Gate to the East

Suzhou, People's Republic of China

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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Standing 302 metres tall in Suzhou's China–Singapore Industrial Park, the Gate to the East is a postmodern skyscraper completed in 2016 by the architectural firm RMJM. Conceived as a symbolic gateway to the city and positioned at the intersection of Suzhou's historical east-west axis with Jinji Lake's west bank, the tower anchors a mixed-use complex that extends downward into low-rise structures housing offices, serviced apartments, a luxury hotel, and shopping mall. The building's distinctive silhouette—which has drawn considerable mockery from Chinese internet users and international media for its resemblance to a pair of trousers—represents the culmination of a twelve-year construction process that began in 2004. At $700 million USD, it stands as the second tallest building in Suzhou, behind Suzhou IFS.