I. Background and Site Context
1. Overview of Weiwuying
Weiwuying is located at the border of Lingya District and Fengshan District in Kaohsiung City. Originally a military defense area covering approximately 67 hectares, it ceased military use following a 1979 military conference decision. In 2003, the site was officially designated as parkland and planned as an integrated development combining an urban park, arts center, and commercial district. That same year, it was included in the Executive Yuan’s “New Top Ten Construction Projects,” positioned as the “Southern Taiwan National Theaters.”
The architectural design was selected through an international competition, with Mecanoo (Netherlands) and architect Francine Houben collaborating with Luo Xinghua Architects. Their design philosophy emphasizes organic forms and openness, integrating the local environment and culture to create comfortable public spaces. The facility comprises two underground levels and four aboveground levels, reaching a height of 36 meters. It houses five major performance halls, including a Drama Theater with 2,260 seats, a Medium Theater with 1,254 seats, a Concert Hall with 470 seats, and a Music Hall accommodating 2,000 seats. The large open public area known as Banyan Square blurs the boundary between interior and exterior spaces, enhancing public accessibility.
Weiwuying Metropolitan Park spans 57 hectares and retains approximately 1,000 original trees. The park incorporates ecological features such as ponds, forests, children’s play areas, and a camouflage landscape garden. It serves multiple functions including recreation, urban environmental improvement, wind protection, air purification, and disaster sheltering.
2. Concept and Objectives of the Project
The public art program at Weiwuying is designed to connect architecture, community, and history. From an urban perspective, public art links the facility with the surrounding city, strengthening residents’ sense of identity. Architecturally, it highlights the unique character of each performance hall, embodying the principle of “unity in diversity and diversity in unity.”
The project’s overarching theme, Memory under the Banyan Tree, symbolizes culture deeply rooted in the land. By transforming Weiwuying’s former military identity into a cultural and artistic space, the initiative communicates the transition from military to cultural influence, reflecting a broader shift from hard power to soft power.
3. Regional Context
Weiwuying is centrally located within the Kaohsiung metropolitan area, with convenient access via the MRT and future light rail. The site was originally a swamp and mangrove forest and later became a Japanese military base, followed by a military base under the Republic of China government. Its transformation from a military site to an urban park, and eventually to Southern Taiwan’s performing arts center, reflects a rich historical evolution. The park design integrates large-scale tree retention, ecological planning, and references to its military history, creating a green urban space that combines heritage and environmental sustainability
4. Site Analysis and Description
Site Overview
The Weiwuying Arts and Cultural Center is an international-level public cultural facility, consisting of two underground levels and four aboveground floors, with a total height of 36 meters. The center features four main performance venues: a Drama Theater with 2,260 seats, a Medium Theater with 1,254 seats, a Concert Hall with 470 seats, and a Music Hall accommodating 2,000 people. In addition to these performance spaces, the complex includes a large open public area—Banyan Square—as well as various public amenities such as multifunctional halls, a library, exhibition spaces, a bookstore, an information and multimedia center, and restaurants. The site layout and the relative positions of the halls are shown in the architectural plan.
Weiwuying is poised to become not only Taiwan’s largest, but also one of Asia’s largest performing arts centers. The design teams, including Mecanoo and Hanya Architects, focused on creating state-of-the-art performance facilities within the halls, offering audiences a cutting-edge spatial experience. In the public areas, the architects intentionally removed the “backstage” or hidden zones common in conventional buildings, using advanced design and engineering techniques to maximize openness. Banyan Square is designed as one of Asia’s largest semi-outdoor public spaces, allowing cultural and artistic activities to seamlessly blend into daily urban life.
The center’s organic design was inspired by the decades-old, unique banyan trees on the site. The interplay of positive and negative space created by the tree canopy influenced the building’s curved and permeable architectural forms. The design of Banyan Square aims to immerse visitors in the sensation of being under a banyan forest. The square is a gently undulating, shaded semi-outdoor space used by the local community for everyday recreation such as tai chi and folk dancing, as well as for outdoor performances including music events. From the ground level (+1 m) to the second floor (+5 m), Banyan Square slopes upward into an open-air lobby that supports the upper structures while remaining fully accessible. Its nearly unobstructed space allows breezes to flow freely, making it an ideal resting place even when performances are not in progress. Visitors can access the square either from surrounding streets or via public transport and the underground parking facilities, which then connect seamlessly to the four main theaters.
