Abalos+Sentkiewicz project for the Taipei Performing Arts Centre

Jan 2009

By Nico Saieh — Filed under: Competitions , Abalos + Sentkiewicz, Taipei, Taiwan

The two-phase international competition for the new Performing Arts Centre in Taipei included more than 100 offices from around the world. The competition was won by OMA, and generated an intense discussion on ArchDaily.

Now we bring you a proposal from the 2nd phase by spanish architects Ábalos + Sentkiewicz. We´ll try to get more projects so you can have the whole picture on this competition.

UPDATE: You can read Architect’s description after the break.

From human being origins, people doing circles around someone who is speaking, singing, dancing or arguing -under a tree shadow if possible- has been the main characteristic of performing. Our music halls maintain this original condition and extend their geometry to the whole complex, which turns into a group of big trees with a stratified structure, as the local tropical forest, working at the same time as a functional scheme and an environmental strategy:

Over the trees a roof tour that conform a new landscape is proposed, giving identity to the complex.
Music Halls are in the trees, organized around a principal lobby and two secondary ones. Each hall adopts a particular configuration reinforced by its different coloration (gold silver, bronze).
Under the trees, topography splits in two: Upwards, composing a park protected from the sun and the rain. Downwards composing a complex of commercial galleries that extend the activity from Shilin Night Market and goes through the building.

Against the typical configuration of a principal and a back façade this project achieves a total urban isotropy, not only with four but with five facades in relation with the context.

Architects: Ábalos + Sentkiewicz Arquitectos
Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Client: Taipei City Government
Architects in Charge: Iñaki Abalos, Renata Sentkiewicz
Local Architects: Ricky Liu and Associates / Architects + Planners,
Project Team: Jorge Álvarez Builla (Project manager), Andrés Besomi Terrazas, Margaux Eyssette, Victor Garzón, Nissim Haguenauer, Pablo de la Hoz, Ismael Martín, Alfonso Miguel, Laura Torres Roa
Constructed Area: 48,105 sqm
Structural Engineer: Agustí Obiol. Boma / KLC & Associates
Green Architecture: Florencio Manteca. CENER
Performing Consultant: Wu Jing-Jyi, Hsu Po-Yun, Li Huan-Hsiun, Taiwan
Theatre consultants: Theateradvises BV, Netherlands / PAT,Taiwan
Stage mechanical: Ángel Pérez Sellers. Thyssen Krupp Spain
Acoustic Consultant: Higini Arau, Arau Acústica
M/E: Frontier Engineering / C.C.LEE & Associates
Prevention & Evacuation: Taiwan Fire Safety Consulting
Traffic: THI Consultants Inc, Taiwan
Model: Transference Cosmos Model, Taiwan
Infographics: Andrés Besomi Terrazas, Nissim Haguenauer, Pablo de la Hoz

: situation plan

: parking plan

: commercial plan

: park plan

: +19,80 plan

: +23,30 plan

: + 34,50 plan

: elevations

: sections

: levels axo

37 comments »

icecream says:

straight from an old dragonball cartoon

# January 29, 2009 at 17:23

NMiller says:

Is it just me, or does this project seem to be much larger in scale than OMA’s? Also, it is hard to compare the two projects since the OMA scheme doesn’t have nearly as much material posted and feels very incomplete in comparison.

That said, I prefer this scheme over the OMA one. The civic dimension is strong and the planning makes it more than just a strange icon.

Stylistically, it is a bit dated, but I think it is cool in a retro kind of way. It looks like Cloud City from Star Wars.

Cool.

# January 29, 2009 at 17:25

Paul says:

I agree with you. The scale is so different when comparing these two projects(OMA and Abalos+Sentkiewicz). I think this maybe a reason OMA win. The composition of space in OMA’s project is much more interesting. Three theaters can be transformed into one. So flexible, so local.

# January 29, 2009 at 17:42

Vladimir Konovalov says:

hm… I wonder how did they jurge these projects? I agree about the scale difference, this is weird, cause formally they both had one site.

