Taipei 101 is an iconic skyscraper located in the city of Taipei, in Taiwan. It rises to 509 meters and consist of exactly 101 floors. At the time of its construction in 2004, it was the tallest building in the world – a title it held on to until the Burj Khalifa came into being in 2010.

Sitting just 660 ft. from a major fault line, Taipei 101 is prone to earthquakes and fierce winds common in its area of the Asia-Pacific. The engineers had to design a structure that could withstand gale winds up to 216 km/h and the strongest earthquakes. Typically skyscraper must be flexible in strong winds yet remain rigid enough to prevent large sideways movement. Flexibility prevents structural damage while resistance ensures comfort for the occupants and protection of glass, curtain walls and other features. Most designs achieve the necessary strength by enlarging critical structural elements such as bracing, but the height of Taipei 101 combined with the demands of its environment called for additional innovations.

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