Taichung City Cultural Center, This proposal is another competition entry for the design of the Taichung City Cultural Center, this time by Maxthreads Architectural Design & Planning. Taichung established this competition to distinguish itself from the other major Taiwanese cities and to promote the arts and culture will be at the core of Taichung’s new urban identity. In Maxthreads design for the public hub defining the northern arrival gateway to Taichung Gateway Park, they wished to create an unconventional and exceptional gathering space for visitors and inhabitants utilizing the city’s philosophy of combining nature and innovative technology.
Courtesy of Maxthreads
Several inverted cones make up the center, all of various diameters and heights, each defining a new unique space and purpose. Incorporating interactive, mixed-use public spaces, the forms establish a new typology of library and fine arts museum that Maxthreads have termed ‘The Galibrary.’ The architectural expression for the Galibrary is inspired by the mountain-scape of Taroko Gorge National Park in Taiwan.
Courtesy of Maxthreads
The landforms created that make up the cultural center inspire the idea of a gateway to a landscape beyond through the use of dramatic multi-level void spaces. With this design, Maxthreads wanted to focus on creating a strong relationship between the exterior and interior public spaces, integrating it all into the Taichung Gateway Park to form an iconic visual corridor or threshold.The revived, vibrant public space also includes the incorporation of culture, education, tourism, environmental conservation, carbon reduction, energy conservation, and sustainability.
Architects: Maxthreads
Country: Taiwan, Taichung
Year: 2013
Photographs: Courtesy of Maxthreads
Project Team: Max Yang, Yusen Chou, Kris,Yuan-Sung Hsiao, Christabel Lee, Sarah Brown, Jonathan Piper
Competition: Taichung City Cultural Center International Competition
Competition Organizers: Taichung City Government, Taiwan
Program: Taichung City Cultural Center, Public Library & Fine Arts Museum
Kristin Hoover is an editor at Arch2O and a proud graduate of Virginia Tech. Since joining in July 2014, she has authored over 200 insightful articles covering everything from adaptive reuse and cultural centers to eco-buildings and urban infrastructure . With a passion for architectural storytelling, Kristin skillfully curates and crafts compelling narratives that bring design innovation to life. Her editorial work reflects a broad yet finely honed interest in how architecture intersects with society, technology, and the environment—making her a key voice shaping Arch2O’s explorations of contemporary built form.