Taipei 101 is a landmark skyscraper located in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building, designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners[2] and constructed primarily by KTRT Joint Venture, Samsung Engineering & Construction[3][4], is the world's tallest completed skyscraper according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat[5], the arbiter of tall building height. Taipei 101 received the Emporis Skyscraper Award in 2004. It has been hailed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World (Newsweek magazine, 2006) and Seven Wonders of Engineering (Discovery Channel, 2005).[6]

The building contains 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. Its postmodern style combines Asian and international modern and traditional elements. It is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses hundreds of fashionable stores, restaurants and clubs. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently in international New Year's Eve broadcasts, and the tower appears frequently in films, television shows, print publications, anime media, games, and other elements of popular culture.[citation needed]

The name of the tower reflects its location in Taipei's international business district (101 mailing code) as well as its floor count. (See also "Symbolism" below.) The number is pronounced in English simply as One Oh One and in Mandarin and other local languages by the equivalent.

Taipei 101 is owned by the Taipei Financial Center Corporation and managed by the International division of Urban Retail Properties Corporation based in Chicago. The name originally planned for the building, Taipei World Financial Center, was derived from the name of the owner. The original name in Chinese was literally, Taipei International Financial Center (traditional Chinese: 臺北國際金融中心; pinyin: Táiběi Guójì Jīnróng Zhōngxīn).

Taipei 101 was overtaken in height on July 21, 2007 by the Burj Dubai in Dubai, UAE, upon the completion of that building's 141st floor . As of June 2009, the title of "world's tallest building" still rests with Taipei 101, as international architectural standards define a "building" as a structure capable of being fully occupied. The Burj Dubai will claim the title upon its completion, which is expected in September 2009.

Contents

Features

Height

Height comparison of Taipei 101 with the Sears Tower, the Petronas Towers, and the Empire State Building.

Taipei 101 has 101 stories above ground and five underground. Upon its completion Taipei 101 claimed the official records for:

The record for greatest height from ground to pinnacle remains with the Sears Tower in Chicago (USA): 527 m (1,729 ft).

Taipei 101 was the first building in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height.[7] It was the first "world's tallest building" to be constructed in the new millennium.

Taipei 101 displaced the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as the tallest building in the world by 57.2 m (188 ft).[8] It also displaced the 85-story, 347.5 m (1,140 ft) Tuntex Sky Tower in Kaohsiung as the tallest building in Taiwan and the 51-story, 244.2 m (801 ft) Shin Kong Life Tower as the tallest building in Taipei.[9]

Taipei 101 endures a typhoon

Various sources, including the building's owners,[6] give the height of Taipei 101 as 508.0 m (1,667 ft), roof height and top floor height as 448.0 m (1,470 ft) and 438.0 m (1,437 ft). This lower figure is derived by measuring from the top of a 1.2 m (4 ft) platform at the base. 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.[10][11]

Construction

Location of Taipei 101's largest tuned mass damper. The main tuned mass damper atop Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is designed to withstand the typhoon winds and earthquake tremors common in its area of the Asia-Pacific. Planners aimed for a structure that could withstand gale winds of 60 m/s (197 ft/s, 216 km/h, 134 mi/h) and the strongest earthquakes likely to occur in a 2,500 year cycle.[12]

Skyscrapers must be flexible in strong winds yet remain rigid enough to prevent large sideways movement (lateral drift). Flexibility prevents structural damage while resistance ensures comfort for the occupants and protection of glass, curtain walls and other features. Most designs achieve the necessary strength by enlarging critical structural elements such as bracing. The extraordinary height of Taipei 101 combined with the demands of its environment called for additional innovations on the part of engineers.

The design achieves both strength and flexibility for the tower through the use of high-performance steel construction. Thirty-six columns support Taipei 101, including eight "mega-columns" packed with 10,000-psi concrete.[13] Every eight floors, outrigger trusses connect the columns in the building's core to those on the exterior.

These features combine with the solidity of its foundation to make Taipei 101 one of the most stable buildings ever constructed. 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 (5 ft) in diameter and can bear a load of 1,000 metric tons (1,100 short tons) - 1,320 metric tons (1,460 short tons).[13] The stability of the design became evident during construction when, on March 31, 2002, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Taipei. The tremor was strong enough to topple two construction cranes from the 56th floor, then the highest, and killed five people in the accident. An inspection afterwards showed no structural damage to the building and construction soon resumed.

