12. Taipei 101, Taiwan ($1.8 billion | $2.3 billion today)
Formerly known as Taipei World Financial Center, this is the home to commercial offices owned by Taipei Financial Center Corporation. With its 509-meter height, Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world before Burj Khalifa was completed.
C.Y Lee and Partners designed this building to withstand two common natural disasters in Taiwan: typhoon winds and earthquake tremors. One of the key elements for that is a massive steel pendulum hanging within the building as the tuned mass damper. That pendulum is the largest sphere ever built in the world.
Taipei 101 was built in 2004. The construction cost was $1.8 billion ($4 million of it was just for the pendulum itself) or $2.3 billion today. This building has 101 floors.
If you happen to forget what day it is today, just take a look at the building’s pinnacle cast. For four hours a day from dusk, it lights up in seven different colors to mark the day.
