Hualien Residences

Hualien, China

Photo © Jinho Lee

Photo © Cat Huang

Photo © Jinho Lee

Photo © KILO

Visualization © BIG

Arquitectos: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

Localização: Hualien, China
Ano: 2015

Hualien is a rapidly developing city located in the middle portion of Taiwan’s East coast. TLDC, a prominent land developer based in Taipei, has recently obtained license to turn what used to be an industrial and factory region into a world class beach resort. The site is located prominently along the coast and near the intersection of two river deltas. Taiwan’s spine of mountains can be seen to the west while the coast is to the east; Hualien city is to the north.

For the masterplan, a language of green landscape stripes is used to create a mountain landscape of commercial and residential program that reflect their natural counterparts in the background. The stripes run east-west to frame the best views while also becoming an optimal shading system for Taiwan’s hot and humid tropical climate. High glare, low angle morning and evening sun is effortlessly blocked by the stripes while favorable north-south light is allowed into the units. Green roofs further mitigate heat gain and combined with the striping create a low energy masterplan.