Symbolism
This proposal is to create a new icon for Kaohsiung. A city of the
future, a city which will become a new Asian centre of culture and which
is a symbol of a democratic and free society of the 21st century. We
have designed a building, surrounded by
a boat lagoon, a long rounded structure following the site’s
arch-like layout. A snake - serpent which winds along the shore and
welcomes not just incoming boats. With open arms to welcome new
arrivals. The white sides of the horizontal boards layered together are
reference to boat decks. A silk ribbon (silk path) floating above the
Love River mouth to the ocean. A BRIDGE uniting both embankments, the
east and west embankment. It symbolises the union of Eastern and Western
principles, a union
of tradition and the future. An open, transparent structure
symbolising an open and free political democracy. The expressive form of
the snake also speaks of the dynamically developing Taiwanese economy
and prosperity, of the importance of Kaohsiung on the cultural and
economic map of the world. The design demonstrates that a symbiosis of
traditional culture with the dynamically changing global world brings a
new quality of open thinking and global connections to the life of the
citizens of Kaohsiung and all those who come here. The snake brings
unity, protects the entrance to the city and its gentle curve in the
Kaohsiung bay lovingly escorts citizens and visitors to the city.
Design & context of the site
The design is a sensitive response to the context of the city of
Kaohsiung, which prides itself on the unique mix of surrounding hills,
the ocean, rivers and the harbour. We are creating a new complex based
on a mix of global design, the latest high-tech technology, local
traditions and principles. A mix of the traditional and Western
lifestyles. A harmony of tradition and future. The design of the
proposed complex arises from the topography of the site: the arch
symbolises a welcoming embrace and the gate to New Kaohsiung. The
expressive, dynamic yet harmonious, even calm forms integrate the whole
complex with the harbour. The graceful and undulating curves of the
decks make reference to the movements of the boats arriving and leaving
the harbour. The cultural and social centre with its upright head facing
into the future to come, just as for New Kaohsiung, represents its
future-facing direction. The building gives a new face to the harbour.