American climber scales Taipei 101 without rope in Netflix live stunt

Renowned American climber Alex Honnold completed an unprecedented challenge by scaling one of the world’s tallest buildings in Taipei in 1 hour and 32 minutes, without rope, with his attempt broadcast live on Netflix.

Taipei: Climber ascends one of world’s tallest skyscrapers without rope

The 41-year-old, one of the world’s most famous climbers, managed to reach the top of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, standing 1,667 feet (508 meters) tall and ranking among the world’s tallest buildings, in approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes—two minutes longer than his own estimate. The attempt was completed without safety nets or protective equipment.

At the summit, his wife Sanni McCandless was waiting, embracing him and joking: “I spent the whole time having a panic attack.” One of the first things he did was take a selfie.

Hundreds of spectators gathered in Taipei’s streets to watch and encourage him to continue until the end, shouting “Add oil,” a phrase Chinese people use for encouragement.

Speaking to CNN before the ascent, Honnold explained that climbing a skyscraper presents different challenges compared to natural rock surfaces. As he noted, artificial structures require different techniques and adaptation, while revealing he had wanted to try such a challenge for about ten years.

The 41-year-old became globally famous in 2017 when he climbed El Capitan rock, approximately 3,000 feet (914 meters) high, in California’s Yosemite National Park without any safety measures—an ascent considered a milestone in climbing history. His name is synonymous with extreme climbing challenges, and his recent attempt on Taipei 101 adds to this list.

Taiwan’s iconic skyscraper, Taipei 101

The Taipei 101 skyscraper is an emblematic building for Taiwan’s capital. Standing 1,667 feet (508 meters) tall with 101 floors, it was the world’s tallest building for several years until surpassed by Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Since then, several other skyscrapers have broken the record, but it remains a landmark in Taipei as the city’s tallest building.

It’s constructed from reinforced concrete and is flexible enough to sway yet rigid enough to withstand strong winds. It consists of eight stacked sections resembling bamboo and was built to withstand the powerful earthquakes and typhoons that frequently strike the island.

Inside the tower, high up, lies another technological innovation—a massive spherical device known as a tuned mass damper, which functions like a pendulum that counteracts (or “dampens”) swaying movements. The skyscraper today operates as retail and office space, as well as a tourist attraction with an observation deck on the upper floors.