WOHA Completes First Green Mixed-Use Development in Taiwan

Written by Christele Harrouk
Published on December 11, 2019

Sky Green, WOHA’s first project in Taichung, Taiwan has just been completed. Commissioned by the developer Golden Jade, with Feng Chia University as an advisor, the project is the first green and sustainable mixed-use development in the city.

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Located in the heart of the city, Sky Green comprises of two towers of residential apartments and retail shops, with various recreational facilities. With a concept based on green landscaping, WOHA, famous for its biophilic approach to design, imagined a green façade for the towers, in order to introduce nature into the high-rise living. In fact, “tower A apartments have extended balconies with trees and tower B apartments have a soft, green creeper mesh screen on their façade”, and skygardens at every 5 floors, underline furthermore the natural approach of the project.

We are very happy to have been a part of this collaboration between policy makers, academia and the private sector to design the future of sustainable housing in Taichung. […] One building can’t change a city but we hope that Sky Green is the first of many more. -- Mun Summ Wong, founding director of WOHA.

Adapted to the local culture, climate, earthquakes and typhoons emergencies, the design of the towers is very contextual. Actually, Sky Green, considered as the first high-density development in Taichung, is very influential “in defining the new benchmark of sustainability and skyrise greenery for the city’s future developments”.

Working with WOHA on Sky Green has brought a global perspective to our company vision and sustainability goals […] Sky Green was first conceptualized seven years ago and WOHA came on board a year later. Now, after 5 years of construction, we are happy to present the outcome of this collaborative effort to you. -- David Zhang, chairman of Golden Jade Corporation.

With projects currently under construction in Singapore, India, Bangladesh, China, and Australia, WOHA, the Singapore-based practice was initially invited back in 2012, by the Taichung City Government and Feng Chia University to bring its exhibition “Breathing Architecture” to Taichung, part of an elaborate program to draft design principles to generate a greener, more liveable city.

Project Title: Sky Green, Taichung, Taiwan
Project Location: Gongyi Road, Taichung, Taiwan
Architects: WOHA
Client / Main Contractor: Golden Jade Construction & Development Corp
Local Architect: Archiman Architects Planners Associates
Mechanical & Electrical Engr: Jin Ding Electrical Machinery Industry Technician’s Office
Civil & Structural Engr: DAYAN Engineering Consultant CO.LTD
Landscape Consultant: Feng Chia University Architecture Research Design Centre
Lighting Consultant: LHLD Lighting Design LLC
Main Contractor: Golden Jade Construction & Development Corp