18 Fun Facts About Taipei 101

by Janis on March 28, 2016

We are in research mode for an upcoming visit to Taipei, Taiwan.

Taipei 101 dominates the skyline of Taipei, Taiwan. Photo by peellden.

As we are fascinated by tall buildings, Taipei 101 is one of our must-visit destinations while we are in Taipei.

18 Fun Facts About Taipei 101

Taipei 101 in Taipei, Taiwan became the world’s tallest building when it opened in 2004. (Photo by Alton Thompson)

1. When it was completed in 2004 with a height of 1,670 feet, Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest inhabited building. The building held the “world’s tallest building” distinction until 2010 when it was displaced by the opening of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

2. The 101-story skyscraper, located in Taipei’s Xinyi District, did become the tallest and largest “green” building in the world in 2011, when it was awarded the LEED platinum certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. The rooftop and facade water recycling system provides 20 to 30 percent of Taipei 101’s water consumption.

3. Construction on the 101-story tower started in 1999 and finished in 2004. A March 31, 2002 earthquake caused a construction crane 47 stories high to crash down onto the road beneath the tower, killing five people. Construction on the building resumed one week later after an inspection indicated that the building had no structural damage.

4. The formal opening of the tower took place on New Year’s Eve 2004 with a ribbon-cutting, open-air concerts and a fireworks show to ring in the New Year.

Fireworks mark the New Year at Taipei 101. Photo by SElefant.

5. Ringing in each New Year with fireworks launched from Taipei 101 is a continuing tradition, generally viewed around the world via international New Year’s Eve broadcasts.

6. Taipei 101 was designed to be flexible as well as structurally resistant to withstand gale winds of 134 miles per hour as well as the strongest earthquakes in a 2,500-year cycle. The building is located just 660 feet away from a major fault line.

7. Built of high-performance steel and concrete construction, Taipei 101’s foundation is reinforced by 380 piles driven 262 feet into the ground, extending 98 feet into the bedrock. Each pile is 5 feet around and can be diameter and can bear a load of 1,100–1,460 tons.

The Tuned Mass Damper in Taipei 101. Illustration by Someformofhuman.

8. A 728-ton steel pendulum serves as a tuned mass damper to offset up to 40 percent of the building’s movements caused by strong wind gusts. Visitors who reach the 87th to 91st floors can view the mass damper’s 18-ft-diameter sphere.

9. Two additional tuned mass dampers, each weighing 7 tons, are installed at the tip of the spire to help prevent damage to the structure due to strong wind loads.

Taipei 101 Damper Babies.

10. The damper has a mascot: the Damper Baby, with its own comic book and website. Visitors can buy four versions of Damper Baby souvenirs in the Taipei 101 gift shops including: “Rich Gold”, “Cool Black”, “Smart Silver” and “Lucky Red.”

11. In Chinese-speaking cultures the number eight is associated with abundance, prosperity and good fortune. The main tower of Taipei 101 features a series of eight segments with eight floors in each. While the repeated segments were designed to look like a stack of ancient Chinese ingots or money boxes, many humorously note the building resembles a stack of Chinese food take-out boxes.

12. Visitors can reach the tower by taking the Red Line (Xinyi) Metro to the Taipei Metro Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station. The northeast exit directly connects to the basement of Taipei 101.

13. The Taipei 101 Observatory is open every day from 9AM to 10PM. General tickets cost NT$ 500 or about $15 U.S. dollars.

14. Taipei 101 features double-deck elevators that sweep visitors from the fifth floor to the 89th-floor observatory in 37 seconds.

15. The observatory is spread over four floors where visitors can enjoy the fantastic scenery and learn about engineering and construction of Taipei 101 via a free audio tour in 11 languages. Floor 89 features an indoor observatory deck with an unobstructed view of the city in all directions.

Taipei 101 outdoor observatory. Photo taken by Michael Apel.

16. On days with favorable weather conditions, visitors can access an outdoor observatory on the 91st floor, accessible by stairs from the 89th floor.

17. The 101st floor houses a private VIP club named Summit 101. Foreign dignitaries, Hollywood film stars, and some shoppers spending more than 1 million Taiwanese dollars in the Taipei 101 Mall have been invited to the VIP club.

18. Since the number four is considered unlucky in Chinese culture, Taipei 101 has no 44th floor. The 44th floor has been replaced by Level 43, with 42A replacing the actual 43 to compensate for the skipped floor number.

There is a multi-story retail mall adjoining the Taipei 101 tower. The mall is home to hundreds of fashionable stores, clubs, and restaurants including Din Tai Fung, a chain restaurant that’s famous for xiao long bao, Taiwanese soup dumplings that we love, and can’t wait to try in this location.

Have you visited Taipei 101?

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