I WILL Factory and Office | WSAA Design Team

Taiwanese poet Yu Kuang Chung, said, “The Northern Tropic is like a string of musical instrument that plays out warm melody upon the reflection of sun.” Standing at the foot of Alishan and looking at Jade Mountain in distance, the project site is located in new rising suburbs of Chiayi City, the string that plays Taiwan’s lasting melody.

The site is blessed with a perfect setting, surrounded by mountains and forests on its eastern and southern side, and at the intersection of the main roads in the park. That’s why our architectural design not only illustrates the ideal image of the brand, but also resonates with the surrounding environment.

This building is part of the Taiwan Bifido Group Dapumei Park, operated by its subsidiary iWill Biomedical Technology Inc. Guided by its famous slogan, “95% by Nature”, iWill is dedicated to the research and the innovation of cosmetics, skincare and cleaning products. Following the company philosophy, “Be Natural, Pure and Environmentally Friendly “, our design aims to break the stereotype of traditional factory buildings’ vertical and rigid shapes. Instead, we have created a building of amiable yet brilliant appearance, along with efficient layout for various production lines, and most importantly, a flowingly smooth exterior to showcase iWill’s friendly spirit.

Our design is also inspired by “Mousse”, the cleansing foam widely used in iWill’s best-selling skincare products. Composed of well-blended liquid and air, the texture of mousse is soft and delicate, and it can easily penetrate pores to cleanse and nourish the skin.

We apply the light and airy texture of mousse to the architectural form of the factory, by creating a wavy and dynamic wall structure that embraces the site. Also with arranged openings on walls for ventilation, we enrich the façade of the building. This organic design approach also extends into the interior lobby, passing on a vivid vibe to the interior space. The iconic architecture will stand out visually among other factories in the industrial park.

As the building sits next to the main entrance of the park, our solution to the building line restriction is creating layers in the architecture. The solid bottom block is piled up by the other smaller and retreated blocks. In this way, the building looks much lighter, and the intriguing resemblance of a layer cake celebrates a bright future development of the park.

The generous open space created by two building blocks brings the best sky garden for hosting outdoor exhibitions and various cultural events. Here is the domain where iWill interacts with the customers and shows its influence on the society.

The wall structure also offers accessible outdoor catwalks for building maintenance and management. We hope that the shape of mountain ridge lines will arouse people’s awareness to make a more sustainable living environment, where our design will be appreciated together with the sierra of Jade Mountain, under a more clear sky.

To show iWill’s endeavor in green innovation, we use energy efficient building materials in the architecture. The exterior wall structure is made of 3D steel insulation panels, whose earthquake-resistant features keeps the building safe from the nearby May-Shang Fault.

The EPS board within the panels works best to block heat in summer and preserve warmth in winter, effectively reducing the use of electricity and air-conditioning. By adopting the lighter building material, we’ve also reduced the use of steel and carbon footprint of the building. We’ve achieved a green design that cares for people and our environment.