Inside Taipei 101: Where to Feel on Top of the World

Imagine the thrill. Feel the frill. Let out the shrill. How does your heart beat to feel on top of the world? In an autumn visit to Taiwan, Bayo Akinloye reports about the tranquillity and transcendence of one of the world’s tallest and iconic buildings sited in an island nation often cast in the ominous iron shadow of a foreboding foe. The feeling is filled with and rich in fervour, and to savour the experience is an out-of-this-world moment

Citius, altius, fortius. The motto of the Olympics fittingly illustrates the fleeting speed with which the elevator transports visitors to the pinnacle of one of the world’s tallest buildings. For instance, it takes just 37 seconds to go from the fifth floor to the 89th floor. And more moments of magic lie ahead.

It is autumn in Taiwan.

The rush to catch a glimpse of the grandeur of the heavens fills the veins with adrenaline. And the seconds-fast elevator soon arrives on the 101st floor. The sight is breathtaking. The atmosphere is captivating. The vision is surreal. Welcome to Taipei 101. Soon, a group of one dozen and one international journalists arrive on the 101st floor of the iconic skyscraper. It is the 11th tallest building in the world.

Taipei 101 is a stark reminder of humankind’s fascination with high-rises, dating back to the Tower of Babel. But Taipei 101, standing tall on Xinyi Road in Xinyi District, Taipei City, is a finished product built by ingenuity and perspicacity.

It is a Monday. And it is business as usual as a colourful crowd of curious visitors—locals and foreigners—explores the width, depth, breadth and height of Taipei 101. Its magnificence leaves the feeling of a one-building city with almost everything needed in life on display. Its fluorescence and psychedelic lights fill the heart with an incandescent love for life.

In 2023, it achieved WELL v2 Core Platinum Certification (setting a new global record), becoming the first building among the world`s top 11 super-tall buildings to receive both LEED and WELL dual Platinum certifications, and the only one in Taiwan with dual LEED+WELL Platinum certifications for commercial offices.

It is a kaleidoscope of fads, fashion, food and freedom.

Taipei 101’s elevator offers a fleeting feeling of freedom with its high-speed system.

The Taipei 101 Observation Deck is equipped with two high-speed elevators with a rising speed of 1,010 meters per minute. It takes only 37 seconds to go from the fifth to the 89th-floor observation deck. Have you ever ridden an elevator like this before? It is said that the elevators are the only intelligent high-speed elevators in the world equipped with constant pressure devices, dampers, and high-temperature ceramic brake systems. Can you imagine that?

The high-speed elevator is a piece of the enigmatic features that make the skyscraper a cornerstone attraction and considered a paragon of Taiwan’s resilient spirit in the height of existential odds that constantly threaten its present and future. Let’s continue the ride up. Can you see the horizon?

It is momentarily infinite and only limited by what the eye can see.

With a special mirroring principle on the floor of Taipei 101, visitors can experience the “illusion of an infinite horizon, creating the impression that you are living in a kaleidoscope.” Oh well, here’s an important point. “Female visitors in short skirts are kindly reminded to be aware of the reflection of the floor,” says the skyscraper’s managers.

Taipei 101 is a studio like no other. Yes, it has a “secret garden in the clouds.” The scenic scenes offer a delightful spot to have photographs, “an excellent photo spot, combining romantic scenery with the backdrop of a high-rise city view, creating a stunning picture.”

Built to last, Taipei 101 was built with the ferocious fury of natural forces like typhoons in mind. Thursday’s (October 31) fast-and-furious Typhoon Kong-rey is a grim reminder of how things can swiftly fall apart, no longer at ease. But the high-rise’s wind-damping ball is a bulwark. The technical name of the wind-damping ball is Tuned Mass Damper (TMD).

So, what’s a TMD? It is a “passive system tailored to the needs of the building.” Its main purpose is to reduce swaying by strong winds to make working in such a tall tower comfortable. Traditional concealed damping systems are out of sight, but the Taipei 101 TMD is both functional and an aesthetic attraction. Visitors to the observation deck can get a glimpse of the overall operation of the damping system.

The exploration may not be complete without seeing the rainbow light zone. Nobody should miss it. “Overlooking the night view from a high vantage point, complemented by rainbow lights, this is definitely a popular spot for taking photos, not to be missed,” says the skyscraper’s operators.

Add to that is the CityView 360. Remember the 89th floor mentioned at the outset?

The 89th-floor observation deck offers visitors a 360° panoramic view and the option to take a QR Code-activated audio and video tour. In there are the “exclusive souvenirs, world`s highest postbox, and high-powered” telescopes.

The public observatories are on floors 88 to 91, with an indoor observatory on 89 and an outdoor observatory on 91. At a height of 1,285 feet (392.8 metres), the outdoor observatory was the highest in the world at the time of completion. Another indoor observatory is on the 101st floor and is 1,437 feet (438 metres) high.

Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world between 2004 and 2010, preceded by Petronas Tower 1 and surpassed by the Burj Khalifa.

According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), Taipei 101 rises from its base in a series of eight-story modules that flare outward, evoking the form of a Chinese pagoda, and the top of each module houses mechanical floors that accommodate garbage systems, ventilation equipment, water storage, and MEP services. CTBUH says a smaller tower caps the structure near the top, forming a pinnacle that has become a familiar sight for the city. The façade of the tower features double-paned green glass curtain walls—highly reflective and block solar heat gain by 50 per cent.

Taipei 101 has other sustainable features, including energy-efficient luminaries, custom lighting controls, low-flow water fixtures, and a smart energy management and control system.

Nearly every aspect of Taipei 101’s design is steeped in symbolism, notes CTBUH. The number ‘100’, it explains, symbolises perfection and ‘100 plus 1’ represents further breakthrough, innovation, and a new beginning.

“After completion, the building has become a central component of New Year’s celebrations in Taiwan. Every year, all of the tower’s lights are turned off, and each of the stacked modules lights up in sequential order, counting down the last eight seconds before the New Year, which is followed by a dazzling fireworks display,” adds CTBUH.

What will you call Taipei 101? It is a trip beyond your imagination. Begin the journey today, draw inspiration and see the future of an impossible height.

Fast facts

1997 July: BOT obtained land development rights.

1998 January: Groundbreaking ceremony occurred.

1998 October: Building licence acquired.

1999 July: The project kicked off.

2001 June: The shopping centre’s beam-raising ceremony took place.

2003 July: The beam-raising ceremony for the office building was done.

2003 November: Shopping centre opened for business.

2004 December: Office building opened for business.

2004 December: The Observation Deck elevator was certified as the world’s fastest by King’s World Record Certification.

2004 December: Taipei 101 certified as the world`s tallest building, highest roof, and highest floor by the World’s Tallest Building Association, CTBUH.

2008: Discovery names Taipei 101 one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’.

2012 Taipei 101 was selected as one of “the ten most distinctive New Year`s destinations in the world” by CNN.

2013: CNN rated Taipei 101 one of the ’25 Great Human Projects’.

2014: CNN rated the fastest elevator among “the world`s 12 biggest surprise elevators.”

2015: BBC rated Taipei 101 among “the world`s most beautiful eight super tall buildings.”

2021: It achieved a LEED Platinum certification for ‘Operations and Maintenance’, an impressive feat for a tower of its size and complexity.