Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, the extraordinary architecture of Weiwuying is inspired by the sinuous canopy created by clusters of banyan trees commonly found in the region.

The $366 million complex—the largest performing arts center under one roof –won a 2020 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.

The single sweeping building covers a surface area of 35 acres (141,000 sqm) and is set in the spectacular 116-acre (470,000 sqm) subtropical park in the heart of Kaohsiung, making it the world’s largest performing arts center under one roof as well as Taiwan’s most significant cultural investment in a generation.

It incorporates five state of the art performance spaces: a 2,236-seat Opera House, a 1,981-seat Concert Hall, a 1,210-seat Playhouse, a 434-seat Recital Hall and an Outdoor Theater linking the building to the park.

Kaohsiung, with a population of around 3 million, located in the south of Taiwan, once a major international harbor, is now a modern, diverse city with a rich cultural offer.

The new National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, occupying a site that was formerly a military training base, symbolizes the developing outlook for the city of Kaohsiung and Taiwan – with a mission to connect local and global talent through arts and culture.

Inspired by the local Banyan trees with their iconic crowns, the vast, undulating structure is composed of a skin and roof, and connects an extensive range of functions. The curved steel structure was built in cooperation between a local and a Dutch shipbuilder. Underneath this roof is Banyan Plaza, a generous, sheltered public space.

Residents can wander through here day and night, practice Tai Chi or stage street performances along walkways and in informal spaces. An open-air theatre nestles on the roof where the structure curves to the ground, with the surrounding park forming the stage.

Designed with the subtropical climate in mind, the open structure allows the wind to blow freely through Banyan Plaza. The seamless flow between interior and exterior creates opportunities for crossovers between formal and informal performances.

Weiwuying’s Artistic Director Chien Wen-Pin said, “Something that overseas visitors to Weiwuying will encounter is the passion for theatre, dance, spectacle and music that is everywhere in Taiwan.”

“Our audiences are extraordinarily enthusiastic and knowledgeable. I will continue to work with artists at home and abroad to uncover new ideas for programming that reflect the very best in contemporary practice. Weiwuying, with its extraordinary facilities, gives us the opportunity to experiment – to be bold and innovative, and to try different things.”

Architects: Mecanoo
Local Architects: Archasia Design Group
Client: Preparatory Office of The Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Arts of the Ministry of Culture,
Taiwan
General Contractor: Chien Kuo Construction
Photographers: Iwan Baan