The Wind Operated Taichung Museum
The Taichung Echo Wind Tower; is a wind operated, multi-functional environmental tower designed by Oxo Architects that looks outwards onto Taichung basin and becomes the main focal point where Taiwan’s landscaping and urbanism features can be viewed. The tower’s exterior acts as a reflective surface that responded adequately in the type of atmosphere; it reflects the current activities occurring in the space as well as projects the changes throughout the day. It consists of 2 million narrow metal fragments that are all equally tilted and suspended averse the winds direction. The wind also reaches internal turbines that allows the building to obtain and generate its own energy. The exterior also illustrates that useful techniques of air flow through an environmental approach, it also portrays this dynamic quality where the direction of the wind can potentially change the way the metal leaves are formed.
The exterior is also seen as a way to approach pixelated representation through the reflective quality of the individual leaves, allowing an endless amount of visual ehancements and slight distortition to alter our perspectives. The interior consist of a lobby and office spaces that form a kind of structural tripod for the tower to sit upon, giving the perception that the tower is floating above the ground. The actual museum is below the tripod area which features exhibits that range from historical, architectural and urban content. It also serves as a space that invites the public and hosts multiple classes and educational events that are later than digitally projected onto the exterior skin of the tower. This portarys the effective use of technology to inform cultural awareness allowing the public to get a sense of the specific programs and facilities that may be taking place inside. The Taichung tower transforms into a landmark that serves a wide range of intrests and portrays new ideas towards the concept of spacial interaction. The towers illustrates the democratic quality of the Taiwanese culture and the enhancement of its technological applications to form a public space that is beneficial towards the city’s development.
Project Info:
Designer: OXO Architecture, Philippe Rizzotti Architectes, Samuel Nageotte.
Team: Manal Rachdi, Tanguy Vermet, Ute Rinnebach, Philippe Rizzotti,
Samuel Nageotte, Marina Daviu Castilla, Clement Gerard, Guy Reziciner,
Felix Weber, Eric Dumarché, Sebatien Boublil.
By Amal Dirie
