achievement. The formal opening of the tower took place on 31 December 2004. President Chen Shui-bian, Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou and Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng cut the ribbon. Open-air concerts featured a number of popular performers, including singers A-Mei and Stefanie Sun. Visitors rode the elevators to the Observatory for the first time. A few hours later the first fireworks show at Taipei 101 heralded the arrival of a new year. It replaced the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur as the world's tallest building.


Post-construction

The Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC) announced plans on 2 November 2009 to make Taipei 101 "the world's tallest building" by summer of 2011 as measured by LEED standards. The structure was already designed to be energy-efficient, with double-pane windows blocking external heat by 50% and recycled water meeting 20–30% of the building's needs. LEED certification would entail inspections and upgrades in wiring, water and lighting equipment at a cost of NT$60 million (US$1.8 million). Estimates showed the savings resulting from the modifications paid for the cost of making them within three years. The project was carried out under the guidance of an international team composed of Siemens Building Technologies, architect and interior designer Steven Leach Group and the LEED advisory firm EcoTech International.LEED certified: The tallest "green" building in the world
. Siemens Building Technologies.
The company applied for a platinum-degree certification with LEED in early 2011. On 28 July 2011, Taipei 101 received LEED platinum certification under "Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance". Although the project cost NT$60 million (US$2.08 million), it is expected to save 14.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, or an 18% energy-saving, equivalent to NT$36 million (US$1.2 million) in energy costs each year. In 2019, it was named among the 50 most influential skyscrapers in the world by the
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is an international body in the field of tall buildings, including skyscrapers, and Sustainable design, sustainable urban design. A non-profit organization based at the Monroe Building in ...
. On 4 January 2020, the building had a condolence message in lights for the victims of a helicopter crash, which included a number of senior government officials. On 8 February 2020, it was reported that some passengers of the Diamond Princess cruise liner, quarantined for an outbreak of COVID-19, had visited Taipei 101 on 31 January at which point none exhibited symptoms. On 1 April 2020, the shopping center said it was reducing business hours due to the coronavirus pandemic. It had started checking shopper's temperatures in February. On 21 May the building said it would resume normal business hours in June, as the country had effectively limited the spread of COVID-19.


Usages


Events and celebrity appearances

Taipei 101 is the site of many special events. Art exhibits, as noted above, regularly take place in the Observatory. A few noteworthy dates since the tower's opening include these below: * On 25 December 2004, French rock and urban climber Alain Robert made an authorized climb to the top of the pinnacle in four hours. * On 28 February 2005, former President of the United States
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
visited and signed copies of his autobiography. * On 19 April 2005, the tower displayed the formula " E=mc2" in lights to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Einstein's
theory of relativity The theory of relativity usually encompasses two interrelated physics theories by Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity, proposed and published in 1905 and 1915, respectively. Special relativity applies to all physical ph ...
. The display, the largest of 65,000 such displays in 47 countries, was part of the international celebration World Year of Physics 2005''.'' * On 20 November 2005, the First annual Taipei 101 Run Up featured a race up the 2,046 steps from floors 1 to 91. Proceeds were to benefit Taiwan's Olympic teams. Run Ups have continued to be held regularly. * On 20 October 2006, the tower displayed a pink ribbon in lights to promote breast cancer awareness. The ten-day campaign was sponsored by Taipei 101's ownership and Estée Lauder. * On 12 December 2007, Austrian
BASE jumper BASE jumping () is the recreational sport of jumping from fixed objects, using a parachute to descend to the ground. BASE is an acronym that stands for four categories of fixed objects from which one can jump: buildings, antenna (radio), antenna ...
Felix Baumgartner survived an unauthorized parachute jump from the 91st floor. Baumgartner was banned from re-entry into Taiwan and Taipei 101 increased security measures along with disciplining security staff for failing to intervene. * On 6 December 2014, Japanese idol group
HKT48 HKT48 (read "H.K.T. Forty-eight") is a Japanese idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. HKT48 is named after the Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Hakata-ku ward of Fukuoka, where Akimoto originally intended to base the group. The group currently performs at ...
held a small concert on the 91st-floor observatory as the premiere of their tour in Taiwan.


