TAI Cultural Center

Public Library and Fine Arts Museum

The projected building takes up characteristics of the surrounding landscape to define different usage areas. The inspiration for this landmark design is provided by nature itself: a mountain range that reflects on the surface of the sea. On the ground-floor level a pleasantly shaded, cave-like plaza opens up that affords captivating views of the building and the surrounding park. The lower section of the built volume is used as a museum, which presents itself as a sculpture park on the outside and as a varied sequence of spaces on the inside. The central median section aligns with the horizon and unfolds a 360-degree panoramic view of the park and the city. This public circulation level provides access to the upper floor of the building which accommodates a library. Here visitors can, on terraces at a dizzy height, enjoy an atmosphere of contemplation as well as a unique vista. Urban-design-wise, the cultural center with a floor space of about 65,000 sq.m. is the head zone of an emergent development area in downtown Taichung.

Client: Taichung City
International Competition: 06.2013
GBA: 65.000m²

Planning: AllesWirdGut & key Stone Architects
Team: Christian Zotz, Ferdinand Kersten, Johanna Aufner, Jakub Klima, Veronika Bienert, Zeyneb Badur, Ana-Pia Ranz, Kerstin Schön, Peter Csizmadi, Petra Panna Nagy
key Stone architects: Elissa Huang

Visualization: miss3.cz