TAIPEI SALES CENTER BY OYLER WU COLLABORATIVE

Often the unusual circumstances surrounding the design of a project leads to the most unusual results. 

In the case of this temporary sales center in Taipei by Oyler Wu Collaborative, the convergence of a set of ongoing architectural interests converged with an unusual site, timeline, program, and developer to create an unexpected outcome. The existing building is really a conglomeration of different buildings, built over several decades. 

The outcome is a five-story volume pierced (quite literally) and interconnected by an intricate ribbon of rope, steel, and fabric. The renovation creates an entirely new identity and is suggestive of the modern intervention that will soon occupy the site.

Located on the future site of a new16-story residential tower (also designed by Oyler Wu Collaborative), the developers were interested in renovating the existing corner building to become the sales center for that future building.   The program includes meeting and exhibition rooms as well as a model home.  Interestingly, the program called for only half of the square footage of the existing building. 

With the most desirable spaces being on the upper floors, the second and third floors were left unprogrammed. The initial design brief called for a new “skin” with a thickness of no more than 7 inches to work within. The limited programmatic needs created the potential for an intervention that somehow made use of those spaces. 

With the desire to create a “spatial ribbon” that flowed between facades and into the building, one of the primary features of the building is a torqued void that cuts through the southern facade of the building and then re-emerges on the eastern facade.

In the spirit of Gordon Matta-Clark, this void offers unusual views of the city through, out of, and deep into the heart of the building. With much of building acting as a simple volume, the intricacy of the detail in the facade creates a visual and spatial connector between the openings.

Beginning at an oculus at the ground floor, the ribbon flows up through the voids and spreads across the facade eventually linking up with windows, wrapping into adjacent facades.

Location: Tapei, Taiwan 
Architect: Oyler Wu Collaborative 
Project Team: Dwayne Oyler, Jenny Wu, Huy Le, Sanjay Sukie, Mike Piscitello, Zhao Ji Luo 
Year: 2013 
Client: JUT Land Development 
Photographs: Courtesy of Oyler Wu Collaborative

KAOHSIUNG PORT TERMINAL BY JESSE REISER + NANAKO UMEMOTO

The Kaohsiung Port Terminal project seizes the opportunity to blend seemingly divergent uses of a port terminal, office tower and public space.

It celebrates the crossing of the threshold from land to water. The architectural form is divided into four parts, representing the three terminals (international departure, domestic departure, and international and domestic arrivals) and tower.

The lobby space operates as an architectural manifold, directing users via multiple direct sight lines. This new addition to the urban infrastructure of Kaohsiung serves the functions of arrivals, departures and port administration with those of the recreational waterfront—all under one roof.

The new terminal, coupled with the development of an elevated boardwalk and greenway, enables the revitalization of the harbor district and its transformation from a utilitarian industrial zone to one of recreation and public use.

The port is always lively; shops, restaurants, hotels and public access to the water attract tourists and local residents alike.

Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan 
Architects: Jesse Reiser + Nanako Umemoto 
Project Team: Neil Cook, Michael Overby, Kris Hedges, Eleftheria Xanthouli, Juan DeMarco, Massimiliano Orzi 
Interns and Assistants: Toshiki Hirano, Sonya Chao, Imaeda Ryosuke 
Structural Engineering: Ysrael A. Seinuk , PC, New York, NY (Schematic Design) Supertek, Taiwan (Detailed Design) 
MEP, Sustainability, Port Planning and Logistics: ARUP, Hong Kong 
Facade Consultant: Meinhardt, Hong Kong 
Lighting Consultant: Izumi Okayasu Lighting Design Office, Japan 
Local Architect: Fei and Cheng and Associates, Taipei, Taiwan 
Size: 36,883 sq. m 
Scheduled Completion: 2014

PRINCE HOUSING SALES CENTER BY LAB MODUS

The site is located in a newly developed area near Taiwan High Speed Rail’s Taoyuan Station.

The scheme is composed of a two-story rectangular volumes and a deformed double layered perforated metal louvers.

