Taiwan tower international competition

Location :	Taichun, Taiwan / 台中
Design Team :	Jill Yang, Paul Chiang, Y. C. Wang, Why Huang/ 楊珮珩江易書王藝祺黃懷萱
Type :	Public Facility / 公共空間
Project Year :	2010

台灣塔基地位於規劃中的台中「中央生態公園」南端〈位於水湳機場原址〉，面積約一公頃，目的為塑造台中市與台灣的新地標，提供人們體驗公園、都市及自然景觀全貌的機會。

共有237名來自世界45國的建築師競逐，共選出前三名與佳作五名、優選十一名。本設計則是榮獲佳作，也是台灣唯一獲獎之團隊。

發想此案設計概念時，主要的思考是要如何在世界上眾多摩天大樓中有所突破？要如何傳遞台灣精神？要如何與自然互動、共生？顛覆摩天大樓形象form的窠臼，以formlessness為題，讓「文化」與「自然」自己成形、發光！設計概念上，讓一切物質回歸原點，以「點」為單元作出發，以光點與水氣堆砌量體並虛化量體，再藉由不同的排列形成無限的變化。

結構設計上塔的核心以鋼構框架為主體，再以一層層內建點狀「噴霧」及「光纖」系統的鋼構桿件向四周延伸，形塑出四個皮層，藉此營造立體多面向的光點影像，希望在夜間藉由這些光點堆砌出立體層次且變化無窮的台灣印象！另外再藉由噴霧系統，以點狀方式多向度地分布於塔身，藉由電腦智慧系統的控制，噴霧將搭配氣候的狀態設定多種情境，讓虛化的量體藉由噴霧位置的改變，呈現多樣的風貌。

For the Competition of Towers, Chung-yei Sheng chose to disregard the conventional importance placed on sheer height and atypical shape, instead emphasizing the essence of the building through its individual units- to design a truly original tower that would best exemplify the new Taiwanese spirit. Fortified with a center core made of light steel framing, the structure is decorated with four layers of light dots and a water vapor spraying system.

At night, the abundance and depth of these LED dots enables the tower to exhibit three-dimensional shapes such as sky lanterns and fireworks, essentials to the Taiwanese culture. During the day, the vapor spraying system gives the tower’s exterior a unique yet natural appearance, while also serving the more utilitarian function of neutralizing the city’s hot summer weather.

The idea of formlessness begins with a focus on the individual units, the millions of LED dots, which comprise the building. Similar to how the arrangement of a few different atoms can create a myriad of compounds, so too can these LED dots adapt to serve the building’s many functions. Like ice, water, and vapor, the building’s appearance can be flexible while its essence will always remain the same.