At 1,670 feet, Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world (that will change when Burj Dubai opens in December). It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and opened in 2004.
The slanted layers bring gravity forces toward the center of the building. At a massive structural layer, the building slants outward until it meets the ground in a sturdy pyramid shape. Frequent earthquake and wind forces are mitigated with a spherical mass damper at the top of the building.
Malls in the building provide restaurants, clubs, and shopping, while state-of-the-art technical capabilities make it a business center. Symbolism is evident in the post-modern design. The pagoda shape displays religious and cultural heritage. There are 8 segments to the building, a lucky number. The building has 101 floors, symbolic for exceeding the number of perfection: 100.
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