The infamous lightning building of Linkou

Linkou Lightning Building 林口閃電大樓

Linkou Lightning Building (林口閃電大樓) is an infamous ruin not far from the newly-opened Taoyuan Airport MRT line in Linkou, recently named the fastest-growing district in New Taipei. Media reports often describe it as the Linkou Monster House (林口怪怪屋) and it regularly appears alongside the Longtan Monster House and other examples of the genre. While I wish there were a good story to go along with these photos it sounds as if it is simply a failed construction project where nobody wanted to cover the cost of demolition until recently.

The infamous lightning building of Linkou
Like a bolt out of the blue: the infamous outline of an abandoned skyscraper in Linkou.
An unfinished skyscraper in Linkou
The raw outlines of the Linkou Lightning Building against uncertain skies.

Sourcing credible information about this project has been difficult. No formal name seems to exist and I’ve uncovered no government records. I am loathe to base a post on rumours and hearsay but in this case that’s about all I have. From the comments on this post it sounds like the building has been abandoned for at least a decade and maybe two. One respondent suggests it was damaged during an earthquake—but I have my doubts. Mundane explanations like mismanagement, zoning conflicts, embezzlement, and bankruptcy are more often the case with half-completed developments like this one.

Peering into the ruins of the Linkou Lightning Building
A peek through the fencing on the ground floor reveals that this place has seen many visitors over the years.

It wouldn’t have been too difficult to jump the chain-link fence and gain access to the interior but it would have been impossible to evade detection. This ruin is in the middle of a busy residential neighbourhood and plenty of people took note of my interest in this building. Since this place is already very well-documented—see these excellent and comprehensive photos or this video tour for more—I declined to make the attempt. Besides, I was pressed for time and bound for a more historic set of ruins: an old brick kiln further north.

A bolt out of the blue
One last glance at the weirdest building in Linkou.

Naturally this well-known ruin has become popular with photographers and cosplayers. The location is also no secret; you’ll find it on Google Maps and Instagram, among other places. Alas, this building was finally demolished in 2022, but not before it served as the backdrop to a concert and light show.

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