Taipei 101 | |
---|---|
台北101 | |
Former names | Taipei World Financial Center |
Alternative names | Top of Taipei, Taipei Tower, Tower of Taipei |
Record height | |
Tallest in the world from 2004 to 2009 [I] | |
Preceded by | Petronas Towers |
Surpassed by | Burj Khalifa |
General information | |
Status | Completed |
Type | Skyscraper |
Architectural style | Postmodernism |
Location | Taipei, Taiwan |
Address | No. 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan |
Coordinates | 25°02′01″N121°33′54″E / 25.033642°N 121.564886°E |
Groundbreaking | 31 January 1999 |
Construction started | 31 July 1999 [1] |
Topped-out | 13 June 2001 (mall) 1 July 2003 (tower) |
Completed | 14 November 2003 (mall) 31 December 2004 (tower) [1] |
Opened | 31 December 2004 |
Cost | NT$58 billion (US$1.9 billion) |
Owner | Taipei Financial Center Corporation [2] |
Landlord | Taipei City Government |
Height | |
Height | 508.0 m (1,667 ft) |
Architectural | 508.2 m (1,667 ft) |
Tip | 509.2 m (1,671 ft) |
Roof | 449.2 m (1,474 ft) |
Top floor | 438.0 m (1,437 ft) |
Observatory | 449.2 m (1,474 ft) |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 101 [2] |
Floor area | 412,500 m2 (4,440,100 sq ft) [3] |
Lifts/elevators | 61 installed by Toshiba with KONE EcoDisc motors |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | C.Y. Lee and C.P. Wang |
Structural engineer | Evergreen Consulting Engineering and Thornton Tomasetti |
Main contractor | KTRT Joint Venture [4]
|
Awards and prizes | Existing Buildings, LEED Platinum O+M |
Website | |
www | |
References | |
[1] [8] [2] [9] [10] |
Taipei 101 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chinese | 台北101 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Literal meaning | "Tai[wan] North 101" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taipei World Financial Center | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Traditional Chinese | 臺北國際金融中心 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Simplified Chinese | 台北国际金融中心 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taipei 101 (Chinese :台北101; pinyin :Táiběi 101;stylized in all caps), [1] formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center,is a skyscraper in Taipei,Taiwan. It is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. The building was officially classified as the world's tallest from its opening on 31 December 2004 (in time to celebrate New Year's Eve). However,the Burj Khalifa surpassed Taipei 101 in 2010. Upon completion,it became the world's first skyscraper to exceed a height of half a kilometer (about 0.3 miles). As of 2023,Taipei 101 is the tallest building in Taiwan and the eleventh tallest building in the world. [11] [12]
The elevators of Taipei 101 that transport passengers from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds (attaining 60.6 km/h (37.7 mph)) set speed records. [11] [lower-alpha 1] 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 in the world. [13] The structure regularly appears as an icon of Taipei in international media,and the Taipei 101 fireworks displays are a regular feature of New Year's Eve broadcasts and celebrations.
Taipei 101's postmodernist 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 storms. The tower houses offices,restaurants,shops,and indoor and outdoor observatories. The tower is adjoined by a multilevel shopping mall that has the world's largest ruyi symbol as an exterior feature.
