Sumit Singhal Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination.
Taichung City Cultural Center Competition Entry in Taiwan by Williamson Architects
July 6th, 2013 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Williamson Architects
DESIGN STATEMENT
“The primary space is, by default, the plaza space defined by the awe of the water walls.
There is however no sub-ordinate space. All have their peculiar qualities.
All are challenging the accepted norm, contradicting pre-conceived and naturally occurring ideas of structure.
This built form is only the start of the adventure.” Brad Williamson (Architect)
TAICHUNG CITY CULTURAL CENTER
Is a public space, always open to the people of the city. Ground level can be occupied day and night and is an open link between the City, the convention centre and the new Taichung Gateway Park. Open space expands & contracts between the plaza and the open undercroft. The plaza is defined by monumental walls of water, the city and sky. Water frames the new city icon, the Taiwan tower. The undercroft is defined by the mass of the building suspended above, and the landscape beyond. The wall of water is a defining threshold between the city and the Parkland. The building sits quiet; suspended and weaving through the walls of water.
A CELEBRATION OF LIGHT
The Plaza at night becomes an exciting new space. Up-lights in the water walls give a blue glow. Occasional bursts of coloured light highlight controlled release of bubbles that create three-dimensional artwork as they travel upwards. The water walls are a canvas for projected light shows & imagery. Above the museum, three-dimensional light sculptures are created with burst of mist and projected lights. Up-lights in the plaza create an invisible forest of light complimenting the lit-up forest of columns under the Library. Light dances within the floor of the water platform. The glow from within library radiates through the water wall, out into the plaza. Silhouettes of people in the library can be seen as they interact with the books.
THE WATER WALL
Moving through the water wall is a dynamic experience; active; monumental; visual; tactile and sensory. Pass through the water and space is compressed, the light quality changes and a panoramic view of the parkland landscape is framed by the building. This view is filtered through layers of lightweight columns. Your preconceived sense of order in a building is challenged. You experience the space is a journey of discovery, the landscape beyond revealing as you move through. You are invited into the building by an open stairway extending to the ground. You are drawn to find out what is within. The minimal building envelope belies the magnificent expansion & contraction of space within.
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