Taiwan Architecture Awards 2013, Architect Prize, Pictures, Best Taiwanese Building Design News

Taiwan Architecture Awards 2013

Eastern Asian Buildings + Architects – Winners News

15 Nov 2013

Taiwan Architecture Awards 2013 Winners

After intense debates, the five selection panelists finally decided that the Water-Moon Monastery by Artech Architects is the recipient of the First Prize of 2013 Taiwan Architecture Award. Water-Moon Monastery was established by the commission of the past Buddhist Master Sheng Yen, the founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association. All the selection panelists agreed that in Taiwan it is almost an impossible task to design a religious institution without iconic forms and abundant symbolic objects, and the Water-Moon Monastery has achieved it.

Taiwan Architecture Awards in 2013

Water-Moon Monastery:
Water-Moon Monastery Building
photograph courtesy of Artech Architects

Water-Moon Monastery:
Water-Moon Monastery Building
photograph courtesy of Artech Architects

The minimalist style responds to the environment modestly, and the whole area opens to the public and plays a role as an interface between the sacred and the worldly. Visitors calm down when walking past the water pond in front of the building. Entering the monastery, Heart Sutra itched on the wooden wall filters sunlight into the hall. One immediately soaks in the enlightened air. The selection panelists award this project not only because of its architectural achievement but also wish to encourage clients and architects to break away from conventional approach of religious building design that always is burdened by too many symbolic elements.

Miaoli Hakka Cultural Park:
Miaoli Hakka Cultural Park Building
photograph courtesy of Ricky Liu & Associates

Miaoli Hakka Cultural Park Building
photograph courtesy of Ricky Liu & Associates

Wulai Parking Structure
Wulai Parking Structure Building
photograph courtesy of Q-Lab Design

Wulai Parking Structure Building
photograph courtesy of Q-Lab Design

The College of Social Sciences of National Taiwan University
The College of Social Sciences of National Taiwan University Building
photograph courtesy of Toyo Ito & Associates

The College of Social Sciences of National Taiwan University Building
photograph courtesy of Toyo Ito & Associates

JJ-W B&B
JJ-W Building JJ-W Building
photograph courtesy of Open Union

Three Special Mentions are the Miaoli Hakka Cultural Park by Ricky Liu & Associates, Wulai Parking Structure by Q-Lab Design, and The College of Social Sciences of National Taiwan University by Toyo Ito & Associates. The Special Jury Award goes to JJ-W B&B by Open Union. The selection panelists had intense discussions about how public projects should respond to the surrounding nature or urban spaces, to history and to culture, before proceeding to carry out the designers’ creativity.

The regeneration of the historical building JJ-W is highly credited by the selection panel because of its efforts to catalyze the rebirth of a declining area in Tainan City. Planners and designers put their own will after their strategies to revitalize a forgotten place and the small businesses used to be the major activities of this place. With very limited resources, JJ-W has successfully made itself a cornerstone for urban regeneration with alternative approaches.

The five selection panelists are Prof. Lee Shwu-Ting, Prof. Kwan Hwa-Shan, Architect Yang Yi-Yung, Architect Malone Chang, and Japanese Architect Norihiko Dan. The 35th Taiwan Architecture Award is organized by Taiwan Architect Magazine.

Photos courtesy of Artech Architects, Picky Liu & Associates, Q-Lab Design, Toyo Ito & Associates, Open Union.

Taiwan Architecture Awards
Xiangshang Administration Center
photograph from Taiwan Architecture Awards

Taiwan Architecture Awards images / information from Taiwan Architect Magazine

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Location: Taiwan, P.R.C., eastern Asia

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Founded in 1976, TAM is the oldest professional architectural journal among Chinese readership www.twarchitect.org.tw

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Taipei Pop Music Center
render courtesy of RUR Architecture, PC
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