Tuesday, October 17, 2006

INT'L ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION LAUNCHED FOR KAOHSIUNG ARTS COMPLEX

Taipei, Oct. 16 (CNA) The Council for Cultural Affairs (CCA) launched an international architectural competition Monday to design the largest performing arts complex in Taiwan -- a NT$6.5 billion (US$200 million) project to create the National Kaohsiung Performing Arts Center (NKPAC).

"We hope the arts complex will be the catalyst to begin bridging the cultural gap between northern and southern Taiwan," CCA vice chairperson Hong Ching-feng said of the center, which will be located in the southern metropolis of Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second largest city.

The NKPAC will occupy the 67-hectare Wei-Wu-Ying Metropolitan Park (a former military base), and include three theaters and one concert hall -- providing a total seating capacity of 5,800.

In addition to the NKPAC's main building, the project includes the design and planning for the surrounding area, Wei-Wu-Ying Metropolitan Park and nearby Zongzheng Park.

Architects from around the world are eligible to enter the two-stage open competition to secure a NT$702 million contract (US$21.2 million) with the best design. The winner will be announced in March 2007, said Lin Cho-hao, director of the NKPAC preparatory office.

"Hopefully the project will be mentioned in the same breath as New York's Central Park and London's Hyde Park," said Hsu Po-yun, who serves as commissioner of the CCA's Committee on Architectural Art and is one of the competition's 10 jurors.

The NKPAC's construction is expected to be completed in 2011, Lin said.