Taipei 101 - The Tallest Building in the World

Taipei 101 is the world's tallest building, surpassing the height of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur in late August 2003. It is the first and currently only building in the world to break the half-kilometer mark in height. An 800-ton tuned mass damper helps stabilize the tower in high winds and earthquakes. This damper is an enormous ball of welded steel plates hanging inside the top of the building, and is visible from the restaurant and bar which encircles the space around the ball.

The design is inspired by traditional Chinese architecture, with a shape resembling a pagoda. The sectioned tower is also inspired by the bamboo plant, which is a model of strength, resilience, and elegance. The tower's design specifications are based on the number "8", a lucky number in traditional Chinese culture; it features 8 upward-flaring sections, and is supported by 8 supercolumns. Most aspects of the design, layout and planning were reviewed and approved by a Feng Shui master.

Below is the video from the new year final countdown in 2006.