Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee and completed in Taipei in 2004.
The tower's official name refers to its 101 above-ground floors. It was designed by C.Y. Lee & Partners and developed as a major commercial and cultural landmark in Taiwan's capital. The building opened on New Year's Eve in 2004, with a public fireworks display helping establish its international profile.
Taipei 101 became the world's tallest building when it was completed, surpassing Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers. It held that title until Dubai's Burj Khalifa surpassed it in 2010. The tower's height and engineering also reflect Taipei's challenging environment, which includes typhoons and earthquakes.
A tuned mass damper weighing 660 metric tons hangs between floors 87 and 92. It helps reduce movement caused by wind and seismic forces and is visible to visitors. The tower's tiered form draws on traditional Asian design ideas while its structural system uses modern engineering.
The building was originally called the Taipei World Financial Center before Taipei 101 became its common name.