TransGlobe Life Taipei Hope Square

A vibrant Taipei development that powers the electronics district forward while honouring the charm of its old neighbourhood.

Location

Taiwan

Client

TransGlobe Life Insurance Inc.

Architect

Archea Associati S.r.l., TMA Architects & Associates, LIN + Architects

Project Status

Completed

Dubbed as ‘Taiwan’s Akihabara’, the Bade Shopping District is the go-to place for latest electronics and computer-related goods for many locals. The area was further planned as the Taipei Information Park in two phases. With the latest occupancy by TransGlobe Life Insurance, the latest third phase, on the parcel of the original parking lots of the Guang Hua Plaza, is now turned into a compound for retail and offices use, which have nine floors above the ground and four floors below the ground with a total GFA of 44,050 sq.m. It serves as a linkage between the existing electronic plaza, the community and the Future Ready commercial development, with a vision to present ‘hope’ to the future generations of Taiwan.

WSP Taiwan office was involved in project management, construction management and final inspection for the handover of the project, which was completed and opened in late 2021.

Preserving the old tree for the future

An old 13.5m-tall banyan tree was on the original site as the landmark of the community. It was therefore being preserved as a focal point of the project and required a thorough plan in the whole design and construction processes, which inevitably affecting the shape and layout of the building. The building was thus designed to build along the arc of the tree canopy like it is embracing the tree to allow space for its future growth. During the construction process, protection layers were added underground to prevent physical and chemical damages to the roots.

Moreover, LED growth lightings were installed on the curved façade around the tree to ensure sufficient light source for photosynthesis. The preservation effort showcases the project’s commitment to developing sustainably and fulfilling its notion as a ‘hope’ square.

Careful planning on site conditions

The project was required to pass urban design review process to comply with local regulations. WSP assisted the design team in reviewing and integrating regulation requirements to fulfil design expectations.

The project is situated above the restricted area of Taipei Metro and High-Speed Rail tunnel, so the project has to make any possible displacement of the tunnel must be detected and monitored during the entire construction period.

Tailored flat slab construction

To maximise the clearance of the basement for parking and retail spaces, flat slabs with thickness of 30cm were designed. Thus, the forming and shoring systems were carefully monitored due to thicker slabs and heavier concretes, as well as the timing for dismantling the shoring system.

With its outstanding quality of design and work, the project has been well recognised by a number of awards, including the Special Award in Commercial Building Planning and Design Category at the prestigious FIABCI-Taiwan Real Estate Excellence Awards in 2020.