New Year's Eve fireworks displays

The New Year's Eve Show in Taipei is held at the
Taipei City Hall Taipei City Hall (), the Taipei City Government, seat of Taipei City government, is located at Xinyi Special District, Xinyi District, Taipei, Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. Architecture Taipei City Hall is a 12-story building, with two stor ...
. Visitors have a view of Taipei 101 which is surrounded by fireworks at midnight. Another popular location for crowds to gather to see the fireworks display is the public square of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.


Architecture and design


Height

Various sources, including the building's owners, give the height of Taipei 101 as , roof height and top floor height as and . This lower figure is derived by measuring from the top of a platform at the base.. Retrieved 25 March 2015. CTBUH standards, though, include the height of the platform in calculating the overall height, as it represents part of the man-made structure and is above the level of the surrounding pavement.CTBUH Height Criteria
. ''CTBUH''. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
Height: The History of Measuring Tall Buildings
. ''CTBUH''. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
CTBUH changes height criteria, Burj Dubai height increases
. ''CTBUH''. Retrieved 25 March 2015.

. Associated Press. Paragraph abstract: ''The council measures from the sidewalk level of the main entrance to the skyscraper's architectural top''.
Taipei 101 displaced the Petronas Towers as the tallest building in the world by . The record it claimed for greatest height from ground to pinnacle was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is in height. Taipei 101's records for roof height and highest occupied floor briefly passed to the Shanghai World Financial Center in 2008, However, this record was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2009. Taipei 101 was the world's tallest building, at as measured to its architectural top ( spire), exceeding that of the Petronas Towers, which were previously the tallest skyscraper at . The height to the top of the roof, at , and highest occupied floor, at , surpassed the previous records of the
Willis Tower The Willis Tower, formerly and still commonly referred to as the Sears Tower, is a 110-storey, story, skyscraper in the Chicago Loop, Loop community area of Chicago in Illinois, United States. Designed by architect Bruce Graham and engineer F ...
: and , respectively.. Retrieved 25 March 2015. It also surpassed the 85-story, Tuntex Sky Tower in
Kaohsiung Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...
as the tallest building in Taiwan and the 51-story, Shin Kong Life Tower as the tallest building in Taipei.Ai-Li, Jian & Neng-You, Wang
與天爭高,心意最重要 新光摩天大樓
. ''閱讀臺北''. Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government. April 2009, Vol. 486. (Chinese).
Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground, as well as five basement levels. The first building to break the half-kilometer mark in height, it was the world's tallest building from 31 March 2004 to 10 March 2010 (six years) until it was surpassed by the
Burj Khalifa The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but inc ...
in 2010. For 12 years it also had the fastest elevator, at . It also has the largest wind damper in the world, at 18 feet across. As of 2023, Taipei 101 is the eleventh-tallest building in the world, according to the
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is an international body in the field of tall buildings, including skyscrapers, and Sustainable design, sustainable urban design. A non-profit organization based at the Monroe Building in ...
's official rankings.


Structural design

Taipei 101 is designed to withstand
typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
winds and earthquake tremors that are common in the area in the east of Taiwan. Evergreen Consulting Engineering, the structural engineer, designed Taipei 101 to withstand gale winds of , (), as well as the strongest earthquakes in a 2,500-year cycle.Observatory brochure, Floor 89, Taipei 101. 17 August 2007. Taipei 101 was designed to be flexible as well as structurally resistant, because while flexibility prevents structural damage, resistance ensures comfort both for the occupants and for the protection of the glass, curtain walls, and other features. Most designs achieve the necessary strength by enlarging critical structural elements such as bracing. Because of the height of Taipei 101, combined with the surrounding area's geology—the building is located just away from a major fault line—outrigger trusses, located at eight-floor intervals, connect the columns in the building's core to those on the exterior. These features, combined with the solidity of its foundation, made Taipei 101 one of the most stable buildings ever constructed. The foundation is reinforced by 380 piles driven into the ground, extending as far as into the bedrock. Each pile is in diameter and can bear a load of . Motioneering designed a steel pendulum that serves as a tuned mass damper, at a cost of NT$132 million (US$4 million).Tuned Mass Damper
. ''Taipei World Financial Center''. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
Suspended from the 92nd to the 88th floor, the pendulum sways to offset movements in the building caused by strong gusts. The tuned mass damper is visible to all visitors on the 88th floor upwards until the 92nd floor. It can reduce up to 40% of the tower's movements. Its ball, the largest damper ball in the world, consists of 41 circular steel plates of varying diameters, each thick, welded together to form a ball. Two additional tuned mass dampers, each weighing , are installed at the tip of the spire which help prevent damage to the structure due to strong wind loads. On 8 August 2015, strong winds from Typhoon Soudelor swayed the main damper by —the largest movement ever recorded by the damper. The damper has become such a popular tourist attraction that the city contracted
Sanrio is a Japanese entertainment company. It designs, licenses, and manufactures products focusing on the ''kawaii'' ("cute") segment of Japanese popular culture. Their products include stationery, school supplies, gifts, and Fashion accessory, a ...
to create a mascot: the Damper Baby. Four versions of the Damper Baby ("Rich Gold", "Cool Black", "Smart Silver" and "Lucky Red") were designed and made into figurines and souvenirs sold in various Taipei 101 gift shops. Damper Baby has become a popular local icon, with its own comic book and website.


