Dawn Pavilion & Triumph Hall

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Collaborated With

Steven Holl

Location

New Taipei City, Taiwan

Client

Project Type

Other Projects

Construction Management

Project Facts

Designed-Completed

2010-

Size

Site Area: 33,976 sqm

Floor Area: 47,777 sqm

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Located just 40 minutes from Taipei with stunning sea views, Chinpaosan Memorial Park requires a new welcome center to serve its existing 10,000 burial plots, alongside planning a new facility to accommodate an additional 150,000 columbarium niches. The Arrival Hall includes a hotel with 21 guest rooms, a restaurant, a ceremonial chapel, and two small museums.

After exploring several concepts to find a sacred spatial expression for the site, the design ultimately evolved into a series of interlocking spheres. Model studies revealed that the overlapping perspectives generate a remarkable spatial energy.

The geometry of these intersecting spheres resonates with ancient and rich symbolic meanings. In the ‘I Ching’, the earth is represented as square, while the sky is circular.

These overlapping spheres are embedded in a configuration situated above a water surface, incorporating the ocean horizon into the composition.

Natural light is introduced through openings within the spheres, illuminating the interior spaces. The columbarium niches, which occupy the majority of the building’s volume, are arranged in diverse patterns including radial, circular, and orthogonal layouts.

The Oceanic Pavilion is constructed of white concrete, with doors and partitions crafted from cypress wood. The 21 guest rooms and restaurant in the welcome center extend along the site’s shape, forming a four-story space articulated with spherical perforations.