kubota & bachmann architects: new taipei city museum of art

‘new taipei city museum of art’ by kubota & bachmann architects in taipei, taiwan all images courtesy kubota & bachmann

zurich-based practice kubota & bachmann architects (toshihiro kubota, yves bachmann) has completed an entry into the open design competition of the ‘new taipei city museum of art (NTCArt)’, a cultural facility located in the south of taipei city, taiwan between the mountains and dahan river. using a curio box as a launchpad for the design, the museum stacks a multitude of boxes vertically to result in a minimized footprint and a variety of perspective frames of the surrounding landscape.

exterior view from art workshop

seeking to create a collective structure of several different types of museums, the arrangement of the NTCArt is transparent and can be clearly read from the exterior: boxes of different sizes and heights accommodate a diverse variety of artworks and expositions with a unique view of the island of taipei from each ‘urban window’.

the entrance of the NTCArt serves as an ‘urban gate’ that provides independent access to each part of the museum. fully integrated into the elements of the plot, the open passageway connects the ceramic art plaza and the art workshop together, with entries into a ground floor restaurant, gift shop, and a bookstore. hosting a variety of exhibition spaces at different levels, the design aims to satisfy a number of functions and programmatic needs in one form.

urban gate – view from entrance foyer to ceramic art plaza

urban window – view from lobby of special exhibit space for children’s arts

rendered sectional

situational plan

site plan

floor plan / level -1 / -7.00m

floor plan / level 0 / 0.00m

floor plan / level +2 / +14.00m

floor plan / level +4 / +26.00m

floor plan / level +6 / +38.00m

floor plan / level +7 / +44.00m

floor plan / level +9 / +56.00m

floor plan / level +10 / +62.00m

project info:

client: new taipei city government type of competition: two-stage open competition site area: 20,000 m2 building surface: 28,350 m2 / sub total, 51,050 m2 / grand total

designer: toshihiro kubota, yves bachmann local architect: LYA architects & planners landscape architect: bassinet turquin paysage ingenieurs structure: bollinger + grohmann ingenieure / klaas de rycke architects: anthony thevenon, marine rouanet artist collaboration: clement valla