PALACE MUSEUM SOUTHERN BRANCH | KRIS YAO | ARTECH
Chiayi, Taiwan
Description provided by the architect. Composed of three distinct fluid forms, each represents inspiration from the three Chinese calligraphy strokes: the thick ink, the half-dry, and the smearing, the Palace Museum Southern Branch will present itself as an ink-dark, sensuous sculptural form sitting within the surrounding green rice and sugar cane fields.
The three forms also contain different functions: due to sensitivity of natural light level for the artifacts, the solid form houses the curatorial department and exhibition halls; the glass-and-steel “void” volume facilitates museum lobby, café, library and administration offices; the third smearing stroke flows through intersecting solid and void forms, linking various spaces with smooth circulation pattern.
Visitors arrive at the gate of the museum site will have a glance at the main building across the lake. After crossing a curved pedestrian bridge, which is an integral part of the architecture design, one would pass under the glass volume and arrive at a tranquil bamboo courtyard before entering the museum building.
In the grand lobby, large glass curtain wall frames the views of the lake and landscape. A grand stairway gently rises up and leads visitors to the orientation room where the glass volume hits the solid volume as the exhibitions unfold.
The exterior of the solid form is composed of more than 36,000 pieces of cast aluminum “disks” attached to the curved surfaces, depicting an ancient bronze dragon and cloud patterns using modern digitized design. As the sun moves, the reflection from the disks will reveal a “moving” dragon in the clouds on this uniquely designed façade.
Project Details
Location: Chiayi, Taiwan
Clients: National Palace Museum
Firm: KRIS YAO | ARTECH
Architect: Kris Yao
Team:
Project Principle: Kuo-Chien Shen
Project Manager: Winnie Wang
Design Team: Chien-Yi Wu, Lien-Tang Chen, Jake Sun, Frank Lu, Ting-Tseng Shen, Wen-Li Liu, Ting-Fung Ho, Wen-Ling Liao, Miya Yu
Inspection Team: Calvin Chen, Yi-Seng Tsai, Jui-Hung Lin, Stanley Liu, Bruce Wu, Jason Lin, Yun-Yi Wang, Hui-Ting Yu, Sam Chuang, Chu-Chun Chang, Hui-Ling Lee, Dawson Hung, Sam Chang, Yi-Ti Tsai, Yu-Ching Chen
Project Supervisor: Glen Lu, Jun-Ren Chou, Tien-Yu Lo
Consultants:
Structural: King – Le Chang & Associates
Plumbing, Electric, & Fre Protection: Majestic Engineering Consultants Inc.
HVAC: I. S. Lin & Associates Consulting Engineers
Landscape: CNHW Planning and Design Consultant, TOPO Design Group (SD stage)
Building Physics: ARUP
Facade: maRco façade Studio
Lighting: Chroma 33 Architectural Lighting Design
Landscape Bridge Design and Inspection: T. Y. Lin Taiwan Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Contractor:
Building and Landscape: Lee Ming Construction Co., Ltd.
Landscape Bridge: Hua Chou Construction Co., Ltd.
Building Structure: Steel Structure, Reinforced Concrete
Exterior Materials: Cast Aluminum Disk, Glazed Curtain Wall, Low-E Glass, Mosaic Tile
Building Use: Museum
Floor Levels: 4 Floors above ground，1 Floor below ground
Site Area: Approx. 682,000㎡ (Overall Site Area), Approx. 238,000㎡ (Site Area)
Lot Coverage: Approx. 19,000㎡
Gross Building Area: Approx. 38,000㎡
Design Phase: 2011-2013
Construction Phase: 2013-2015
Completed: December 2015
Note: International Architecture Showcase 2013 (IAS)—Palace Museum, Southern Branch, Taiwan representative to anticipate the exhibition
Award: First Prize, National Palace Museum Southern Branch Competition
2016: Taiwan Architecture Award Special Award