Conceptualized of a “dancing box”, we intend to give dynamic rhymes in this open field site.

These dynamics present significant challenges for us working to shape a built environment that will meet commecial and perceptive needs both today and future.

Giving maximum presence to the context, the massing of project applies advantage of the openness of the site to create a continuous translucency to all dimensions of the project.

The irregular openings trimmed out from metal louver façade are to provide air and views to the corresponded interior spaces. Therefore, the interior can adapt the filtered sunlight and air into spaces.

Location: Taoyuan County, Taiwan

Architects: Lab Modus

Architect In Charge: Kevin Chang, Yuan-chen Wu, Min-ching Wu, Jay Lin

Area: 1800.0 sqm

Year: 2013

Photographs: Courtesy of Lab Modus

TAICHUNG CULTURAL CENTER BY SYNTHESIS DESIGN + ARCHITECTURE

“Cultural Ascent” is a design proposal for the Taichung City Cultural Center that merges the programs of a public library, fine arts museum, and city park into an iconic contemporary architectural landmark.

The architectural intent of the building is to augment its programmatic contents by creating gradient spatial conditions through sectional movement, while utilizing variable façade patterning and articulation to register varying programmatic conditions. The building organization is driven by two ramping and interlocking masses of gradient program (library and museum) that peel up from the landscape (park) in opposing clock-wise moves each hinging on a structural core.

This move simultaneously. Below grade the two programs are unified through shared parking and administration spaces, while above grade each program operates independently, yet intersects at key moments where exchange is facilitated through shared circulation, vertical cores and a sculptural roof terrace, ultimately merging into a single articulated mass. In section the two opposing ground moves work collectively to frame a connective portal between the urban condition and the park to the south with the mass of the building floating above, while in plan those moves create a multi-story atrium condition.

Given it’s key location at the head of the Taichung Cultural Park, our proposal seeks to present an urban gateway to the park while simultaneously extending the landscaping of the park through the building and providing a legible edge to the park. The sculptural base of the building peels away from the landscape in two distinct landforms (library and museum) to sculpt a framed portal connecting the city and the park.

As they ascend, the two masses fuse into a sculpted mass of interlocking volumes and cantilevering floor slabs that hover over the park to shield the sculpted ground condition from the harsh Taiwanese sun. The green landscape of the park appears to pull through the building and re-emerge as an intensive green roof and sculpted roof terrace overlooking the park and the pending Taiwan Tower.

Location: Taichung, Taiwan 

Architect: Synthesis Design + Architecture 
Project Team: Alvin Huang (Principal), Filipa Valente (Project Architect), Behnaz Farahi, Kevin Chen, Yueming Zhou, Joseph Sarafian 
Consultants: Arup (Structures/MEP/Sustainability) 
Year: 2013 
Status: Competition entry 
Client: Taichung City

SANAA WINS TAICHUNG CITY CULTURAL CENTER COMPETITION

The Taichung City Cultural Center International Competition announced its list of winners.

 

First Prize: Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa /SANAA (Japan) with joint tenderer Ricky Liu & Associates Architects+Planners (Taiwan)

Second Prize: Jean-loup Baldacci (France) with joint tenderer Felice Fanuele Architect (France) and Tai Architect & Associates (Taiwan)

Third Prize: Peter Eisenman Architects, PC (USA) with joint tenderer Fei & Cheng Associates (Taiwan)

Honorable Mention: MASS STUDIES (South Korea) with joint tenderer Q-LAB (Taiwan) and Wang Architects & Associates (Taiwan)

Honorable Mention: Stücheli Architekten AG (Switzerland) with joint tenderer Bio Architecture Formosana (Taiwan)

In response to a growing urban population, urban development and changing cultural environment, this project aims to provide citizens with a multipurpose cultural, artistic and recreational facility.

The competition seeks to create an entryway gesture into Taichung Gateway Park and a key cultural landmark that will become home to the city's public library and fine arts museum.