Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is a giant tower in Taiwan.

It has 101 floors. It was once the tallest building in the world.

The tower is built to be very strong. It can stay safe during big storms. It can also stay safe during shakes in the ground.

Inside, there are fast elevators. They can carry people up many floors very quickly. The building also has shops and food.

Many people love the bright lights. They watch big fireworks at the tower on New Year's Eve. It is a very famous place to visit.

Taipei 101 is a giant tower in Taiwan.

It has 101 floors. It is 508 meters tall. This made it the first skyscraper to pass half a kilometer. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010. Now, it is the eleventh tallest building in the world.

The tower is built to be very strong. It can stay safe during big storms and earthquakes. It uses a large wind damper to help. A wind damper is a heavy part that stops the building from swaying. This part is 18 feet across.

Inside, there are very fast elevators. They can carry people from the 5th to the 89th floor in 37 seconds. The tower also has many shops and restaurants.

People visit the observatories to see the view.

The building is also good for the Earth. It has a LEED platinum rating. This means it is a green building. It uses special windows to block heat. It also uses recycled water to help meet its needs.

Taipei 101 is a giant skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. It stands 508 meters tall with 101 floors above the ground.

This tower was the first skyscraper to go over half a kilometer in height. It held the record as the world's tallest building from 2004 until 2010. Today, it is the eleventh tallest building in the world. The tower is a famous icon for the city of Taipei. It even hosts huge fireworks shows every New Year's Eve.

The building is built to stay safe during big storms and earthquakes. It is located near the Pacific Ring of Fire, where many natural events happen. To stay steady, it uses a huge wind damper. This part is 18 feet across and helps stop the tower from swaying. The design also uses double-pane windows to block 50% of external heat. This helps the building stay cool inside. It also uses recycled water for 20% to 30% of its needs. These features helped it earn a LEED platinum rating for being a green building.

Building such a huge tower took many years of planning. The Taipei Financial Center Corporation won the rights to develop the site. They won the rights with a bid of NT$20,688,890,000. Construction planning began in July 1997 during Chen Shui-bian's time as mayor. At first, planners thought about a 66-story tower. An expat suggested making the building much taller. The city finally gave a license for 101 stories in the summer of 2000. The first tower column went up in the summer of 2001.

Construction was a big job led by two main companies. Kumagai Gumi from Japan and Samsung C&T from South Korea worked together. Samsung C&T oversaw the main structural framework of the tower. RESE was in charge of the foundation and construction logistics. A major earthquake hit Taiwan on March 31, 2002. Two cranes fell from the 56th floor during this event. Thankfully, the building itself was not structurally damaged. The roof was finished on July 1, 2003. The tower officially opened on December 31, 2004.

Many people visit the tower to see the amazing views. It has indoor and outdoor observatories for visitors to use.

Inside, there are offices, shops, and many restaurants. The building also has very fast elevators made by Toshiba. These elevators once held a record for being the fastest in the world. They can move people from the 5th floor to the 89th floor in only 37 seconds. People can also visit a large shopping mall attached to the tower. This mall features the world's largest ruyi symbol on its outside.

Taipei 101 is a massive skyscraper located in Taipei, Taiwan. It stands 508 meters, or 1,667 feet, tall. The building contains 101 stories above the ground.

It is owned by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation. For several years, it held the title of the world's tallest building. It earned this title when it opened on December 31, 2004. It remained the tallest until the Burj Khalifa surpassed it in 2010. Taipei 101 was the first skyscraper to exceed a height of half a kilometer. Today, it remains the tallest building in Taiwan. It is currently ranked as the eleventh tallest building in the world.

The tower is designed with advanced engineering to handle local weather. It must withstand tropical storms and earthquakes from the Pacific Ring of Fire. To manage these forces, the building uses a massive wind damper. This device is 18 feet across and helps keep the structure steady. The structural engineers at Evergreen Consulting Engineering designed it for safety. They ensured the tower could withstand gale winds of 180 kilometers per hour. It is also built to survive the strongest earthquakes in a 2,500-year cycle. These features allow the tower to remain stable during intense natural events.

Taipei 101 is also recognized as a leader in environmental design. In 2011, it received a LEED platinum certificate. LEED is a system used to rate how energy-efficient and green a building is. To reach this level, the building uses several smart technologies. It features double-pane windows that block 50% of external heat. This helps keep the interior cool without using too much energy. The building also uses recycled water for 20% to 30% of its needs. Upgrading the building to meet these standards cost NT$60 million. However, these changes are expected to save 14.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. This represents an 18% energy saving for the structure.

The history of the tower began with complex planning and bidding. The Taipei Financial Center Corporation won the rights to develop the site. They placed a winning bid of NT$20,688,890,000 for a Build Operate Transfer agreement. Planning started in July 1997 under Mayor Chen Shui-bian. Initially, merchants proposed a 66-story tower to anchor a new business district. However, an expat suggested making the tower much taller. The city eventually granted a license for 101 stories in the summer of 2000. The first tower column was erected in the summer of 2001.

Construction was a major international effort involving several companies. A joint venture led by the Japanese company Kumagai Gumi managed the project. They worked in cooperation with the South Korean company Samsung C&T. Samsung C&T oversaw the construction of the main structural framework. Another company, RESE, managed the main foundation and construction logistics. Construction faced a challenge on March 31, 2002, when a major earthquake struck Taiwan. Two construction cranes fell from the 56th floor during the quake. While this caused deaths and damaged vehicles, the building suffered no structural damage. Work resumed in stages after safety inspections were completed.

Inside the tower, visitors find many different uses for the space. The building houses offices, restaurants, and various shops.

There are also indoor and outdoor observatories for tourists. The elevators are a major highlight of the interior. Manufactured by Toshiba of Japan, they once held the world record for speed. They can transport passengers from the 5th floor to the 89th floor in just 37 seconds.

An attached multilevel shopping mall also serves the public. This mall features the world's largest ruyi symbol on its exterior.

Taipei 101 is a famous icon used in many global events. It is a central part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Taipei. Massive fireworks displays are broadcast to the world every year. The building's architecture uses a postmodernist and neo-futurist style. This design combines modern industrial materials with traditional Asian aesthetics. The tower has also hosted many unique activities over the years. In 2005, it displayed the formula "E=mc2" in lights for the World Year of Physics. In 2005, a race called the Taipei 101 Run Up used the building's 2,046 steps. These events help connect the tower to science, culture, and global community celebrations.