Banyan Square as a Reflection of History, Culture, and Landscape
Architect Francine Houben applied the Dutch “landscape-integrated” approach, using the dense, trailing banyan trees of the park as inspiration. Emphasizing “organic form” and “openness,” the architecture embodies the identity of Weiwuying. The banyan forest is symbolically represented in the building’s massing, with the positive and negative spaces of the trees reflected in the curves and perforated volumes of the structure. These spaces function as windows, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior, creating a sense of openness that draws people inside. The interior and exterior spaces merge seamlessly, offering a light and layered experience where the public can move between theaters, exercise, or relax without concern for weather conditions.
The organic forms and patterns within Banyan Square elegantly define two types of spaces: pathways that guide visitors into and through the building, and zones for diverse activities. The square, flowing like a musical composition, welcomes the public, transforming the building itself into a transparent and inviting space. This new mode of interaction introduces a fresh artistic and cultural identity for Kaohsiung, integrating art directly into the rhythms of daily life.
Spatial Metaphor and Environmental Adaptation
The design of the center not only emphasizes organic aesthetics but also addresses subtropical climate considerations. The undulating roof meets the ground at shaded outdoor areas, providing flexible spaces for community use and leisure activities. The roof reaches a maximum height of 37 meters, while Banyan Square beneath spans approximately 15 meters in height for public gatherings. The open-air lobby on the ground floor is entirely unobstructed, allowing natural airflow to create a cool oasis in Kaohsiung’s subtropical heat. Through the integration of open spaces, green belts, and the site’s expansive scale, the arts center merges with the urban park, forming a unified cultural landscape.
From the northeast entrance, visitors approaching the center can see the North Plaza, which includes large rehearsal rooms on the left, offering glimpses into the daily activities within the center. At the center is the circular glass opening of the Drama Theater, the visual focus of Banyan Square. On the right, the first and third floors house administrative offices close to the MRT station entrance. Moving toward the South Plaza, visitors pass the Music Hall’s upper-level hall and dining areas, with light from Banyan Square guiding visitors into the center. Outdoor seating is illuminated in a manner that does not interfere with performances, while the top-level hall’s restaurant and main ticketing area occupy the left side of the plaza.
II. Public Art Installation Plan
Theme and Objectives
The public art program is centered around the theme Memory under the Banyan Tree, extending the architectural concept to reflect community, historical, and environmental memories. The initiative aims to foster coexistence with the community by connecting citizens to their environment and history. It also seeks to preserve cultural memory, continuing the artistic roots of Southern Taiwan residents, while highlighting population movement, urban development, and historical evolution.
The artworks are intended to resonate with the organic design of the architecture and park, emphasizing nature and vitality. They are designed to stimulate imagination and encourage public interaction, extending the role of art beyond the building into public spaces. Additionally, the program promotes cultural exchange by linking local traditions with international artistic practices, thereby enhancing the city’s global profile.
Installation Projects
The North Side of Weiwuying Park hosts the Historical & Cultural Public Art Project, themed Weiwuying, a Poem of History. Cross-disciplinary teams—including artists working in photography, video, sound, and performance—will present the humanistic and historical memory of the area through permanent outdoor works.
On the East, West, and South sides of the park, additional public artworks, including sculptures and installations, will reflect the park’s history, ecology, and cultural characteristics. Around the park, the Art Street Project will incorporate artistic elements into street furniture and pedestrian pathways, enhancing public space aesthetics and interaction.
Finally, the Sixth Theater Art Season will feature technological and interactive art performances at Banyan Square, integrating architectural aesthetics, historical culture, and the natural environment. The season will include at least 15 performances, with projections covering at least half of the building’s front facade, encouraging active participation from the public.
