NATIONAL KAOHSIUNG CENTER FOR THE ARTS (WEIWUYING)
Taiwan might be a small island, but it houses the world’s largest performing arts center, the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts Weiwuying. The futuristic 14,000-square-meter performing arts complex, which is located inside the 35-acre Metropolitan Park, features four performance halls, an outdoor amphitheater, and the largest pipe organ in Asia.
Designed by the Dutch firm Mecanoo, the avant-garde complex features an undulating roof both inspired by, and resembling, the canopy of local banyan trees, and the structure itself has been built with the local subtropical climate in mind, and allows for the free flow of air between outdoor and indoor spaces.
The complex comprises four unique performance spaces: the Opera House, the Concert Hall, the Playhouse, and finally, the Recital Hall, which houses the largest pipe organ in Asia. Each of the indoor venues is meticulously designed to acoustically optimize the experience for every seat in the house, while the outdoor amphitheater, which faces the ocean, seamlessly blends into the roof of the structure.
Formerly a military recruitment center, the entire area was redeveloped as part of the Executive Yuan’s top ten stimulus projects with hopes of transforming the formerly industrial Fengshan District into an arts hub.
Chien Wen-Pin, a Taiwan native who left his position at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein to return to his home country, serves as the current Executive and Artistic Director at Weiwuying. His innovative approach to programming has focused on creating a prestigious platform for international artists to showcase their work, while supporting and encouraging the local arts. In one particular month, Taiwanese master choreographer Lin Li-Chen’s Legend Lin Dance Theater will share the Center with an international co-production of Giuseppe Verdi’s famous masterpiece Don Carlo.
There are no barriers or fences at the building’s exteriors, and anyone can freely explore the building’s exterior, even those who are just passing by. Visitors can also wander around its public spaces during the day and take in all of the incredible architecture.
For more modern art, head on over to Weiwu Mimi Street Art Village in Lingya District, former home of the Kaohsiung Taiwan Street Art Festival and home to countless apartment building sized murals.
