| Gate to the East (东方之门) | |
| Alternate Names: | Gate of the Orient or The Pants Building |
| Status: | Completed |
| Start Date: | June 7, 2004 |
| Completion Date: | May 13, 2016 |
| Building Type: | commercial, transportation |
| Location: | Suzhou, Jiangsu, China |
| Coordinates: | 31.3169°N 120.6789°W |
| Map Type: | China |
| Height: | 301.81NaN1 |
| Floor Count: | 68 |
| Floor Area: | 450000m2 |
| Elevator Count: | 6 |
| Architect: | RMJM |
| Cost: | $700,000,000 (USD) (Budget) |
| References: | [1] |
The Gate to the East, also known as the Gate of the Orient, 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 301.8m (990.2feet), 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.
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 panties".[2] [3] [4] The landmark has thus led to a slew of internet parodies.