Taipei 101 was designed by C.Y. Lee and Partners and was constructed by KTRT Joint Venture and Samsung C&T. Construction on the 101-story tower started in 1999 and finished in 2004. The tower has served as an icon of modern Taiwan ever since its opening.

The building was architecturally created as a symbol of the evolution of technology and Asian tradition. Architect C.Y. Lee also used extensive façade elements to represent the symbolic identity he pursued. These facade elements included the green tinted glass for the indigenous slender bamboo look, eight upper outwards inclined tiers of pagoda each with eight floors, a Ruyi and a money box symbol between the two façade sections among others.

Taipei 101's own roof and facade serve a recycled water system which meets 20 to 30 percent of the building's water needs. In July 2011, Taipei 101 was certified "the world's tallest green building" under LEED standards.