Gate to the East

31°19′01″N 120°40′44″E / 31.31694°N 120.67889°E / 31.31694; 120.67889Construction startedJune 7, 2004CompletedMay 13, 2016Cost$700,000,000 (USD) (Budget)Height301.8 m (990.2 ft)Technical detailsSize340,000 square metres (3,700,000 sq ft)Floor count68Floor area450,000 m² (4,800,000 sq ft)Lifts/elevators6Design and constructionArchitect(s)RMJMReferences^[1]

The Gate to the East, also known as the Gate of the Orient, (simplified Chinese: 东方之门; traditional Chinese: 東方之門; pinyin: dōng fāng zhī mén) is the second tallest building in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China behind Suzhou IFS. It is intended to be a symbol of a gateway to the city which emphasizes the city's continuing significance in modern China. With a height of 301.8 metres (990 ft), the building is located in the heart of Suzhou's China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) district. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2016 at a cost of $700 million USD. Its location precisely indicates the intersection of the historical east-west-axis of Suzhou Old Town with the west bank of Jinji Lake.

Criticism

Though its design was intended to evoke a gateway, the Gate to the East has been subjected to mockery by many Chinese netizens and western mass media as well, as "resembling a pair of trousers".^[2][3][4] The landmark has thus led to a slew of internet parodies.^[4]

Transport

• Suzhou Rail Transit:
    Line 1
    Line 3
  at Dongfangzhimen Station

See also

• Architecture of China
• List of tallest buildings in China
• Suzhou Zhongnan Center
• CCTV Headquarters

References