Heart of Love River / Malone Chang Architects

Architects: Malone Chang Architects
Project Team: Malone Chang (architect), Yi-Heng Hsu (project architect), Tz-Tzen Huang (design team)
Location: Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Structural Engineer: Tien-Hun Engineering Consultant Inc.
Constructed Area: Approximately 60,000 sqm
Project year: 02/2006 - 11/2007
Photographs: Guei-Shiang Ke, Habou Chen

Love River penetrates the industrial city, Kaohsiung. In recent years, the revitalization of the Love River has turned the river banks and its adjacent land from urban run-down area to popular recreation and tourist attractions. The project “Heart of Love River” is the key element of this important environmental revolution. Its importance is three-fold: bringing the river cruise to the geometric center of the city and allow the cruises to make 360 degree turn; improving the flood detention capacity of the river; and marking the entering image of northern Kaohsiung.

By creating three bridges plus two lakes, this project defines cruise and pedestrian circulation, and various activities by multiple layers of sectional divisions. The boundaries of fields such as grass, water, and paving are implied by floating bridges and extending decks. The bridges form a fashionable urban catwalk, hovering the busy artery. Perforated metal cladding filters light from within, and renders the whole field a blurry and mysterious aura.