TAIPEI 101 employees all recognize you are the one with the most contribution in making TAIPEI 101 a reality. May we ask why you decided on participating for bidding the project initially?

The Flight Height Limit (of Taipei Domestic Airport )
After the overall height of the building was decided, we have laid the foundation down to 80 meters under the ground surface, approximating 20 floors when the problem surfaced. The National Aviation Agency considered the height would affect the flight safety. After discussions the decision was made to have all departing airplanes to fly further straight before making left turns can avoid the height issue.

Issue with Quake Resistance
During the Great Quake of September 21, there were questions over the quake resistance issue. There were also rumors about a quake fault in the region. After using several geological deep drilling methods no quake-causing fault line was found underneath the site.

Terrorist Threats
When the event of September 11 happened, there were concerns that the threat of terrorist attacks may affect the interest of potential tenants. The truth is a skyscraper is both necessary and iconic for city planning.

Construction Safety
During the big quake of March 31, five project personnel were lost at the site. There were criticisms on the ability to finish the project, but we insisted on using local engineers, and it has now become a pioneering act in the history of architecture in Taiwan .

Team Challenge
Facing all problems and issues, we reinforced the team's confidence, and conquered difficulties with our collective thinking and courage

My mother always gave me many encouragements and suggestions.
From 66 floors, 77 floors, 88 floors, 99 floors, 100 floors, and finally 101 floors, my mother suggested that when future talks of buildings with 100 floors and more took place, this building could be one of them. Since many young people considered 100 to be perfect, my mother thought that 101 is being one level higher, more improvement over 100. Also, the 0 and 1 in the 101 symbolize the digital age we are in.

Why does TAIPEI 101 attract foreigners?
TAIPEI 101 is the world's tallest building. I just gave a speech at the World Skyscraper Association in the US . The topic was “When East Meets West”, and I talked about how to make TAIPEI 101 unique as it is the landmark of Taipei . As an architect from the East, I believe in using our culture, the culture of the East, the culture of Taiwan , to give TAIPEI 101 its appearance as a gigantic bamboo stick. There is the element of the Chinese tower, as a bamboo growing upwards with flexibility to withstand typhoons and earthquakes. There are also elements of the “Ru-Yi”, the symbol of good luck, and shapes of ancient Chinese coins, to symbolize the financial center.

How did the change occur from 66 floors, 77 floors, 88 floors, and finally 101 floors? What is the benefit of finishing the construction, to make more money?
The taller a building the higher the cost. Taipei Financial Building was originally conceived as a 66-floor building, plus two 20-floor buildings for China Trust Bank and the Taiwan Stock Exchange as headquarters. However, neither like to be in the two lower buildings and both wished to be in the main building, so a 77-floor building was planned.

Since the lot belonged to Taipei City , when the plan was reported to the mayor in the office Chen Sui Bian, he encouraged to build an even taller building, to surpass the 85-floor one in Kaohsiung . 88 is, of course, taller than 85, but with Mr. Chen's encouragement we went taller and taller, to 99, 100, and 101.

Actually 60+20+20 = 106, and this is not too much different from the original number of floors planned. Because TAIPEI 101 would be the tallest building in the world, there are naturally benefits of advertisement in participating in the project. By attracting famous companies into the project, we can lower the cost of materials and equipments, thus making the cost the same as the very initial project. Take all the elevators in the building, for example, the original cost was at 62.5million USD, then lowered to 50 million and 37.5 million USD. After a visit to the president of Toshiba Elevator Japan, he was willing to take on the project for 28 million USD, 9.5 million USD under Toshiba's cost, as his company's advertising fee to the whole world.

What are the differences between building a 66-floor building and a 101-floor building? Isn't it because with only 66 floors there won't be an observation deck thus there is no attraction to tourists and no income from them?
Absolutely. There are buildings around the world taller than 66 floors. According the World Skyscraper Association, the minimum requirement for membership is 70 floors. The original 66-floor building was not eligible to enter, and building an observation deck would be meaningless. That would affect the building's income from tourists. From the observation deck you can see the entire greater Taipei area.

What kind of meaning or value TAIPEI 101 provides for Taiwan or Taipei City ?
This is a good question. Many world famous media such as CNN, BBC, Discovery Channel, and New York Times have reported about 101. I think there are three index meanings for building this kind of skyscraper here in Taipei :
(1) Representing the financial strength of Taiwan . Without some financial achievement, it will be meaningless. I think this building demonstrates the hardworking virtue of the Taiwan people;
(2) Demonstrating the architectural standard of Taiwan . If our standard was below standard, just relying on foreign technologies would not able to make this building a reality. We now can say Taiwan architecture is world class.
(3) TAIPEI 101 can demonstrate Taiwan 's ability to integrate international finances and businesses, and attract foreign companies. The presence of 101 has greatly increase Taiwan 's visibility on the world stage, and many abroad has known Taiwan from media's coverage of 101. We believe this has taken Taiwan to the world, and brought the world to Taiwan .

Why is the observation decks are on the 89th floor and 91st floor but not the top-most 101st floor, which can provide further views of the landscape?
The tuned mass damper of the building is in the middle of the building, so the elevators can only reach the 89th floor but not higher. On the other hand, the 101st floor has less floor area, unlike the 89th which can hold 1,397 people.

When we interview foreign visitors, many express the fear of heights, such as the dislike of working on higher floors. How can this problem be overcome?
Europeans or European companies have less concern working in tall buildings. Some American companies probably still have some fears because of 9/11, but everybody agrees that skyscrapers are the trend in the future. As long as there are more tenants in 101, people would have less issue with the heights.

Among all the current tenants in 101, from which country are they mostly from?
Many stores in the shopping arcades are from the US and Europe , such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Gucci, and also the famous PAGE ONE bookstore. Also many European companies are current tenants on the office floors.

The observation decks of TAIPEI 101 are very famous, but the entry fare of US$9 is a bit expensive. Is it possible to provide a certain number of discount tickets a day during non-peak hours for students on field trips? I think this can increase the number of visitors and the observation decks' income.
This is a great idea. We will look into the possibilities.

Do you have any suggestion for our research project on TAIPEI 101?
Regardless doing a study project or your future plan, I wish you can use wisdom, faith, and courage to conquer any problem you face.