TAIPEI 101

TAIPEI is mnemonic for Technology, Art, Innovation, People, Environment, and Identity.
101 represents the concept of striving for beyond perfection.

Taipei 101, whose pinnacle reached full height on Oct. 9, 2003, is currently the official world's tallest building in the categories of highest structurally, highest roof, and highest occupied floor. With a massive 60-foot spire inspired by Twaiwan's native bamboo plant, Taipei 101 Tower is one of the tallest buildings in the world. At 508 meters (1,667 feet) high, the tower and its spire outrank the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The multi-use structure will house retail facilities on Levels 1-4; a fitness center on Levels 5-6; offices on Levels 7-84; restaurants on Levels 86-88; observation decks on Levels 89, 91, and 101; and communication facilities on Levels 92-100.

There is a station for the Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) beneath the building awaiting the eventual construction of the Hsinyi line.

On December 15, 2004, Toshiba installed the world's two fastest elevators. With top speeds of 1010 m/min, observation deck visitors can whiz from Level B1 to 89 in 39 seconds.

A 800-ton tuned mass damper is installed on the 87th floor to counter earthquakes and typhoons. It will be available for public viewing from the restaurant levels and observation deck.
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The tower's design specifications are based on the number "8", a lucky number in traditional Chinese culture; it features 8 upward-flaring sections, and is supported by 8 supercolumns. The Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai also employs this numerology in its design.

- Most aspects of the design, layout and planning were reviewed and approved by a Feng Shui master.
- The elevators are the fastest in the world, rising at 1008 meters per minute (60.48 km/hour) and descending at 610 m/min (36.6 km/hour). The top speeds are 34 percent faster than the previous world's fastest elevators in Yokohama Landmark Tower.
- This is one of the few buildings in the world equipped with double-deck elevators.
- Each elevator is designed with an aerodynamic body, pressurization and emergency braking systems, and the world's first triple-stage anti-overshooting system. The cost for each elevator is over $US 2 million.
- Exterior construction elevators and the construction elevator shaft were fully disassembled in late February of 2004.

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Earthquake Safety: Designing a building this large presented unique challenges because Twaiwan is subject to typhoons and earthquakes. To counter movement, a tuned mass damper system has been incorporated into the structure. The 800-metric ton (1,764,000 lbs.), spherical steel mass is located on level 88 and will be visible from the restaurant and observation decks. The system transfers the energy from the building to the swinging sphere, providing a stabilizing force.

Special Design Features: The design of Taipei 101 borrows heavily from Chinese culture. Both the building’s interior and exterior incorporate the Chinese pagoda form and the shape of bamboo flowers. The lucky number eight, which means blooming or success, is represented by the eight clearly delineated exterior sections of the building.

Observation Decks: Located on floors 89 and 91, the observation decks include the highest restaurant in Taiwan. Two high-speed elevators reach a maximum speed of 1,010 meters/minute (55 ft./second) when traveling to the 89th floor.

Is Taipei Tower the World's Tallest Building?: Yes, if you include the spire. However, organizations that compile skyscraper statistics often do not count spires, flagpoles, antennas, or decorative features. To compare the Taipei Tower with other tall buildings,

see our FAQ page: architecture about com worldstallest
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