I, personally, like this one, cuz OMA designs projects that are very similar and some times they look just like a copy of the one :/.

Abalos+Sentkiewicz +1

# January 29, 2009 at 19:05

Wyatt O'Day says:

I think there are two phases… this is the second one. At least that’s how the type reads at the top. Anyway, in my opinion both projects are pretty tacky.

# January 29, 2009 at 19:52

Thomas says:

Wyatt…Let’s get back to work! Damn!

# January 29, 2009 at 19:57

island says:

It’s like Oscar Niemeyer project.
but it use mix&max.

# January 29, 2009 at 19:59

powkey says:

This project lacks a connection with the city. It literally pulls the theaters away from the pedestrian level. In reality, it would be so dark beneath these jetson style behemoths that there would be nobody to do the cartwheels. I feel that they sacrificed that city connection in order to create these beautiful shapes. So other than the fact that the city dwellers experience it at its worst point, these are beautiful and look amazing popping up above the tree line, so iconic.

# January 29, 2009 at 21:02

Jon says:

Jaw-droppingly beautiful. This is truly something progressive, let’s hope they can finance it!!

# January 29, 2009 at 22:38

bothands says:

Jon, I don’t think they’re gonna “finance it” because it didn’t win…

# January 30, 2009 at 00:15

xing says:

the ground floor is attractive than its scale and style. However, I think it lost control on the scale and too much strength on the object. OMA’s proposal is a bit smart since it dispelled the scale by mixture some ugly compounds, gave me personal feeling like, very consumptional…more commercial..and it might fit TaiPei’s ego.

# January 30, 2009 at 00:43

aankun says:

it so futuristic and so huge

# January 30, 2009 at 01:37

freddy wolf says:

a Star Wars city !

# January 30, 2009 at 04:04

hj says:

it looks like the lovechild of oscar niemeyer and f.l. wright’s guggenheim, very sexy! but it should be scaled down. it is really huge, especially if you compare it to OMA’s compact proposal that forces interaction.

# January 30, 2009 at 04:40

mtd says:

it’s look like 6 WC put together…

# January 30, 2009 at 05:09

Pye says:

BIGNESS FUCK CONTEXT

# January 30, 2009 at 06:47

Sancho Panza says:

I was watching again OMA´s proposal, and I really can´t believe is the same site!!!

# January 30, 2009 at 07:05

allVishal says:

Thank god somebody remembers the cool architecture of late 80s/early 90s science fiction novel covers!

# January 30, 2009 at 07:40

this thing has no qualities, Ábalos + Sentkiewicz = megalomaniacs

# January 30, 2009 at 08:10

Vanyudhistira Silalahi says:

hot…

this models can make Global Warming..

# January 30, 2009 at 10:46

martin is just a designer says:

it makes me think of star wars

# January 30, 2009 at 11:16

Chris says:

so much better than OMA’s ridiculous proposal

# January 30, 2009 at 11:22

michael says:

Where’s Lando?

# January 30, 2009 at 12:14

ken says:

we need more information for the oma one. the oma site seems like right next to the night market. but this one seems like next to a school, which is the oma site. the site of two projects seem slightly different.

# January 30, 2009 at 12:41

odris says:

wow what a project…
increible

# January 30, 2009 at 13:03

happs says:

in plan it resembles a 50 year old proposal for milwaukee’s lakefront by brooks stevens.

# January 30, 2009 at 17:41

Almeida says:

that’s rubbish.

# January 30, 2009 at 17:51

annamatic says:

the shapes remind me of the abandoned san zhi resort, also in taiwan… those were also meant to be futuristic when they were built….

# February 7, 2009 at 23:06

mark says:

I certainly don’t recall from the last time I was in Taipei that all of the buildings had been painted brilliant white. Certainly a futuristic new look for the city!

# February 9, 2009 at 08:31

b says:

Cool! Looks like spaceships

# February 10, 2009 at 02:58

pedja says:

design is really questionable………george lucas was project manager :) ….you just have to ask yourself if these sci-fi looking mushrooms are up to the task

# February 22, 2009 at 17:56

arki says: