Gate to the East

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.

Gate to the East (东方之门)
Gate to the East in Suzhou
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″N 120°40′29″E
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(s)	RMJM
References
[1]

The Gate of the Orient on the west bank of Jinji 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.

Transport

• Suzhou Metro:
    Line 1
    Line 3
  at Dongfangzhimen Station

See also

• Architecture portal
• China portal

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