Kaohsiung is growing rapidly as Taiwan’s largest port city, which has created the need for updated infrastructure that presents a cohesive and modern face to the city. The new cruise ship terminal will blend its boundaries into a large urban park nearby. The arched building slopes down into a low-angled urban park, which doubles as a green roof for the cruise terminal and underground parking.
The cruise terminal tower houses multi-functional spaces, a conference hall, and office spaces with views of the water and surrounding port. Inspired by the form of a wave, the arched roof is covered in building integrated solar panels, which are used as a design element as well as for power generation. Oriented on an east-west axis, the terminal would take advantage of the sun as it moves across the sky.
South-facing windows avoid direct solar gain with an adjustable louvered wall crafted from reused shipping containers. The building’s mixed-use space makes it a multi-functional addition to the city, and extra open built-in space will allow the terminal to be flexible for future uses.
Via eVolo and Architecture Lab
