{"id":10291,"date":"2015-09-23T13:10:00","date_gmt":"2015-09-23T13:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/architizer.wpengine.com\/the-new-taiwan\/"},"modified":"2022-05-31T10:19:48","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T14:19:48","slug":"the-new-taiwan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/stories\/the-new-taiwan\/","title":{"rendered":"The New Taiwan: Richard Meier\u2019s Monument to Modernism Stands in Contrast to Taipei\u2019s PoMo Past"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blending the influences of Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Meier and Partners Architects<\/a> could be considered the ultimate conduit of 20th-century modernism in contemporary practice. The American firm\u2019s distinctive aesthetic is immediately recognizable and stands as a present-day ode to those modern masters in contrast with a plethora of styles constructed in the meantime. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, where Meier\u2019s latest building is rising in the city\u2019s eastern district.<\/p>\n

Commissioned by Continental Development Corporation, the Xin-Yi Residential Tower<\/a> \u2014 otherwise known as \u201cTimeless 55\u201d \u2014 is being constructed just a block away from CY Lee\u2019s soaring, postmodern skyscraper, the super-tall Taipei 101<\/a>. The juxtaposition of these two buildings marries two divergent paths of thought in contemporary architectural theory, setting up a playful \u201cbattle of styles\u201d in one of Asia\u2019s most modern metropolises.<\/p>\n

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C.Y. Lee<\/a>\u2019s 1,671-foot-tall tower \u2014 the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 \u2014 is rich with symbolism, evoking the traditional forms of an Asian pagoda, a stalk of bamboo, and a stack of Chinese money boxes. Meanwhile, Meier\u2019s residential skyscraper is entirely unconcerned with metaphor, driven instead by a desire for \u201cgeometric clarity and openness,\u201d according to the firm.<\/p>\n

Having said this, Meier is far from oblivious to Taipei\u2019s rich heritage and culture. \u201cAs a city rooted in tradition, as well as one of the global hubs in technological innovation, Taipei encapsulates the history of Taiwan,\u201d reflects the architect. \u201cWe hope this building will contribute to the vitality and the public life of the city center.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Meier has endeavored to make this contribution via a series of carefully considered details that allow space and light to reign supreme all the way up the tower. The architectural model \u2014 constructed with characteristic craft by Meier\u2019s team \u2014 gives an indication of the building\u2019s rhythmic cladding and impossibly thin mullions, which should result in fa\u00e7ades defined by sharp shadows and intense blocks of light.<\/p>\n

\u201cNatural light is a very important element of the CDC \u201c55 Timeless\u201d Xin-Yi Residential Tower, and the architectural grid helps to bring all the elements of the building into a rational organization so that all of these elements are interrelated both horizontally and vertically,\u201d comments Meier. \u201cThis, by consequence, affects the structure and the detailing of the building, bringing everything into a harmonious whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The resulting building exudes all the crisp, whiter-than-white qualities we have come to expect from Meier over the decades. The external envelope appears to have been crafted from laser-cut paper, its gleaming surface in stark relief against the mottled hues of the surrounding buildings. One might doubt whether or not the finished building could possibly match the luminous finish of the renders \u2014 but one look at Meier\u2019s previous works<\/a> shows that the firm has had this spotlessly clean aesthetic mastered for many years already.<\/p>\n

The other notable feature of Meier\u2019s design lies at its base: a landscaped plaza at ground level will be entirely dedicated to the public, a move that represents a refreshing precedent for private developments in Taipei. Meanwhile, luxury amenities are to be situated at the top of the building: a pool and terrace will offer residents framed views of the mountains in one direction and Taipei 101 in the other.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n

The building\u2019s superstructure is on track to be finished by the end of this year, and completion is scheduled for 2017. At this point, a true comparison with Timeless 55\u2019s postmodern counterpart will be possible, and, regardless of your feelings about either branch of contemporary thinking, it should provide for a striking exhibition of formal contrast in the heart of this burgeoning city.<\/p>\n

It is unclear exactly how Meier himself feels about the theatrical silhouette of Taipei 101, but, if his shimmering new apartment building is anything to go by, the American architect is quite comfortable sticking with his defiant, consistent brand of modernism. In this case, buildings speak louder than words \u2014 and Taipei\u2019s diverse collection of architectural styles will soon be richer for it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Blending the influences of Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier, and Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Meier and Partners Architects could be considered the ultimate conduit of 20th-century modernism in contemporary practice. 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