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. [14]
Planning for Taipei 101 began in July 1997 [2] during Chen Shui-bian'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. [2] [15]
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. [16]
Taipei 101's roof was completed three years later on 1 July 2003. In 2004, work on Taipei 101 was completed by Samsung C&T, South Korean construction company. [17] Ma Ying-jeou, in his first term as Taipei mayor, fastened a golden bolt to signify the achievement. [8] The formal opening of the tower took place on New Year's Eve 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. [18] [19] [20] It replaced the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur as the world's tallest building. [21]
The Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC) announced plans on 2 November 2009 to make Taipei 101 "the world's tallest green 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. [13] 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. [22] The company applied for a platinum-degree certification with LEED in early 2011. [23] 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. [13] In 2019, it was named among the 50 most influential skyscrapers in the world by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. [24]
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. [25] On 8 February 2020, it was reported that 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. [26] On 1 April 2020, the shopping center said it was reducing business hours due to the coronavirus pandemic. [27] It had started checking shopper's temperatures in February. [27] [28] 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. [29]
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:
The New Year's Eve Show in Taipei is held at the Taipei City Hall. Visitors have a view of Taipei 101 which is surrounded by fireworks at midnight. [37] Another popular location for crowds to gather to see the fireworks display is the public square of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. [38]
Various sources, including the building's owners, give the height of Taipei 101 as 508 m (1,667 ft), roof height and top floor height as 448 m (1,470 ft) and 438 m (1,437 ft). This lower figure is derived by measuring from the top of a 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) platform at the base. [1] [8] 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. [39] [40] [41] [42] Taipei 101 displaced the Petronas Towers as the tallest building in the world by 57.3 m (188 ft). [40] [43] The record it claimed for greatest height from ground to pinnacle was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is 829.8 m (2,722 ft) in height. Taipei 101's records for roof height and highest occupied floor briefly passed to the Shanghai World Financial Center in 2008, which in turn yielded these records as well to the Burj. [39] [40]
Taipei 101 was the world's tallest building, at 508.2 m (1,667 ft) as measured to its architectural top (spire), exceeding that of the Petronas Towers, which were previously the tallest skyscraper at 451.9 m (1,483 ft). The height to the top of the roof, at 449.2 m (1,474 ft), and highest occupied floor, at 439.2 m (1,441 ft), surpassed the previous records of the Willis Tower: 442 m (1,450 ft) and 412.4 m (1,353 ft), respectively. [8] [39] [41] [40] [42] It also surpassed the 85-story, 347.5 m (1,140 ft) Tuntex Sky Tower in Kaohsiung as the tallest building in Taiwan and the 51-story, 244.15 m (801 ft) Shin Kong Life Tower as the tallest building in Taipei. [44] [45]
Taipei 101 comprises 101 floors above ground, as well as five basement levels. The first building to break the half-kilometer mark in height, [8] it was the world's tallest building from 31 March 2004 to 10 March 2010 (six years) [46] [47] until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in 2010. For 12 years it also had the fastest elevator, at 61 kilometres per hour (38 mph). It also has the largest wind damper in the world, at 18 feet across. [48] As of 2023, Taipei 101 is the eleventh-tallest building in the world, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's official rankings. [12]
Taipei 101 is designed to withstand typhoon 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 60 meters per second (197 ft/s), (216 km/h or 134 mph), as well as the strongest earthquakes in a 2,500-year cycle. [49]
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 660 ft (200 m) away from a major fault line [50] Outrigger trusses, located at eight-floor intervals, connect the columns in the building's core to those on the exterior. [16]
These features, combined with the solidity of its foundation, made Taipei 101 one of the most stable buildings ever constructed. [51] The foundation is reinforced by 380 piles driven 80 m (262 ft) into the ground, extending as far as 30 m (98 ft) into the bedrock. Each pile is 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in diameter and can bear a load of 1,000–1,320 metric tons (1,100–1,460 short tons). [52]
Motioneering designed a 660-metric-ton (728-short-ton) [53] [54] [55] steel pendulum that serves as a tuned mass damper, at a cost of NT$132 million (US$4 million). [56] 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 through 92nd floors. It can reduce up to 40% of the tower's movements. [57] Its ball, the largest damper ball in the world, consists of 41 circular steel plates of varying diameters, each 125 mm (4.92 in) thick, welded together to form a 5.5-meter-diameter (18 ft) ball. Two additional tuned mass dampers, each weighing 6 metric tons (7 short tons), are installed at the tip of the spire which help prevent damage to the structure due to strong wind loads. [56] [58] On 8 August 2015, strong winds from Typhoon Soudelor swayed the main damper by 1 meter (39 in)—the largest movement ever recorded by the damper. [59] [60]