Structural facade

Taipei 101's characteristic blue-green glass curtain walls are double paned and glazed, offer heat and UV protection sufficient to block external heat by 50%, and can sustain impacts of . The facade system of glass and aluminum panels installed into an inclined movement-resisting lattice contributes to overall lateral rigidity by tying back to the mega-columns with one-story high trusses at every eighth floor. This facade system is, therefore, able to withstand up to of seismic lateral displacements without damage. The facade system is also known as a Damper. The original corners of the facade were tested at RWDI in Ontario, Canada. A simulation of a 100-year storm at RWDI revealed a vortex that formed during a 3-second wind at a height of 10 meters, or equivalent to the lateral tower sway rate causing large crosswind oscillations. A double chamfered step design was found to dramatically reduce this crosswind oscillation, resulting in the final design's "double stairstep" corner facade. Architect C.Y. Lee also used extensive facade elements to represent the symbolic identity he pursued. These facade elements included the green tinted glass for the indigenous slender bamboo look, eight upper outwards inclined tiers of pagoda each with eight floors, a ruyi and a money box symbol between the two facade sections among others. Taipei 101's own roof and facade recycled water system meets 20–30% of the building's water needs. In July 2011, Taipei 101 was certified "the world's tallest green building" under LEED standards.


Symbolism

The height of 101 floors commemorates the renewal of time: the new century that arrived as the tower was built (100+1) and all the new years that follow (1 January = 1-01). It symbolizes lofty ideals by going one better on 100, a traditional number of perfection. The number also evokes the
binary numeral system A binary number is a number expressed in the base-2 numeral system or binary numeral system, a method for representing numbers that uses only two symbols for the natural numbers: typically "0" ( zero) and "1" ( one). A ''binary number'' may als ...
used in digital technology. The main tower features a series of eight segments of eight floors each. In Chinese-speaking cultures the number eight is associated with abundance, prosperity and good fortune. The repeated segments simultaneously recall the rhythms of an Asian pagoda (a tower linking earth and sky, also evoked in the Petronas Towers), a stalk of
bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...
(an icon of learning and growth), and a stack of ancient Chinese ingots or money boxes (a symbol of abundance). Popular humor sometimes likens the building's shape to a stack of take-out boxes as used in Western-style Chinese food; of course, the stackable shape of such boxes is likewise derived from that of ancient money boxes. The four discs mounted on each face of the building where the pedestal meets the tower represent coins. The emblem placed over entrances shows three gold coins of ancient Chinese design with central holes shaped to imply the
Arabic numerals The ten Arabic numerals (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) are the most commonly used symbols for writing numbers. The term often also implies a positional notation number with a decimal base, in particular when contrasted with Roman numera ...
''1-0-1''. The structure incorporates many shapes of squares and circles to symbolize
yin and yang Originating in Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (, ), also yinyang or yin-yang, is the concept of opposite cosmic principles or forces that interact, interconnect, and perpetuate each other. Yin and yang can be thought of as complementary an ...
. Curled ruyi figures appear throughout the structure as a design motif. Though the shape of each ruyi at Taipei 101 is traditional, its rendering in industrial metal is plainly modern. The ruyi is a
talisman A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...
of ancient origin associated in art with
heaven Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...
ly clouds. It connotes healing, protection and fulfillment. It appears in celebrations of the attainment of new career heights. The sweeping curved roof of the adjoining mall culminates in a colossal ruyi that shades pedestrians. Each ruyi ornament on the exterior of the Taipei 101 tower stands at least tall. At night the bright yellow gleam from its pinnacle casts Taipei 101 in the role of a candle or
torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...
upholding the ideals of liberty and welcome. From 6 to 10 p.m., the tower's lights display one of seven colors, according to a weekly schedule. From 26 February to 6 March 2022, the typical colors were replaced by blue and yellow in solidarity with
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, in response to the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
. The adjoining Taipei 101 on the east side connects the landmark further with the symbolism of time. The design of the circular park doubles as the face of a giant
sundial A sundial is a horology, horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the position of the Sun, apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the ...
. The tower itself casts the shadow to mark afternoon hours for the building's occupants. The park's design is echoed in a
clock A clock or chronometer is a device that measures and displays time. The clock is one of the oldest Invention, human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month, a ...
that stands at its entrance. The clock runs on
wind power Wind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for electricity ge ...
drawn from the building's
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
. Taipei 101, like many of its neighboring buildings, exemplifies the influence of ''
feng shui Feng shui ( or ), sometimes called Chinese geomancy, is a traditional form of geomancy that originated in ancient China and claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term ''feng shui'' mean ...
'' philosophy. An example appears in the form of a large granite fountain at the intersection of Songlian Road and Xinyi Road near the tower's east entrance. A ball at the fountain's top spins toward the tower. As a work of public art the fountain offers a contrast to the tower in texture even as its design echoes the tower's rhythms. The fountain also serves a practical function in ''feng shui'' philosophy. A ''T'' intersection near the entrance of a building represents a potential drain of positive energy, or '' ch'i'', from the structure and its occupants. Placing flowing water at such spots is thought to help redirect the flow of ''ch'i''.


