Logistic Republic | J.C. Architecture

Logistic Republic is a modern logistic platform in Taiwan with international standard facility and sustainable management. It is also the first warehouse recognized as green building design in the Silver rank in Taiwan. Logistic is an important part of the industrial development, but its program, including environmental conservation, facilities, working condition and better efficiency, has always been left out. Most of the warehouses in Taiwan are private, illegally built, and in the small scale without a comprehensive set of logistic service. Also, in the realm of architectural design, the program of warehouse has been undervalued that therefore the limited budget is always a constraint for its construction. Our client saw the future of building a modern logistic platform in Taiwan, thus, we had a good opportunity to develop the thinking of warehouse as well as the essence of design.

We intended to change the way people think about the warehouse. We focused on not just its façade design, most importantly on its program, eco-sustainability, and the enthusiasm from people. Materiality was also one of our concerns. Since the limited budget for building a warehouse, our challenge was how to develop the possibilities from the simplest materials.

Our inspiration came from the site itself - the mountains, the sun light, the wind, the vegetation. We wanted the building to reflect the natural beauty of the surrounding using simple building techniques and the metal sheets to create a shimmering effect. At the same time, the architecture is also expected to be able to showcase the brand, the flow of goods, and keeping it simple.

We tried to make it different from ordinary warehouses. We considered what we only had, and pushed ourselves forward to seek the best solution. The low budget encouraged us to rethink about the way we perceive cheap materials. We continually tested out the material such as metal sheet, and used its property to create a huge pattern on the façade to interact with the environment, also to present our thinking about logistic movement. According to Louis Kahn, ’The brick always wants to be more than a brick’, we wondered more possibilities of a simple material – we wanted to give it a life, a dream, and a future, it too wants to be something more.

We believe that design can really change – it influences every facet of life. It can reach out the standards and the knowledge. Our client is a pioneer of logistic industry in Taiwan that they embody design in marketing, branding, and upgrading their buildings. We want to change the current circumstance of warehouse design and its impression in the society, and further move the industry forward.