Taiwan Today
Date: April 19, 2016
Wei Wu Ying Center for the Arts in Kaohsiung City is set for completion in June,
Wei Wu Ying Center for the Arts in the southern port city of Kaohsiung is shaping up as a world-class performing arts venue. (Courtesy of Kaohsiung City Government)
sowing the seeds for the rise of southern Taiwan as a hub of performing arts in Asia.
Designed by internationally renowned Mecanoo Architecten b.v., a Netherlands-based architecture and planning company led by Francine M. J. Houben, the world-class performance center is set to open in 2017. It incorporates flowing lines and blends seamlessly with the many banyan trees dotting the 65-hectare site.
The center boasts 141,000 square meters of floor space, a central theater seating 2,260, a medium-sized auditorium accommodating 1,254, a concert hall for 2,000 and a recital hall holding 470. Other facilities include an outdoor plaza and a rooftop promenade.
During an inspection tour of the NT$10.6 billion (US$327.4 million) project April 17, President Ma Ying-jeou said the center highlights the commitment of the government to vitalizing the southern Taiwan cultural scene, as well as promoting balanced regional development. [FULL STORY]
