Taipei 101 - Observation Deck Open?
Dec 25, 2004, 5:23 pm
#1
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Taipei 101 - Observation Deck Open?
Hello, does anybody know if the Taipei 101 observation deck is open? I was there some time ago, but there was only a mall on the inside, and I couldn't seem to find any information about a observation deck...
Thanks,
Thanks,
Dec 27, 2004, 9:45 am
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 11,242
Originally Posted by kxl19
Hello, does anybody know if the Taipei 101 observation deck is open? I was there some time ago, but there was only a mall on the inside, and I couldn't seem to find any information about a observation deck...
Thanks,
Thanks,
Dec 31, 2004, 1:56 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 53
Observatory- opening on 19th Jan 2005
hello! just watched TW news on cable and understand that the Taipei 101's observatory will be opened from 19th Jan 05 (Wed). The building was officially "opened" today. I'll post again if i hear of any changes 
its website does not seem to be very updated though
http://www.tfc101.com.tw/english/
its website does not seem to be very updated though
http://www.tfc101.com.tw/english/
Jan 2, 2005, 2:46 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Singapore
Posts: 53
according to this article, the observatory will only open in 1st March..
======================
Jan 2, 2005, STRAITS TIMES
Safe from quakes and terrorist attacks
World's tallest building, Taipei 101, is not only sturdy, it also has the world's fastest lifts
By Lawrence Chung
Taiwan Correspondent
TAIPEI - CHARMED by the elevator girl's chirpy 'Welcome aboard' greeting, passengers inside the spacious lift fitted with LCD screens hardly knew that they had reached the 89th-floor observation platform - in just 37 seconds.
Other than a slight pressure on the ear drums, there was no other sign that they were travelling at a speed of 1,010m per minute. The two shuttle lifts that cost US$2 million (S$3.3 million) each had been certified by the Guinness World Records on Dec 16 as the fastest passenger lifts in the world.
Inaugurated on Friday to welcome the New Year, the NT$58 billion (S$3 billion) Taipei 101 was named after its number of floors. At 508m, it is 56m taller than the previous record holder - the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Lin Hong-ming, president of Taipei 101, told VIPs and journalists at the opening ceremony that the lifts' aerodynamic pressure-controlled device ensures a smooth ride every time, and 'a coin placed on the floor will not move even an inch during travelling'.
Taipei's latest landmark also holds the world record for the largest wind damper - a 660-tonne metallic ball which acts as a pendulum to counter strong winds and seismic vibration. Painted gold and held by 16 steel cables, the damper measures 5.5m in diameter and is made of 41 layers of steel.
The observatory, which can accommodate up to 1,400 visitors at a time and provides a 360-degree view of Taipei City, is poised to be a tourist attraction when it officially opens to the public on March 1.
'We expect at least one million visitors a year,' said Mr Lin.
The steel-and-glass structure, considered an eyesore by some Taiwanese netizens, was designed by Taiwan's C. Y. Lee and Associates and built by Japan's Kumagai Gumi Construction.
The design once triggered heated public debate. Concerns included Taipei's location in an earthquake belt, the proximity of the building to the Taipei domestic airport and the possibility that Taipei 101 may become a target of terrorist attacks.
But Mr Lin assured critics that even terrorist attacks like the Sept 11 attack in New York would not cause the building to collapse.
TOWERING FEATURES
The exterior of Taipei 101 resembles bamboo segments, with eight storeys to each segment as the number eight signifies prosperous growth.
The world's fastest lifts can carry up to 24 passengers each time from the fifth floor to the 89th-floor observatory in merely 37 seconds. Passengers of the state-of-the-art lifts can even 'monitor' their ascent, such as the speed and distance covered, on an LCD screen.
To prevent the building from swaying during typhoons or earthquakes, a ball-shaped damper is used to dissipate lateral vibration to a spring system underneath.
So far, 33 per cent of the tower's 198,000 sq m office space has been leased. Part of the floor space is reserved for a hotel and other major financial establishments like the Taipei Stock Exchange Centre.
