MORE ABOUT: National Performing Arts Center – Kaohsiung, Taiwan

MORE ABOUT:
National Performing Arts Center
Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Completion: 2013 (under construction)
Architect: Mecanoo Architecten
Structural Engineer: Arup (design), Supertech (realization)

The National Performing Arts Center in Kaohsiung is a multipurpose public venue with a 2300 seat concert hall, a 2000 seat opera house, a 1000 seat theatre hall, a black box theatre and an open air theatre all contained in its unique undulating roof.

(Images by Mecanoo)

The local Banyan trees served as a source of inspiration for the design, as the image below demonstrates. The supports of the structure represent the trunk of the tree, and the extruding roof the crown of the Banyan tree.

(Photo by Mecanoo)

In the structure’s interior, the floor, walls, and ceiling seem to merge into one surface. The openings in the roof, along with the passageways and open spaces, create a porous building where interior and exterior blur, and help provide natural air ventilation and sunlight throughout. Located in a subtropical climate, grasses and plantings on the roof provide natural and efficient cooling. The informal space beneath the roof provides a comfortable area for public recreation.

(Images by Mecanoo)

The building is structurally composed of steel columns and trusses, as shown by the conceptual and technical images below.

(Images by Mecanoo, Arup)

Reinforced concrete is also used primarily for the concert halls (highlited in yellow in image below) and will act as an acoustical barrier along with another barrier in order to prevent any outside noise from entering the concert halls.

(Images by Mecanoo, Arup)

The interior will also feature color lighting, creating temporal effects and moods within the different spaces.  The image below is an actual prototype of the interior form to be used in the building.

(Photo by China Blu)

Case study by: Carlos Estrada
ARE 320K, Fall 2010

Other sources (UT Library):
Book:
Houben, Francine. Mecanoo. Mulgrave, Vic. : Images Publishing Group, c2008

Article:
“The Kaohsiung Performaing Arts Center: a park setting for a trio of performance venues in Taiwan.” Competitions, 2007 Fall, v.17, n.3, p.22-33