OMA’s Taipei Performing Arts Center Opens
The Taipei Performing Arts Center designed by OMA is open to the public. The project is directed by Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten at Taipei’s Shilin Night Market. This modern theater created controversy among developers when it was first announced in 2009 due to its unusual shape. Decorated with a series of action plans, the form combines three types of theater so that it can perform a variety of performances. Now this space for cultural creators is open, allowing the public to explore new trends in theater and see different theaters.
When we first visited Taipei for the competition, we felt that it was a city with an appetite for experimentation. This building is the answer to that discovery. We put three traditional theaters together in a way that gives theater producers new possibilities for theater productions. We are proud to be part of the effort to realize a sports center, which was only possible with the knowledge, skills, and perseverance of the city, partners, and builders. – Rem Koolhaas, OMA Founder of Relationships
The building has a spherical 800-seat Globe Playhouse, a 1,500-seat Grand Theater, and an 800-seat Blue Box integrated into the cube. The cube houses the stage, backdrop, and support areas of the three theaters, allowing the Grand Theater and Blue Box to be combined to form the Super Theatre, an unimaginably large theater space. The theater has opaque facades, which create a contrast with the illuminated central cube clad in stained glass.
It is very interesting to see cultural producers, audiences and visitors using the building both as we imagined and in unexpected ways. The theater culture and the attractive street culture live in this public building and around the site. For us, this fusion of cultures captures the energy of Taipei, a city that is always open to change.- David Gianotten, OMA Managing Partner.
The project is led by Rem Koolhaas, David Gianotten, and Project Director Chiaju Lin, along with Taiwanese design collaborator KRIS YAO | ARTECH. Design consultants include Inside Out, Arup, dUCKS Scéno, and Royal HaskoningDHV.
