Taipei 101 and the profile of a supertall tower
Published on 08/24/2026 at 14:07 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Taipei 101 rises in Taipeh as a 101-storey tower with a bamboo-like profile and a measured height of 508 m (1,667 ft). It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and completed in 2004.
The tower’s stacked profile
The building is read from a distance as a series of tapered sections rather than a single slab. That stepped composition gives it a vertical rhythm that is easy to pick out against the city.
Its height places it among the most recognisable supertalls of the early twenty-first century, and its official opening in December 2004 marked a major moment for Taipei’s skyline. The tower was the world’s tallest building at the time of opening, before later being surpassed.
How Taipei 101 sits in the city
Taipei 101 stands in the Xinyi District of Taipei, on the east side of the city. The district places it among office towers, shopping streets and civic buildings, with the tower acting as the district’s most prominent vertical marker.
The building’s scale is reinforced by its 101 floors and by the clear separation between tower and base. That combination of height, storeys and formal mass makes it easy to identify from large parts of the city.
Design, material and period
C.Y. Lee & Partners gave the tower a form that echoes a bamboo stem, using repeated segments and a faceted outline. The design belongs to the late phase of the global skyscraper boom that produced many signature towers in Asian capitals.
The structure opened in 2004, placing it firmly in the period when high-rise architecture in East Asia was combining structural ambition with symbolic form. Taipei 101 became the best-known example of that movement in Taiwan.
Visiting Taipei 101: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The tower stands in Xinyi District in Taipei and is reached by the city’s metro network. The surrounding area is a dense commercial quarter with wide streets and several high-rise buildings.
- The building rises to 508 m (1,667 ft) and has 101 floors above ground. Its height and storey count are part of what makes the tower easy to identify in the skyline.
- The tower contains offices and retail space as well as public floors. Its mixed-use character is part of its identity as a city building rather than a pure monument.
- The official language is Mandarin Chinese and the currency is the New Taiwan dollar.
Searching for Taipei 101 on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Taipei 101
Where is Taipei 101?
It stands in the Xinyi District of Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The tower is set among the city’s main business and shopping streets.
What does a visit to Taipei 101 involve?
The building combines offices, retail space and public-facing levels within a single tower. Its most striking features are the height, the 101-storey count and the segmented silhouette.
What makes Taipei 101 distinctive?
Its 508 m height, 101 floors and bamboo-like profile make it immediately recognisable. The tower is a clear example of early twenty-first-century supertall design in East Asia.