Office rental is said to be more expensive than other premier office buildings.
The five-storey shopping mall, which opened for business in November 2003, houses more than 150 brand-name boutiques, restaurants and shops, including Singapore's Page One bookstore.
Taipei 101 is slated to be the world's tallest building for four more years before the 800m Burj Dubai Tower in Dubai is completed in November 2008.
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub...93560,00.html?
======================
Jan 2, 2005, STRAITS TIMES
Safe from quakes and terrorist attacks
World's tallest building, Taipei 101, is not only sturdy, it also has the world's fastest lifts
By Lawrence Chung
Taiwan Correspondent
TAIPEI - CHARMED by the elevator girl's chirpy 'Welcome aboard' greeting, passengers inside the spacious lift fitted with LCD screens hardly knew that they had reached the 89th-floor observation platform - in just 37 seconds.
Other than a slight pressure on the ear drums, there was no other sign that they were travelling at a speed of 1,010m per minute. The two shuttle lifts that cost US$2 million (S$3.3 million) each had been certified by the Guinness World Records on Dec 16 as the fastest passenger lifts in the world.
Inaugurated on Friday to welcome the New Year, the NT$58 billion (S$3 billion) Taipei 101 was named after its number of floors. At 508m, it is 56m taller than the previous record holder - the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Lin Hong-ming, president of Taipei 101, told VIPs and journalists at the opening ceremony that the lifts' aerodynamic pressure-controlled device ensures a smooth ride every time, and 'a coin placed on the floor will not move even an inch during travelling'.
Taipei's latest landmark also holds the world record for the largest wind damper - a 660-tonne metallic ball which acts as a pendulum to counter strong winds and seismic vibration. Painted gold and held by 16 steel cables, the damper measures 5.5m in diameter and is made of 41 layers of steel.
The observatory, which can accommodate up to 1,400 visitors at a time and provides a 360-degree view of Taipei City, is poised to be a tourist attraction when it officially opens to the public on March 1.
'We expect at least one million visitors a year,' said Mr Lin.
The steel-and-glass structure, considered an eyesore by some Taiwanese netizens, was designed by Taiwan's C. Y. Lee and Associates and built by Japan's Kumagai Gumi Construction.
The design once triggered heated public debate. Concerns included Taipei's location in an earthquake belt, the proximity of the building to the Taipei domestic airport and the possibility that Taipei 101 may become a target of terrorist attacks.
But Mr Lin assured critics that even terrorist attacks like the Sept 11 attack in New York would not cause the building to collapse.
TOWERING FEATURES
The exterior of Taipei 101 resembles bamboo segments, with eight storeys to each segment as the number eight signifies prosperous growth.
The world's fastest lifts can carry up to 24 passengers each time from the fifth floor to the 89th-floor observatory in merely 37 seconds. Passengers of the state-of-the-art lifts can even 'monitor' their ascent, such as the speed and distance covered, on an LCD screen.
To prevent the building from swaying during typhoons or earthquakes, a ball-shaped damper is used to dissipate lateral vibration to a spring system underneath.
So far, 33 per cent of the tower's 198,000 sq m office space has been leased. Part of the floor space is reserved for a hotel and other major financial establishments like the Taipei Stock Exchange Centre.
Office rental is said to be more expensive than other premier office buildings.
The five-storey shopping mall, which opened for business in November 2003, houses more than 150 brand-name boutiques, restaurants and shops, including Singapore's Page One bookstore.
Taipei 101 is slated to be the world's tallest building for four more years before the 800m Burj Dubai Tower in Dubai is completed in November 2008.
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub...93560,00.html?
Jan 21, 2005, 4:02 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA
Programs: OZ Diamond
Posts: 6,133
How much admission do they plan on charging? I will be in Taipei during late Feb/early March. Hopefully, it will open as planned. Otherwise, I might have to visit it next time (who knows when!).
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