Taichung Hundred Towers

We have already written about the project that won an international competition in Taiwan Tower Competition proposal, which was held in Taichung, Taiwan. Today we represent outstanding challenging piece of art of young Swedish architects from the company Visiondivision - Ulf Mejergren and Anders Berensson, who also took part in it.

When the Taiwan Tower competition in Taichung asked participants for an iconic landmark skyscraper, that will emphasize the beauty and grandeur of the island, Visiondivision responded with a cluster of over 100 slender towers that challenges the expected experiences within and aesthetics of a 21st century tower. On what motivated them to create this concept, we were told the authors of the project - Ulf Mejergren and Anders Berensson.

What ideas would express a team of architects, offering a range of the towers?
We challenge the expected experiences within and aesthetics of a 21st century tower. Submitted Tower Town, a result of examining the traditional skyscraper and questioning its spatial offerings, creates a dense urban environment with its fragmented massing. The competition asked for a new landmark for Taichung and when these competitions tend to happen, they are very cosmetic in their approach and often it is only the visual aspects, it is nothing wrong with that but we also wanted to include a unique spatial experience in our proposal, so the landmark could be a vivid part of the city and not only an object looked from afar.

The idea was about creating an impressive addition to the city’s skyline as well as offering the inhabitants an intense urban experience. A tall building is simply not enough in the endeavour for an emblematic skyscraper in the 21st century. The sensation seeking of a high solitaire object has been the predominant show-off for the last century where the height has been limited to a combination of building technique and money. The construction of high-rise headquarters for any corporation has become a matter of prestige.

With growing economies all over the world and leaps in technology; the record race has become more obscure than ever with record holdings that only will last a couple of years with today’s pace. The tall lone building has been done so many times before, it doesn’t matter if you tweak it, swirl it, punctuate it, clad it with new materials; it still will more or less be the same. If you go up the elevators of Empire State Building, Sears Towers, Pearl Tower or any other solitaire, it is pretty much the same experience. To make new world wonders, new typologies must be found, making architecture and spatial experience once again the main key to success.

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Text TATIANA Ushkova , photo Visiondivision