City Cultural Center, BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team) shared with us their proposal for the new City Cultural Center Competition. The new “City cultural center” grows from the earth, with the strength of the sea and mountains, to show to the world how Taiwan is, how Taichung is, and it uses this strength to configure and astonishing landscape architecture able to project internationally the new cultural center.
Courtesy of BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team)
More details from the architect come after the jump. Taiwan, land of sea, land of mountains, where amazing forms and landscapes have been formed by the action of natural forces. Waves, tides, coast, prairies, mountains, mountain ridges.Sea people, land people, strong, tenacious, tireless. People of Taiwan.m The view from “Taichung Gateway Park” shows how land raises, configuring wavy shapes, showing the folds of the tectonic plates that shaped the island of Taiwan.
Courtesy of BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team)
It brings to our memory the wonderful mountain landscapes in Taiwan, including their famous tea fields. “Taichung Gateway Park” and the new “City Cultural Center” put together into a unique landscape, giving a united answer to the project site. The paths that define the design of “Taichung Gateway Park” show us, in almost a natural way, the access to the new “City Cultural Center”. A direct and clear relationship between the park and the competition purpose is managed by the use of open and clear flows.
Courtesy of BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team)
The view from Park Avenue 2 is completely different. The winding bodies that grow from the park start to open, and finish drawing us shapes that remind us of the sea. Images of the waves breaking into the shore, and the sea breeze stroking our faces. The building shows itself this way, facing the city in an open and permeable way, looking for an intense relationship with it.
Courtesy of BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team)
The view from Park Avenue 2 is completely different. The winding bodies that grow from the park start to open, and finish drawing us shapes that remind us of the sea. Images of the waves breaking into the shore, and the sea breeze stroking our faces. The building shows itself this way, facing the city in an open and permeable way, looking for an intense relationship with it.
Courtesy of BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team)
The formalization of the building is managed by the concatenation of a structure of great depth laminated wood beams. They are disposed of each one meter and joined with lateral connectors. Apart from structural duty, these connectors are used to carry some of the building systems. Different roof coverings are disposed of depending on the interior requirements. A green carpet covers most of the roof surface, but we also find glass surfaces for providing light to the interior spaces, solar panels, or wooden paved areas.
Courtesy of BAT (Bilbao Architecture Team)
Most of the energetic and sustainability requirements are managed in the depth of the ribs, thanks to their studied shape and section. The different air chambers, doors, and discharge systems provided, in addition to computerized management will allow the thermal, lighting, and acoustic control, becoming the building a worldwide green building reference.
Architects: BAT
Country: Taiwan, Taichung
Year: 2013
Photographs: Courtesy of BAT(Bilbao Architecture Team)
Architecture Team: Peru Cañada Omagogeascoa, Xabier Arranz Diez, Alejandro Iturbe Legasa, Julen Quevedo Corral, Jon Andoni Iparraguirre Apraiz, Ubay Calle Garcia
Collaborators: Borja García, Igor Gonzalez, Rodrigo Cearra, Joseba Salbide, Ander Barandiaran, Imanol Goenaga
Ibrahim Abdelhady is an architect, academic, and media entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in architecture and digital publishing. He is the Founder and CEO of Arch2O.com, a leading platform in architectural media, renowned for showcasing innovative projects, student work, and critical discourse in design. Holding dual PhDs in Architecture, Dr. Abdelhady combines academic rigor with industry insight, shaping both future architects and architectural thought. He actively teaches, conducts research, and contributes to the global architecture community through his writing, lectures, and media ventures. His work bridges the gap between practice and academia, pushing the boundaries of how architecture is communicated in the digital age.