vincent callebaut architectures: agora tower, taipei, taiwan

on the last and biggest parcel of land available for residential use in taipei city, vincent callebaut’s twisting, foliage-filled ‘agora tower’ will preside over the rest of the urban xinyin district. the architect, known for his distinct eco-vision, has designed a high-density space that aims at limiting the ecologic footprint of its inhabitants by forging a symbiotic relationship between the urban dweller and nature. tall planted balconies of suspended orchards, organic vegetable gardens and and medicinal greenery will take root in the high-performance building.

all images © vincent callebaut architectures

in true cradle-to-cradle fashion, even the construction process transforms itself; industrial waste will be returned as a ‘technical nutrient’ to beindefinitely recycled. the helicoidal towers appropriate their form from the structure of DNA, conceptually speaking to the building blocks of life, as well as dynamism and twinning. four types of housing units form a full level allowing their twisting forms to optimize space for open-air hanging gardens. the angled apartments additionally offer exceptional views of the bustling city by multiplying the transversal views of the overall east-west rhomboidal pyramid. corbelled floors provide structure and privacy.  

street views show the twisted form

convex and concave curves make up the serpentine tower, surrounded by a luxuriant forest and interjected by a pedestrian square and aquatic glade. a central circular light well remains fixed and provides ample illumination and ventilation to the deepest levels of the architecture, namely the car park and swimming pool. the cylindrical void organizes the twisting ‘green core’, a vertical garden and farm cultivated by the building tenants. a looping band of circulation, comprised of 2 staircases, 4 high speed elevators and 1 car elevator, creates an entry foyer for each unit.

stepped levels optimize sunlight for gardens and greenery

photovoltaic cells, rainwater filtration systems and phyto-depuration structures complement the morphology of the landscaped balconies. ascending terraces are open air and enjoy maximum exposure to sunlight, while descending balconies are shielded by the superior level and create optimal spaces for aromatic gardens. the realization of this building is a testament to the reality that landscape can rebuild itself on the city and that ecologic resilience need not be an abstraction of far-fetched solutions.

the luxurious residences are accompanied by a lush park and plaza

interior view of the pool

curved programming characterizes the vertical ‘green core’ in the main entry lobby

a below-grade care park is well lit and ventilated with the glazed design

interior view of one of the units

the sky lobby affords panoramic views of the city

the landscape balconies lend a richness to the interior architecture

view from the tower to son gao road

a model of the building’s serpentine twist

models show night illumination

site view

elevations

mass diagram

project info:

type: competition, first prize winner in november 2010 client: bes engineering corporation, taipei contract location: xinyin district, taipei city, taiwan program: 40 luxurious apartments + facilities surface area: 42.335.34 square meters delivery: 2016 current phase: construction documents – below grade under construction green certification: LEED gold international design architect: vincent callebaut architectures, sarl paris local architect: lkp design, taipei local structure engineering: king le chang & associates, taipei local mep engineering: sine & associates, taipei international interior architect: wilson & associates (wa), los angeles international landscape architect: swa, sausalito, san francisco local landscape architect: horizon & atmosphere (h&a), taipei international lighting designer: l’observatoire international, new york local lighting designer: unolai design, taipei green consultant: enertek, taipei vca’s team: emilie diers, frederique beck, jiao yang, florence mauny, volker erlich, philippe steels, marco conti sikic, benoit patterlini, maguy delrieu, vincent callebautmodel maker: patrick laurent