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modernizing:

Linked Hybrid by Steven Holl Architects.

The 220,000 square meter pedestrian-oriented Linked Hybrid complex, sited adjacent to the site of old city wall of Beijing, aims to counter the current urban developments in China by creating a new twenty-first century porous urban space, inviting and open to the public from every side. Filmic urban public space; around, over and through multifaceted spatial layers, as well as the many passages through the project, make the Linked Hybrid an “open city within a city”. The project promotes interactive relations and encourages encounters in the public spaces that vary from commercial, residential, and educational to recreational. The entire complex is a three-dimensional urban space in which buildings on the ground, under the ground and over the ground are fused together.

modernizing:

Openair.

The continued success of Taiwan as one of Asia’s prominent economies lies in the ability of its cities to adapt and evolve in order to compete within the global trade network. Being one of Taiwan’s oldest cities and being a major Asian seaport places Kaohsiung within the highest rank of cities that will influence Taiwan’s future trajectory. The successful hosting of the World Games in 2009 marked a milestone on Kaohsiung’s ambitious plan to transform itself from a historical port city into an international metropolis, and national contemporary, cultural hub. The transformative ability demonstrated by Kaohsiung serves testament to a city whose residents are practical, resourceful, and adaptive to the forces of change; during the postwar era, the city succeeded in forging a steel industry from the skeletal ruins of the port itself.

Openair seeks to capture the spirit of Kaohsiung, of this vibrant city, in the sensual form of the port and cruise service centre. By marrying traditional passive energy techniques with modern inventiveness and technologies, Openair embraces the sub-tropical climate through its series of open and enclosed spaces. The terminal stakes a position between city and sea, providing breathtaking vistas upon each, and facilitating unencumbered movement between these flanking realms.