Thornton-Tomasetti Engineers along with Evergreen Consulting Engineering designed a 660 metric tons (728 short tons)[14] steel pendulum that serves as a tuned mass damper, at a cost of NT$132 million (US$4 million).[15] Suspended from the 92nd to the 88th floor, the pendulum sways to offset movements in the building caused by strong gusts. Its sphere, the largest damper sphere in the world, consists of 41 circular steel plates, each with a height of 125 mm (0.41 ft) being welded together to form a 5.5 m (18 ft) diameter sphere.[16] Another two tuned mass dampers, each weighing 6 metric tons (7 short tons),[15] sit at the tip of the spire. These prevent damage to the structure due to strong wind loads.

Taipei 101's characteristic blue-green glass curtain walls are double glazed, offer heat and UV protection, and can sustain impacts of 7 metric tons (8 short tons).[12]

Symbolism

Shadow of Taipei 101 tower in the late afternoon. The adjoining park (bottom) acts as the face of a sundial.

Taipei 101, like all spire structures, participates in the symbolism of the axis mundi: a world center where earth and sky meet and the four compass directions join.

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 (January 1 = 1-01). It symbolizes high ideals by going one better on 100, a traditional number of perfection. It represents the spot where the tower stands: 101 is the postal code of Taipei's international business district. The number also evokes the binary numeral system used in digital technology.[13]

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. In cultures that observe a seven-day week the number eight symbolizes a renewal of time (7+1). In digital technology the number eight is associated with the byte, being (7+1) bits. A bit is the basic unit of information.

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). 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 design with central holes shaped to imply the Arabic numerals 1-0-1.[13]

Ruyi figure over a Taipei 101 entrance

Curled ruyi figures appear throughout the structure as a design motif. The ruyi is an ancient symbol associated with heavenly clouds. It connotes healing, protection and fulfilment. It appears in celebrations of the attainment of new career heights.[17] Each ruyi ornament on the exterior of the Taipei 101 tower stands at least 8 m (26 ft) tall. The sweeping curved roof of the adjoining mall culminates in a colossal ruyi that shades pedestrians. Though the shape of each ruyi at Taipei 101 is traditional, its metallic interpretation is plainly modern.

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 6:00 to 10:00 each evening[18] the tower's lights display one of seven colours in the spectrum. The colours coincide with the days of the week:

Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Color

The cycle through the spectrum connects the tower with the rich symbolism of rainbows as bridges linking earth to sky and earth's peoples to one another.

Millennium Park adjoins Taipei 101 on the east and connects the landmark further with the symbolism of time. The design of the circular park allows it to double as the face of a sundial. The tower itself casts the shadow to indicate 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 energy drawn from the building's wind shear.

Feng shui fountain outside Taipei 101

Taipei 101, like many of its neighbours, shows 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.[19] 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. Yet 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 a structure and its occupants. Flowing water placed at such spots remedy the situation by generating a positive inward flow of ch'i. The fountain applies a traditional solution to a traditional challenge yet its design remains modern.

Taipei 101 merges ancient motifs and ideas with modern techniques and materials. As a landmark it renews the symbolism of all tall towers as cosmic centers. Its interplaying symbols speak of optimism, abundance, and the ever-renewing cycles of time.

Interior

Taipei 101 Mall

Taipei 101 is the first record-setting skyscraper to be constructed in the twenty-first century. Appropriately it exhibits a number of technologically advanced features as it provides a center for business and recreation.

The original 2004 fiber-optic and satellite Internet connections permitted transfer speeds up to a gigabyte per second.

The doubledeck elevators built by Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Corporation (TELC) set a new record in 2004 with top ascending speeds of 16.83 m (55.22 ft) per second (60.6 km/h, 37.7 mi/h). This speed is 34.7 percent faster than the previous record holders of the Yokohama Landmark Tower elevator, Yokohama, Japan, which speeds of 12.5 m (41 ft) per second (45.0 km/h, 28.0 mi/h). Taipei 101's elevators sweep visitors from the fifth floor to the 89th-floor observatory in only 37 seconds.[20] 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).[21][22][23][24]

A 660 metric tons (728 short tons) tuned mass damper stabilizes the tower against movements caused by high winds. The damper can reduce up to 40% of the tower's movements (see "Construction").

The 101st floor is home to a private club named Summit 101. No information about this club has been made public save for a reference in the observatory pamphlet.[citation needed]

The observatories are located in the 91st and 89th floors. (See "Observatories" below.)

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-style cuisine. Occupying all of the 86th floor is Japanese restaurant XEX. [25]

The multi-story 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 (see "Exterior symbolism" above) is a recurring motif inside the mall. Many features of the interior also observe feng shui traditions.

