Taipei opens world's tallest building
(newsphoto)
Updated: 2004-12-31 15:10

An artist performs at a ceremony to open Taipei 101, the world's tallest building, on December 31, 2004 after seven years of construction. The 508-meter skyscraper has "passed the test" of several powerful earthquakes, including the worst tremor, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale in September 1999 and a strong quake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale on March 31 2002. The light green building, the brainchild of Taiwan's noted architect C.Y. Lee, looks like petals of a flower unfolding or sections of a bamboo rising from the ground. Its structure is based on steel with reinforced concrete. The exterior wall is a glass curtain with double glazed heat reduction clear glass. Construction cost 58 billion Taiwan dollars (US$1.8 billion) and was financed by the Taipei Financial Center Corp. The observatory on the 89th floor will open for trial operation on January 19 and is expected to officially open in March. [newsphoto] Taipei 101, the world's tallest building, opens on December 31, 2004 after six years of construction. The 508-meter skyscraper has "passed the test" of several powerful earthquakes, including the worst tremor, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale in September 1999 and a strong quake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale on March 31 2002. The light green building, the brainchild of Taiwan's noted architect C.Y. Lee, looks like petals of a flower unfolding or sections of a bamboo rising from the ground. Its structure is based on steel with reinforced concrete. The exterior wall is a glass curtain with double glazed heat reduction clear glass. Construction cost 58 billion Taiwan dollars (US$1.8 billion) and was financed by the Taipei Financial Center Corp. The observatory on the 89th floor will open for trial operation on January 19 and is expected to officially open in March. [newsphoto]

Close