Taipei 101

Taipei 101, also known as Taipei Financial Center, located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan, is a famous skyscraper, which was the world’s tallest building since 2004 and 2010, until the construction of the Burj Khalifa in the United Arab Emirates.

After a construction process that lasted five years (1999 – 2004), the impressive structure was inaugurated in the last day of December 2004. It’s total construction costs added up to almost 1.80 billion dollars and it is currently owned by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation, a Taiwanese company. It was designed by architect C. Y. Lee, who took special precautions in order to make sure that the building would resist to the typhoon winds and earthquake tremors which are very usual in the Asia-Pacific. The floor area is almost 412,500 m2, it has 101 floors (without counting the five basement floors) and 61 elevators made by Toshiba/KONE, including double-deck shuttles and two high speed observatory elevators. Taipei 101′s specific blue-green glass curtain walls are paned and glazed two times and as a result provide heat and ultraviolet protection enough to block external heat by fifty percent, and can support impacts of seven tonnes. The architectural style illustrates the oriental revivalism.

The Taipei 101 is a center for business and recreation. Most importantly, it is the headquarters for many important companies, such as the Taiwan Stock Exchange (which rents 7 floors in the building), the Taiwan Ratings Corporation, ING Antai, GoldBank of Taiwan, The Boston Consulting Group or L’Oreal Taiwan, but it also includes prestigious restaurants, a huge shopping center and several international dining places. In addition to this, art exhibits often take place in the Observatory, which is situated on the 89th floor and which also represents a place that provides a 360-degree view for visitors, who came from around the entire world.

Taipei 101 is one of the most famous skyscrapers in the world and a landmark for the city of Taiwan. For a good choice of hotels with discount prices, visit Where to stay in Taipei for more information.

Taipei 101 – Numbers and records

Opening: December 31, 2004
Tallest in the world from 2004 to 2010
Cost: NT$ 58 billion(US$ 1.80 billion)
Antenna spire: 509.2 m (1,670.6 ft)
Roof: 449.2 m (1,473.8 ft)
Top floor: 439.2 m (1,440.9 ft)
Floor count: 101 (+5 basement floors)
Floor area: 412,500 m2 (4,440,100 sq ft)

Taipei 101 video

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