Taipei, Taiwan
Petronas Towers were the buildings to beat when the developers of Taipei 101 aspired to erect the world’s tallest building. Completed in 2004, at 101 stories and 508 m. to the tip of its needle spire, Taipei 101 won the title for Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, an East Asian island state also known as the Republic of China (ROC).
Designed by architect C. Y. Lee, the tower resonates with Chinese culture. The form, reminiscent of a traditional pagoda, repeats the number eight, which is associated with prosperity and good fortune, in its eight stacked 8-floor units. The office tower’s crowning section offers public access to multiple observation levels with unparalleled views of the city. In addition, tourists can see the building’s tuned mass damper (TDM), an engineering mechanism designed to stabilize buildings in high winds and earthquakes. The 660-ton golden sphere, which has an 18-feet diameter and hangs from eight cables secured at the 92nd floor, reduces resonance by 40 percent.