Suspended Geology

Located on the old 19C bed of the Keelung River, the site for the Taipei Performing Arts Center is an urban island. This project connects the island to Taipei’s larger civic network by extending nearby Shilin Market—one of Taiwan’s most vibrant night markets—beneath the canopy of the building, and reinforcing the axis along the city rail line. The interior spaces are denuded to expose the theaters and major programs as sculpted volumes. A massive horizontal lobby hovers above street-level as well as providing for the functional practicality of a dense service zone.