| Gate to the East(东方之门) | |
|---|---|
 Gate to the East in Suzhou | |
 Interactive map of Gate to the East(东方之门) | |
| Alternative names | Gate of the Orient or The Pants Building |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | commercial, transportation |
| Location | Suzhou,Jiangsu,China |
| Coordinates | 31°19′08″N120°40′29″E / 31.31889°N 120.67472°E /31.31889; 120.67472 |
| Construction started | June 7, 2004 |
| Completed | May 13, 2016 |
| Cost | $700,000,000 (USD) (Budget) |
| Height | 301.8 m (990.2 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Size | 340,000 square metres (3,700,000 sq ft) |
| Floor count | 68 |
| Floor area | 450,000 m2 (4,800,000 sq ft) |
| Lifts/elevators | 6 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | RMJM |
| References | |
| [1] | |
TheGate to the East, also known as theGate 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 inSuzhou,Jiangsu,China behindSuzhou 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'sChina–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) district. Construction began in 2004 and was completed in 2016 at a cost of $700 millionUSD. Its location precisely indicates the intersection of the historical east-west-axis of Suzhou Old Town with the west bank ofJinji Lake.
The design 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]
There is a low-rise building extending from the base of the structure that together with the high rise makes up the Gate of the Orient to be a mixed-use development that includes office spaces, residential serviced apartments, a luxury hotel, and a large shopping mall.
