On the grounds of the former Taichung Airport, the city government is planning to develop 5 districts with different profiles (financial, technological, residential, and cultural). In order to start developing this vast area of land, an international competition is being proposed for Taichung Gateway Park, which would transform it into the “lung” of the complex and would become a wonderful pedestrian link connecting it.

Functional Program

In this proposal, green is given the top priority at the expense of roads that pass underneath. The project suggests converting the site into a large plant mass where water and trees take center stage and serve as the prelude to the construction of 3 sets of public buildings: the Taichung City Cultural Center, the Taichung Movie City, and the brand-new Taiwan Tower that, with its 300 m height, will become a new city landmark. In such wise, sustainability, urban planning, and architecture are intertwined in a balanced way in an extensive surface of wild forests on which a large activity park aims to become the new paradigm of the city.

Opportunities

Based on various analyses, the present program for the project consists of a vehicular and pedestrian network that connects the city’s districts, the green areas, and the lakes derived from Gateway Park via a series of platforms directly associated with recreational and sporting activities. Five districts will be brought together in a green lung for the city, a corridor park on which the city’s tech, financial, residential, and cultural sectors are fragmented, with a large vegetal extension that will serve as the city’s main artery. There are three emblematic public buildings in this enclave, the Taiwan Tower being the most important.