Façade
As the viewer passes along the roundabout at one of the liveliest street crossings in Kaohsiung the curved façade appears as an ever-changing pattern brought to life in three dimensions.
Technically acting as a sunscreen and weather barrier the façade is fully glazed and combines the curtain wall glazing with horizontal lamellas and vertical glass fins. Instead of following a traditional grid, the position and size of each of the façade elements are derived from a twisted frame system, which is related to the interior organization of the building. The concave front of the building displays different fluent forms when seen from various distances and directs the visual field of the customers immersed in the spiraling escalator movement.
To enhance the dynamic effect of the façade edge -lighting is introduced for the vertical glass fins to spread soft colours onto the facade at night. Like an oversized lamp the shopping centre becomes fully illuminated and the lighting intensity, vibrancy and colour effects are digitally controlled and choreographed to add another layer of fluidity to the building’s skin.
Interior
The concept for the interior organization of the department store reacts to the ambition to develop a luxurious store on several floors with multiple access points. Therefore the central circulation space is designed as a continuous floor space merging in to one vertical space, the void space.
The geometric principle of the vertical void space is the allocation of the elements of vertical circulation around the central zone of the store. In synchronization with the rotation of the façade geometry the sets of escalators spiral upwards to the tenth level and connect with the two basement levels. Through the vertical void customers have clear sight lines, and get a glimpse of the shop facades and activities around this public void.
All public circulation is arranged at different floor levels; the vertical space acts as a way-finding instrument and as an orientation point both in the city and within the building.