Interior

Two restaurants have opened on the 85th floor: Diamond Tony's, which offers European-style seafood and steak, and 85TD, which offers Chinese style cuisine. Occupying all of the 86th floor is Taiwanese high-class buffet restaurant . Din Tai Fung, several international dining establishments and retail outlets also operate in the adjoining mall. The multistory retail mall adjoining the tower is home to hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants, clubs and other attractions. The mall's interior is modern in design even as it makes use of traditional elements. The curled ''ruyi'' symbol is a recurring motif inside the mall. Many features of the interior also observe ''feng shui'' traditions.


Floor directory

A tenant directory is posted in the first floor's lobby (visible from the Xinyi entrance). The number 4 is considered an unlucky number in Chinese culture, so instead the 44th floor is renamed the 43rd, and the actual 43rd floor becomes 42A. As of 1 January 2011, the highest occupied office floor (excluding the observatory and restaurants) was 75. The building appears to be at least 70% occupied at this point. The 92nd through 100th floors are officially designated as communication floors, although it is unknown if there are any radio or TV stations currently broadcasting from the top of Taipei 101. The 101st floor indoor/outdoor rooftop observatory opened to the public on 14 June 2019. The top 92-100 floors are labeled as communications floors.


Elevator

The double-deck elevators built by the Japanese
Toshiba is a Japanese multinational electronics company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Its diversified products and services include power, industrial and social infrastructure systems, elevators and escalators, electronic components, semiconductors ...
Elevator and Building Systems Corporation (TELC) set a new record in 2004 with the fastest ascending speeds in the world. At per hour, per second, or 1,010 m/min, the speed of Taipei 101's elevators is 34.7% faster than the previous record holders of the Yokohama Landmark Tower elevator,
Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
, Japan, which reaches speeds of per second (45 km/h, 28 mph). Taipei 101's elevators transport visitors from the fifth floor to the 89th-floor observatory in 37 seconds. Each elevator features an
aerodynamic Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...
body, full pressurization, state-of-the art emergency braking systems, and the world's first triple-stage anti-overshooting system. The cost for each elevator is NT$80 million (US$2.4 million). In 2016, the title for the fastest elevator was taken away by the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai. Shortly after, the title for the world's fastest elevator was passed on yet again to the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre.