The damper has become such a popular tourist attraction that the city contracted Sanrio 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. [61] [62] [63]
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 7 metric tons (8 short tons). [49] 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 95 mm (4 in) of seismic lateral displacements without damage. [64] 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 105-mile-per-hour (169 km/h) 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. [65] 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. [66]
Taipei 101's own roof and facade recycled water system meets 20 to 30% of the building's water needs. In July 2011, Taipei 101 was certified "the world's tallest green building" under LEED standards. [67]
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 used in digital technology. [68]
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. [69] [70]
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 (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. [71] 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 1-0-1. [68] The structure incorporates many shapes of squares and circles to symbolize yin and yang. [68]
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 of ancient origin associated in art with heavenly clouds. It connotes healing, protection and fulfillment. It appears in celebrations of the attainment of new career heights. [72] [73] The sweeping curved roof of the adjoining mall culminates in a colossal ruyi that shades pedestrians. [73] Each ruyi ornament on the exterior of the Taipei 101 tower stands at least 8 m (26 ft) tall. [74]
At night the bright yellow gleam from its pinnacle casts Taipei 101 in the role of a candle or torch upholding the ideals of liberty and welcome. From 6 to 10 p.m., [75] the tower's lights display one of seven colors, according to a weekly schedule. [76]
Day | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Color | red | orange | yellow | green | blue | indigo | violet |
From 26 February to 6 March 2022, the typical colors were replaced by blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine, in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. [77]
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. The tower itself casts the shadow to mark afternoon hours for the building's occupants. The park's design is echoed in a clock that stands at its entrance. The clock runs on wind power drawn from the building's wind shear. [78]
Taipei 101, like many of its neighboring buildings, exemplifies the influence of feng shui 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. [79] 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. [80] [81] Placing flowing water at such spots is thought to help redirect the flow of ch'i. [82] [83]
Two restaurants have opened on the 85th floor: Diamond Tony's, which offers European-style seafood and steak, and Shin Yeh 101 (欣葉), which offers Taiwanese Hokkien cuisine. Occupying all of the 86th floor is Taiwanese restaurant Ding Xian 101. [84] 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. [83]
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. [85] 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. [86] The top 92-100 floors are labeled as communications floors. [87]
The double-deck elevators built by the Japanese Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation (TELC) set a new record in 2004 with the fastest ascending speeds in the world. At 60.6 kilometers (37.7 mi) per hour, 16.83 m (55.22 ft) per second, or 1,010 m/min, [88] the speed of Taipei 101's elevators is 34.7% faster than the previous record holders of the Yokohama Landmark Tower elevator, Yokohama, Japan, which reaches speeds of 12.5 m (41 ft) 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. [lower-alpha 1] Each elevator features an aerodynamic 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). [89] [90] In 2016, the title for the fastest elevator was taken away by the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai. [91] Shortly after, the title for the world's fastest elevator was passed on yet again to the Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre. [92]
Many works of art appear in and around Taipei 101. These include: German artist Rebecca Horn's Dialog between Yin and Yang in 2002 (steel, iron), American artist Robert Indiana's 1-0 in 2002 and Love 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). [14] 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). [32]
Levels | Purposes | ||
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101 | Outdoor Observation Deck (Skyline 460/ Sky Top) | ||
100 | Mechanical | ||
99 | |||
98 | |||
97 | |||
96 | |||
95 | |||
94 | |||
93 | |||
92 | Tuned Mass Damper | ||
91 | Outdoor Observatory Deck (Sky Deck) | ||
90 | Mechanical | ||
89 | Indoor Observatory Deck (Sky View) / KafeD (Coffee Cafe) / Taipei 101 Souvenir Shop | ||
88 | Indoor Observatory Deck (Exit Floor) / Simple Kaffa Sola (Coffee Cafe) | ||
87 | Mechanical | ||
86 | Restaurant | A Joy | |
85 | Diamond Tony's 101 Panorama, 85TD | ||
84 | High Zone Office | ||
83 | Morgan Stanley | ||
82 | Mechanical | ||
81 | Alliance Bernstein | ||
80 | CARDIF Assurance Vie, Taiwan Branch | ||
79 | |||
78 | CARDIF Assurances Risques Divers, Taiwan Branch | ||
77 | CIMB Securities Limited | ||
