National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, Taiwan

Designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, the architecture of the National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts (Wei-Wu-Ying) is inspired by the sinuous canopy created by clusters of banyan trees commonly found in the region. Designed with the subtropical climate in mind, the open structure allows the wind to blow freely through Banyan Plaza.

The National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts provides a stunning home for thousands of locals and visitors alike to pursue cultural activities, uniting exhibition halls, theatres and public plazas under a single roof. The building covers a surface area of 141,000 sqm and is set in the spectacular 470,000 sqm subtropical park in Taiwan, making it the world’s largest performing arts centre under one roof.

It incorporates five states of the art performance spaces: a 2,236-seat Opera House, a 1,981-seat Concert Hall, a 1,210-seat Playhouse, a 434-seat Recital Hall and an Outdoor Theater linking the building to the park.

The Playhouse is designed to host a variety of drama and dance performances. Flexibility is the core element in the design of this multifunctional space. The Recital Hall has the most intimate atmosphere of the four. With its asymmetrical composition and seating across two levels, it is designed for chamber music and recital performances. The Opera House is arranged in the form of a horseshoe with three circled balconies. This theatre is suitable for Western opera, with an orchestra of over seventy musicians.