MB Meets World

At one time in the mid 2000s (how do you spell “aughts”?) the building known as Taipei 101 was the tallest in the world. Our visit there Monday found me thinking about three things:

1. Looking from above I could really understand better how the mountains and the city are intertwined around the edges of the city.

2. I have been to tall buildings in many cities: NYC, Chicago, Toronto, Seattle, Cairo. This is the first time the view wasn’t the only background opportunity. T-101 had little sets where folks could take photos.

3. In order to prevent a really tall building from swaying in the wind – especially in monsoons or earthquakes— engineers have figured out something cool. There is this huge, heavy ball that is five floors big and many tons heavy that hangs in the middle. In T-101 it is visible, unlike other tall buildings where it is behind the curtain.