Kinmen Central Library and Art Museum
The Landscape of Culture
How to transform a post-war landscape into a cultural landmark?
Kinmen, an island closer to China than Taiwan, with its unique geographical location and rich geological textures, has emerged from its tumultuous history with pride. Today, well-preserved natural landforms and cold war battlefield relics coexist harmoniously, accumulating in distinctive architectural and cultural layers. Adhering to respect for the humanities and the natural environment, we propose a sustainable transformation strategy based on meticulous environmental research, in terms of the island's unique culture, history, ecology, and climate.
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2022 (Commissioned to Built)
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Museum + Library & Cultural Park
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Kinmen, Taiwan
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Professional work at JJP Architects & Planners
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Structural Engineer: Team Engineering Consulting
Library Management: Sherry Chen,
Museum and Content Development: Beatrice P.N. Hsieh
Landscape Architect: Joseph R.Y. Lee
Physical Model: Eagle Model
Exterior Render and Film Making: MXM Architecture CGI
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-Winner, WAF Re-use Category 2023
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The Shuang-Ru Military Base
The base is one of the most extensive underground military fortifications built in Kinmen after the artillery war in 1954. The ring-shaped tunnel runs through the entire military base and will become the core area of the Art and Culture Zone in the future.
Form Follows Context: In Line with Terrain and History
The unique geology of red earth has formed today's rich valley terrain and ecosystem after thousands of years of erosion. In respect of this, the initial configuration begins with the premise of fully preserving the environment. The architectural outline is designed according to the terrain of the river valley to minimize the disturbance to the environment and further connect the historical trench.
Cooperative Spaces for Library and Museum
As a fusion of a museum and a library, the cultural complex transcends the traditional confines of learning solely from books or artworks, serving instead as a conduit for hybrid forms of communication and knowledge sharing. The intermediary space between the library and the museum facilitates diverse modes of cultural exchange.
Facade as the Cultural Front
Externally, the entire complex is shrouded with a veil of terra cotta panels, whose expression resemble books shelves, with the orientation of each panel carefully studied to enhance daylighting while control glare. Taking inspiration from the work of local artist Shi-Chi Lee, the project integrates the building within an art park setting, creates a system of interwoven circulation paths, and incorporates the use of regional materials and colors, all of which results in a unique architectural typology that will become the defining cultural landmark of Kinmen.
