The mountain landscape of Taiwan is the inspiration for the Taichung Cultural Center by Austrian firm Alleswirdgut in collaboration with Taiwanese firm Keystone Architects. This competition proposal for the cultural center houses a public library and a fine arts museum within a gross building area of 65,000 square meters. The building can be seen as a carved away mass done so to allow ample shaded public space at the ground level and sun-soaked terraces on the upper levels. The cuts through the buildings are informed by the local mountainous landmarks as well as to frame views. The bottom portion of the building contains the museum coupled with a large plaza that acts as an outdoor extension of the fine arts museum and sculpture garden.
Courtesy of SANAA via Taichung City Cultural Center
A glass-enclosed lobby separates the upper floors of the library from the museum below. The interstitial floor between the main programmatic elements provides ample space for circulation and interaction while encouraging public interaction. This space can allude to the shoreline dividing the Taiwanese mountains from their reflection in the sea.
By using transparent skin to highlight the lobby space from the upper and lower programs, an unobstructed 360 panorama of the city and park is created. With this project, the inspiration of mountains is portrayed in an interesting way, especially with the imagery of them reflected, which allows the visitor to gather a better understanding of the connection between the natural and urban context of Taiwan.
Courtesy of Eisenman Architects via Taichung City Cultural Center