Artworks

Many works of art appear in and around Taipei 101. These include: German artist
Rebecca Horn Rebecca Horn (24 March 1944 – 6 September 2024) was a German visual artist best known for her installation art, film directing and body modifications such as ''Einhorn'' (Unicorn), a body-suit with a very large horn projecting vertically from ...
's ''Dialog between Yin and Yang'' in 2002 (steel, iron), American artist Robert Indiana's ''1-0'' in 2002 and ''
Love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...
'' in 2003 (aluminum), French artist Ariel Moscovici's ''Between Earth and Sky'' in 2002 (rose de la claret granite), Taiwanese artist Chung Pu's ''Global Circle'' In 2002 (black granite, white marble), British artist Jill Watson's ''City Composition'' in 2002 (Bronze), and Taiwanese artist Kang Mu Hsiang's ''Infinite Life'' in 2013 (aluminum). Moreover, the Indoor Observatory hosts a regular series of exhibitions. The artists represented have included Wu Ching (gold sculpture), Ping-huang Chang (traditional painting) and Po-lin Chi (aerial photography).101季刊 eNewsletter
. ''Taipei World Financial Center''. Retrieved 25 March 2015.


Floor plan


Observation deck

Taipei 101 features an indoor observation deck on the 88th and 89th floors, and two outdoor observation decks (91st floor and 101st floor), all offering 360-degree views and attracting visitors from around the world. The Indoor Observatory stands above ground, offering a comfortable environment, large windows with UV protection, recorded voice tours in eight languages, and informative displays and special exhibits. Here, one may view the skyscraper's main damper, which is the world's largest and heaviest visible damper, and buy food, drinks and gift items. Two more flights of stairs take visitors up to the Outdoor Observatory. The Outdoor Observatories, at and above ground, is the second-highest observation deck ever provided in a skyscraper and the highest such platform in Taiwan. The Indoor Observatory is open thirteen hours a day (9:00 am–10:00 pm) throughout the week as well as on special occasions; the Outdoor Observatory is open during the same hours as weather permits. Tickets may be purchased on site in the shopping mall (5th floor) or in advance through the Observatory's website and allow access to the 88th through 91st floors via high-speed elevator. In 2019, its 101 top floor opened for the first time to the public, starting 14 June with only 36 people given access each day. The 91st-floor observatory used to be the highest floor that open to the public until 14 June 2019 when it was announced by the building's management team that the 101st floor (at 460 meters above sea level) will be opened to the general public, with a quota of 36 people per day and is subject to prior booking. Going onto the outdoor viewing platform requires safety equipment, such as a safety belt buckled to the railing.


Awards

On its opening date, Taipei 101 was awarded the Emporis Skyscraper Award, coming in 1st place. Taipei 101 was awarded the top award platinum rating, by the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a Green building certification systems, green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating ...
(LEED), the globally recognized green building ranking system of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), making the skyscraper the tallest energy conservation building in the world. In 2017, Taipei 101 was awarded the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award (AREA). Taipei 101 was awarded the CTBUH Skyscraper Award on the Performance award category.


See also

* List of most expensive buildings * List of tallest buildings in Taipei *
List of tallest buildings in Taiwan This list ranks skyscrapers in Taiwan by height. The tallest building in Taiwan is currently the 101–Storey, story Taipei 101, which rises and was completed in 2004. It was officially classified as the world's tallest from 2004 to 2010. Curre ...
* List of tourist attractions in Taipei * Taipei Nan Shan Plaza


Notes


References


External links


Taipei 101 Official Website

Website for Vietnamese

Taipei 101 Official Website – Observatory

Taipei 101 Official Website – Mall

YouTube – Taipei 101 New Year Fireworks 200520072008

National Geographic Channel – Richard Hammond examines Taipei 101

Consulting services
by RWDI ( wind engineering and emergency ventilation) and Motioneering ( tuned mass damper)
Megastructure Supports Taipei's 508-Meter 'Megatower'
by
Engineering News-Record The ''Engineering News-Record'' (widely known as ''ENR'') is an American weekly magazine that provides news, analysis, data and opinion for the construction industry worldwide. It is widely regarded as one of the construction industry's most au ...
, a weekly magazine by McGraw-Hill Construction of
McGraw-Hill McGraw Hill is an American education science company that provides educational content, software, and services for students and educators across various levels—from K-12 to higher education and professional settings. They produce textbooks, ...

LEED Official Site

C. Y. Lee Architects Office Official Website


Further reading

* {{Authority control 2004 establishments in Taiwan Buildings and structures completed in 2004 Earthquake-resistant structures Expressionist architecture Former world's tallest buildings High-tech architecture Observation towers Postmodern architecture Shopping malls established in 2004 Shopping malls in Taipei Skyscraper office buildings in Taipei Tourist attractions in Taipei Xinyi Special District