Observatories

Taipei 101 features an Indoor Observatory (89th floor) and an Outdoor Observatory (91st floor).[26] Both offer 360-degree views and attract visitors from around the world.

The Indoor Observatory stands 383.4 m (1,258 ft) above ground. The elevator, running at 1010 meters per minute, takes visitors from the 5th floor to the 89th floor in 37 seconds. The Indoor Observatory offers 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, nicknamed "Damper Baby", and buy food, drinks and gift items.

Two more flights of stairs take visitors up to the Outdoor Observatory. The Outdoor Observatory, at 391.8 m (1,285 ft) 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 twelve hours a day (10:00 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 web site (see links below).[27] Tickets cost NT$400 (US$13) and allow access to the 88th through 91st floors via high-speed elevator.[28]

Art

Many works of art appear in and around Taipei 101. These include:[13]

The Indoor Observatory hosts a regular series of exhibitions. The artists represented include Wu Ching (gold sculpture), Ping-huang Chang (traditional painting) and Po-lin Chi (aerial photography).[29]

Tenants

A number of enterprises maintain offices in Taipei 101. A few that have been featured in public announcements[29] include these:

Restaurants in the tower include XEX, Diamond Tony's and Shin Yeh 101 (欣葉).[25] Hundreds of international dining establishments and retail outlets also operate in the adjoining mall.

Chronology

Important dates in the planning and construction of Taipei 101 include the following:[13]

Date Event
October 20, 1997 Development and operation rights agreement signed with Taipei City government.
January 13, 1998 Ground-breaking ceremony.
August 10, 1998 Construction license awarded for 101 stories.
April 13, 1999 Design change to 509.2 m height approved by Taipei City government.
June 7, 2000 First tower column erected.
June 13, 2001 Taipei 101 Mall topped out.
May 13, 2003 Taipei 101 Mall obtains occupancy permit.
July 1, 2003 Taipei 101 Tower roof completed.
October 17, 2003 Pinnacle placed.
November 14, 2003 Taipei 101 Mall opens.
April 15, 2004 Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) certifies Taipei 101 as world's tallest building.
November 12, 2004 Tower obtains occupancy permit.
December 31, 2004 Tower opens to the public.
January 1, 2005 First New Year fireworks show begins at midnight.

History

Taipei 101's Millennium Park (seen from the Indoor Observatory, noon)

Planning for Taipei 101 began in 1997 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. By the time the ground-breaking ceremony took place on January 13, 1998 planners were considering taking the new structure to a more ambitious height. Ten months later the city granted a license for the construction of a 101-story tower on the site. Construction proceeded and the first tower column was erected in summer 2000.

Taipei 101's roof was completed three years later on July 1, 2003. Ma Ying-jeou, in his first term as Taipei mayor, fastened a golden bolt to signify the achievement. Three months later the pinnacle was placed.

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 Sun Yan Zi. 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.[29] [30]

Events

Taipei 101 is the site of innumerable special events. Art exhibits, as noted above, regularly take place in the Observatory. A few noteworthy dates since the tower's opening include these.

New Year's Eve fireworks

Since 2003, Taipei 101 has turned off the lights from the lower parts to the upper parts to count down for the new year; After 2007, it changed to lighting the building up from the lower parts to the upper parts.

Gallery

Taipei 101, cosmic pillar

Taipei 101 at dusk (Monday)

Taipei 101 at night, fully lit (rare)

