Taichung City Cultural Center

TAICHUNG, TAIWAN, 2013

For two distinct programs we propose two distinct – but linked - buildings: the Green Box and the Blue Box. The Green Box, covered with living walls, holds the art gallery and the Blue Box, the library. Between them, a majestic entrance to the park. Atop them, an elevated garden. Bridging between them, a shared café. The two buildings have the same basic volume and both are organized around central courtyards, which act as light-wells and chimneys and provide orientation. The modulation of light is crucial to our design and the gallery is evenly lit by the luminous courts, by strategically placed apertures, and by a system of solar tubes. These recur in the library to distribute natural light through the depth of the section.

Credits: J. Gu,Y. Liu, M. Okazaki, M. Sorkin.