76 | CIMB Securities Limited, RBS Securities (Room C-D) | ||
75 | |||
74 | Mechanical | ||
73 | |||
72 | BNP Paribas | ||
71 | BNP Paribas | ||
70 | ING Wholesale Bank | ||
69 | |||
68 | KPMG | ||
67 | |||
66 | Mechanical | ||
65 | |||
64 | |||
63 | |||
62 | Chien Yeh Law Offices | ||
61 | Boston Consulting Group (Unit F), Air China, KPMG, Natixis | ||
60 | Skylobby | ||
59 | Skylobby | ||
58 | Mid Zone Office | Mechanical | |
57 | The Executive Centre / Amicorp | ||
56 | |||
55 | Legg Mason (Suite E), Bayer | ||
54 | Bayer / HSBC Securities (Taiwan) Corporation Limited | ||
53 | Bayer | ||
52 | HRnetOne | ||
51 | Winterthur Life (Taiwan Branch) | ||
50 | Mechanical | ||
49 | S&P Global | ||
48 | Bank of America | ||
47 | McKinsey & Company | ||
46 | Development Dimensions International, Canonical | ||
45 | Perkins Coie (Suite F), Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (Unit D) | ||
44 | |||
43 | Bank of America | ||
42 | Mechanical | ||
41 | |||
40 | |||
39 | French Office in Taipei | ||
38 | Volvo | ||
37 | The Executive Centre, Crimson Education, VF Corporation | ||
36 | Skylobby Taipei 101 Conference Center [2] Sui Business Lounge | ||
35 | Skylobby / Rookie Shumai 35 VEGEtable (Restaurant) | ||
34 | Low Office Zone | Mechanical | |
33 | German Institute Taipei | ||
32 | |||
31 | |||
30 | Nomura (Asset Management) | ||
29 | Bank of Communications (Taipei Branch) | ||
28 | DBS Bank | ||
27 | Korn Ferry (Room D-1), Morningstar | ||
26 | Mechanical | ||
25 | |||
24 | Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe C-1, | ||
23 | L'Oreal | ||
22 | L'Oreal | ||
21 | PPD, Inc. Unit A, | ||
20 | Jones Lang LaSalle | ||
19 | |||
18 | Mechanical | ||
17 | |||
16 | |||
15 | ANZ | ||
14 | ANZ | ||
13 | Coupang | ||
12 | Taiwan Stock Exchange | ||
11 | Taiwan Stock Exchange | ||
10 | Taiwan Stock Exchange | ||
9 | Taiwan Stock Exchange | ||
8 | Mechanical | ||
7 | |||
6 | Gymnasium | ||
5 | Taipei 101 Shopping Mall | Taipei 101 Observatory Ticket Entrance | |
4 | |||
3 | |||
2 | Lobby | ||
1 | |||
B1 | Taipei 101–World Trade Center Station Metro (Exit 4) | ||
B2 | Parking Lot | ||
B3 | |||
B4 | |||
B5 | |||
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 attract visitors from around the world. The Indoor Observatory stands 383.4 m (1,258 ft) 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 391.8 m (1,285 ft) and 449.2 m (1,474 ft) above ground, [8] [93] is the second-highest observation deck ever provided in a skyscraper and the highest such platform in Taiwan. [44] [94]
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 [95] and allow access to the 88th through 91st floors via high-speed elevator. [96]
In 2019, its 101 top floor opened for the first time to the public, [97] starting 14 June with only 36 people given access each day. [98] 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. [97] Going onto the outdoor viewing platform requires safety equipment, such as a safety belt buckled to the railing. [99]
On its opening date, Taipei 101 was awarded the Emporis Skyscraper Award, coming in 1st place. [100] Taipei 101 was awarded the top award platinum rating, by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (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. [101] In 2017, Taipei 101 was awarded the Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award (AREA). [102] Taipei 101 was awarded the CTBUH Skyscraper Award on the Performance award category. [103]
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The Shanghai World Financial Center is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai. It was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by the Mori Building Company, with Leslie E. Robertson Associates as its structural engineer and China State Construction Engineering Corp and Shanghai Construction (Group) General Co. as its main contractor. It is a mixed-use skyscraper, consisting of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and ground-floor shopping malls. Park Hyatt Shanghai is the tower's hotel component, comprising 174 rooms and suites occupying the 79th to the 93rd floors, which at the time of completion was the highest hotel in the world. It is now the third-highest hotel in the world after the Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, which occupies floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre.
85 Sky Tower, formerly known as the T & C Tower or Tuntex Sky Tower, is an 85-story skyscraper in Lingya District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The structure is 347.5 m (1,140 ft) high. An antenna increases the pinnacle height to 378 m (1,240 ft). Constructed from 1994 to 1997 by the now-defunct Tuntex Group, it is the tallest building in Kaohsiung, and the 2nd tallest in Taiwan after the Taipei 101.
The Torre Mayor is a skyscraper in Mexico City, Mexico. With a height of 225 meters to the top floor and 55 stories, it is the eighth tallest building in Mexico. It was surpassed in height by Torre BBVA Bancomer in 2015, which in turn was surpassed by Torre Reforma. From its completion in 2003 until 2010 it was also the tallest building in Latin America. The Torre Mayor was developed by Canadian businessman Paul Reichmann, who also maintained part ownership until his death in 2013. It is also part-owned by a group of institutional investors. The building was designed by the architectural firms of Zeidler Partnership Architects and Executive Architects Adamson Associates Architects, both of Toronto. The structural engineers and designers were The Cantor Seinuk Group from New York City in association with Enrique Martínez Romero S.A. in Mexico City.