Night view of Taipei 101 from Xiangshan Peak, Xinyi District

Taipei 101 from Taipei City Hall

Taipei 101, Christmas lighting in December 2005

E=mc2 lighting on April 19, 2005

Taipei 101 New Year's fireworks, 2006

Taipei 101 New Year's fireworks, 2008

Taipei 101 New Year's fireworks, 2008

Taipei 101 New Year's fireworks, 2008

Taipei 101 New Year's fireworks, 2009

Taipei 101 Entrance

Love at Taipei 101

Taipei 101 view from street level

References

  1. ^ My E Gov, The E-government Entry Point of Taiwan - Taiwan Yearbook 2005, Wikipedia - List of world's most expensive single objects
  2. ^ Emporis - List of major designs of C.Y. Lee & partners
  3. ^ Structuremag - Taipei 101
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ CTBUH Tallest Database
  6. ^ a b Taipei 101 Official Website - Awards
  7. ^ Emporis - Taipei 101
  8. ^ BBC NEWS - Taiwan tops out tallest building
  9. ^ SkyscraperPage - List of skyscrapers in Taiwan
  10. ^ CTBUH - Criteria for Defining and Measuring Tall Buildings
  11. ^ USAToday - Taipei skyscraper deemed tallest, Paragraph abstract: The council measures from the sidewalk level of the main entrance to the skyscraper's architectural top.
  12. ^ a b Observatory brochure, Floor 89, Taipei 101. 2007-08-17.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Publicly posted material, Floor 89, Taipei 101. 2007-08-17.
  14. ^ Taipei 101 Official Website - Observatory Servicing Facilities
  15. ^ a b Taipei 101 Official Website - Tuned Mass Damper
  16. ^ "Motioneering - Taipei 101" (PDF). Motioneering. http://www.motioneering.ca/User/Doc/pp_taipei101.pdf.
  17. ^ http://www.fengshuibestbuy.com/ruyi1.html Feng Shui Bestbuy - Ru Yi
  18. ^ Taipei 101 Official Website - Lights Schedule
  19. ^ Boco - Taipei 101, Bigger is not Better (台北101, 更大不等於更好)
  20. ^ Taipei 101 Official Website - Observatory Floor Guide
  21. ^ Taipei 101 Official Website - Facts about Taipei 101
  22. ^ Popular Mechanics - World's Fastest Elevator
  23. ^ ArchitectureWeek - Taiwan On Top
  24. ^ Elevator World - Breaking the 1000MPM Barrier - High speed elevators in Taipei 101
  25. ^ a b Taipei 101 Official Website - 85F Restaurant
  26. ^ Taipei Times - Shin Kong Tower Observatory to close by year-end
  27. ^ Taipei 101 Official Website - Floor Guide
  28. ^ Taipei 101 Official Website - Observatory Visit Information
  29. ^ a b c d e f Taipei 101 Official Website -101季刊 eNewsletter
  30. ^ BBC News - 'Spiderman' scales tallest tower", 2005-12-25.
  31. ^ Base jumper survives leap off world’s tallest building - Times Online
  32. ^ Afp - German wins race up world's tallest skyscraper
  33. ^ Inquirer - German wins race up world's tallest skyscraper

See also

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Preceded by Sears Tower World's tallest building rooftop 449.2 m (1473.75 ft) 2003 – present Incumbent
Preceded by Petronas Towers World's tallest building architectural element 509.2 m (1670.60 ft) 2003 – 2007 Succeeded by Burj Dubai (Under construction)
Preceded by 30 St Mary Axe (London, England) Emporis Skyscraper Award (Gold) 2004 Succeeded by Turning Torso (Malmö, Sweden)
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Under construction 1 World Trade Center · 23 Marina · 175 Greenwich Street · Abraj Al Bait Towers · Ahmed Abdul Rahim Al Attar Tower · Al Hamra Tower · Al Yaquob Tower · Almas Tower · Arraya 2 · Burj Dubai · Central Market Project · China 117 Tower · City Hall and City Duma · DAMAC Heights · Dubai Towers Doha · East Pacific Business Center · Elite Residence · Emirates Park Towers · Eurasia · Faros del Panamá · Federation Tower · Gate of the Orient · Gezhouba International Plaza · Global Financial Building · The Gramercy Residences · Grand International Mansion · Guangzhou International Finance Center · HHHR Tower · The Index · India Tower · Infinity Tower · International Commerce Centre · Jakarta Tower · Kingkey Finance Tower · Lam Tara Towers · The Landmark · Leatop Plaza · Marina 101 · The Marina Torch · Mercury City Tower · Nanjing Greenland Financial Center · Northeast Asia Trade Tower · Ocean Heights · Parc1 Tower A · Pearl River Tower · Pentominium · Princess Tower · Ryugyong Hotel · Shanghai Tower · Shard London Bridge · Shenyang International Finance Center · Sino-Steel Tower · Sky Tower · Square Capital Tower · The Gramercy Residences · Tianjin International Trade Centre · The Tianjin Tower · Torre Gran Costanera · Wenzhou World Trade Center · The Wharf Times Square · White Magnolia Plaza
Former: World Trade Center
Construction suspended: 868 Towers Offices and Hotel · BDNI Center 1 · Burj Al Alam · Busan Lotte Tower · Chicago Spire · Dalian International Trade Center · JW Marriott International Finance Centre · Plaza Rakyat · Russia Tower · Skycity · Songdo Incheon Towers · Tianlong Hotel · Waterview Tower · Xiamen Post & Telecommunications Building
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Categories: Skyscrapers in Taiwan | Skyscrapers over 350 meters | 2004 establishments | 2004 architecture | Visitor attractions in Taipei City | Buildings and structures in Taipei City | Culture in Taipei | Pagodas

 

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