Taipei 101 (Chinese: 101 / 101), formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center, is

a landmarksupertall skyscraper in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building was officially classified
as the world's tallest in 2004, and remained such until the opening of Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2010.
In 2011, the building was awarded the LEED platinum certification, the highest award according
the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, and became the tallest
and largest green building in the world.[6][7]
Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee & partners and constructed primarily by KTRT Joint Venture.[8][9]
[10]

The construction started in 1999 and finished in 2004. The tower has served as an icon of modern

Taiwan ever since its opening. The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution
of technology and Asian tradition (seeSymbolism). Its postmodernist approach to style incorporates
traditional design elements and gives them modern treatments. The tower is designed to
withstand typhoons and earthquakes. A multi-level shopping mall adjoining the tower houses
hundreds of stores, restaurants and clubs. Fireworks launched from Taipei 101 feature prominently
in international New Year's Eve broadcasts and the structure appears frequently in travel literature
and international media.
Taipei 101 is owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation (TFCC) and managed by the
International division ofUrban Retail Properties Corporation based in Chicago. The name originally
planned for the building, Taipei World Financial Center, until 2003, was derived from the name of the
owner. The original name in Chinese was literally Taipei International Financial Center (Chinese:
).

The Taipei 101 tower comprises 101 floors above ground and 5 floors underground. It was not only
the first building in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height, [3] but also formerly the world's
tallest building from March 2004 to 10 March 2010[11][12] and it still remains the world's tallest, largest
and highest-use green building since 28 July 2011 (see Developments).[6][7]

Upon its completion Taipei 101 set records in three skyscraper categories; at the time it remained
the world's tallest inhabited building 509.2 m (1,671 ft) as measured to its height architectural top
(spire), beating the previous record of 451.9 m (1,483 ft) held by the Petronas Towers in Kuala
Lumpur. The height to top of roof 449.2 m (1,474 ft) and highest occupied floor 439.2 m (1,441 ft)
beating the previous record of 442 m (1,450 ft) and 412.4 m (1,353 ft) held by the Willis
Tower in Chicago.[3][13][14][15][16] It also displaced the 85-story, 347.5 m (1,140 ft) Tuntex Sky
Tower inKaohsiung as the tallest building in Taiwan and the 51-story, 244.15 m (801 ft) Shin Kong
Life Tower as the tallest building in Taipei.[17][18] Taipei 101 claimed the official records for the
tallest sundial (see Symbolism) and the largestcountdown clock that can be displayed on New Year's
Eve in the world.