The Yokohama Landmark Tower is the third tallest building and fifth tallest structure in Japan, standing 296.3 m (972 ft) high. Until surpassed by Abeno Harukas in 2014, it stood as the tallest building in Japan. It is located in the Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama city, next to the Yokohama Museum of Art.
The Mile-High Illinois, Illinois Sky City, or simply The Illinois is a concept proposal for a skyscraper that was to be over 1 mile (1,600 m) high and was conceived and described by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in his 1957 book, A Testament. The design, intended to be built in Chicago, included 528 stories, with a gross area of 18,460,000 square feet (1,715,000 m2). Wright stated that there would be parking for 15,000 cars and 100 helicopters.
Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo. It became the tallest tower in Japan in 2010 and reached its full height of 634 meters (2,080 ft) in March 2011, making it the tallest tower in the world, displacing the Canton Tower, and the third tallest structure in the world after Merdeka 118 and the Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest freestanding tower in the OECD, the G20 and G7 countries.
The Lakhta Centre is an 87-story skyscraper built in the northwestern neighbourhood of Lakhta in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Standing 462 metres (1,516 ft) tall, it is the tallest building in both Russia and Europe, and the sixteenth-tallest building in the world. It is also the second-tallest structure in Russia and Europe, behind the Ostankino Tower in Moscow, in addition to being the second-tallest twisted building and the northernmost skyscraper in the world.
Shin Kong Life Tower, at 51 stories and a height of 245 meters (803.8 ft), is one of Taiwan's earliest skyscrapers. The rose-colored tower topped by a pyramid stands in Zhongzheng District, Taipei, and dates from 1993. Its first twelve floors and two underground floors house a Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store; the remaining floors provide office space and serve as headquarters for the Shin Kong Life insurance company. The building stands across Zhongxiao Road from Taipei Main Station near the Asiaworld Department Store.
Shanghai Tower is a 128-story, 632-meter-tall (2,073 ft) megatall skyscraper located in Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai. It is the tallest building in China and the world's third-tallest building by height to architectural top. It is the tallest and largest LEED Platinum certified building in the world since 2015. It had the world's fastest elevators at a top speed of 20.5 meters per second until 2017, when it was surpassed by the Guangzhou CTF Finance Center, with its top speed of 21 meters per second. Designed by the international design firm Gensler and owned by the Shanghai Municipal Government, it is the tallest of the world's first triple-adjacent supertall buildings in Pudong, the other two being the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Its tiered construction, designed for high energy efficiency, provides nine separate zones divided between office, retail and leisure use. The US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat cites it as "one of the most sustainably advanced tall buildings in the world."
The tallest building in the world, as of 2024, is the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The title of "world's tallest building" has been held by various buildings in modern times, including the Lincoln Cathedral in Lincoln, England, and the Empire State Building and the original World Trade Center, both in New York City.
Merdeka 118, formerly known as Menara Warisan Merdeka, KL 118 and PNB 118, is a 118-story megatall skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At 678.9 m (2,227 ft) tall, it is the second-tallest building and structure in the world, only behind the Burj Khalifa at 828 m (2,717 ft).
Taipei Nan Shan Plaza is a skyscraper in Xinyi Special District, Xinyi, Taipei, Taiwan. It is the second tallest building in Taipei and the fourth tallest building in Taiwan. As of 2019, it is the 146th-tallest building in Asia and 248th-tallest building in the world.
The Neo Sky Dome is a residential skyscraper complex located in Banqiao District, New Taipei, Taiwan. The complex comprises four skyscraper buildings completed in 2010, with a total floor area of 165,934.98 m2 (1,786,109.3 sq ft) and 1616 apartment units. The tallest of the four buildings is Tower B, which has a height of 188 m (617 ft) and it comprises 46 floors above ground, as well as 7 basement levels. Towers C and D have a height of 177.57 m (582.6 ft) with 43 floors above ground. The shortest in the complex is Tower A, which rises 155.75 m (511.0 ft) with 40 floors above ground.
The Legacy Tower is an under-construction supertall skyscraper in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The skyscraper is a part of Bangabandhu tri-tower: alongside 71-floors Liberation Tower and 52-floors Language Tower and the centerpiece of US$12 billion central business district development project in Purbachal. The 111-floors tower will rise 468 m (1,535 ft) tall.