An American climber scaled Taiwan’s tallest building on Sunday (Jan 25) without ropes or safety gear, completing a high-risk ascent of Taipei 101 that captivated hundreds of spectators on the ground and millions more watching a live Netflix broadcast.
Alex Honnold, 40, one of the world’s most renowned free-solo climbers, reached the top of the 508-metre skyscraper about 90 minutes after beginning his climb. Cheers erupted from the crowd below as he stood atop the spire, waving his arms in celebration while wearing a red T-shirt and bright yellow custom climbing shoes.
“It was like, what a view — it’s incredible, what a beautiful day,” Honnold said afterward. “It was very windy, so I was like, don’t fall off the spire. I was trying to balance nicely. But what an incredible position, what a beautiful way to see Taipei.”
Honnold rose to global fame in 2017 after completing the first free-solo ascent of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan, a feat chronicled in the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo. Sunday’s climb marked his most ambitious urban ascent to date and, he said, the largest skyscraper ever attempted without protective equipment.
The weather was clear as Honnold began scaling the building’s southeast face, relying on small L-shaped architectural outcroppings as footholds. Taipei 101’s design — inspired by bamboo stalks — presented a unique challenge, particularly the middle section of the tower comprising 64 floors of steep, overhanging “bamboo boxes”.
The structure is divided into eight segments, each consisting of eight floors of near-vertical climbing followed by balconies where Honnold paused briefly to rest. At several points, he manoeuvred around large ornamental features that protrude from the façade, pulling himself upward using only his hands and feet.
Midway through the climb, Honnold stepped onto a platform to wave at fans below, many of whom were filming the ascent on their phones. Inside the building, office workers and visitors were seen gawking and tapping on the glass as he passed the enclosed observation deck on the 89th floor.
The climb was broadcast live on Netflix under the title Skyscraper Live, with a 10-second delay. Originally scheduled for Saturday, the ascent was postponed for 24 hours due to rain.
While the event generated excitement, it also revived debate over the ethics of broadcasting such a high-risk endeavour live. Some critics questioned Honnold’s decision to continue free-solo climbing now that he is married and the father of two young daughters.
In a promotional video released by Netflix earlier this week, Honnold described the climb as a lifelong ambition. “It’s been a dream of mine to climb a skyscraper,” he said. “So I am going to be free-soloing Taipei 101 — no ropes, no gear, just me and the building.”
The ascent took place with full permission from Taipei 101’s management and the city government. Honnold said he had once considered climbing the tower without approval but decided against it out of respect for the building and those who granted access.
Executive producer James Smith said it was rare for a landmark to allow such an event, calling Taipei 101 “a real icon of this country”.
Taipei 101 held the title of the world’s tallest building from 2004 to 2010, before being surpassed by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Spectators described the climb as unforgettable. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Richard Bode, 34. Another onlooker, Benson, 24, called it “incredibly brave”, while Lin Chia-jou, 54, said she found it “terrifying” but admired Honnold’s dedication.
Taipei 101 chairwoman Janet Chia said fans had travelled from Singapore, Hong Kong and across Taiwan to witness the climb, apologising for the weather delay but calling the event “worth the wait”.
President Lai Ching-te also praised the climber, saying the broadcast showed not only the tower but “the warmth and passion of the Taiwanese people” to the world.
Honnold is the first person to free-solo Taipei 101, though not the first to climb it. In 2004, French climber Alain Robert scaled the building with ropes during its opening celebrations, taking nearly four hours in difficult conditions.
