The New York Times
Date: Jan. 29, 2019
By: Chris Horton

The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Known as Weiwuying after its surrounding park, it is the world’s largest performing arts center under one roof. Credit: An Rong Xu for The New York Times

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan — The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan stands out for its colossal presence and undulating design.

Some people here say it looks like a spaceship. Others think it resembles a giant stingray.

One point is not contested, however. With a look inspired by banyan trees and the local shipping industry, the arts center has raised the cultural prestige of this southern Taiwanese city while providing residents with a popular public space.

The performing arts center, known as Weiwuying after its surrounding park, is the world’s largest under one roof. The $348 million facility opened last October with indoor and outdoor concerts, signaling its arrival as a new destination for world-class performances in Kaohsiung, long derided by Taiwanese as being a “cultural desert.”    [FULL  STORY]