Realisation Star Place
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Nov 2008
UNSTUDIO
The construction of the Star Place department store in Kaohsiung has reached completion and the grand opening will take place on Nov 12th. Technically acting as a sunscreen and weather barrier the curved façade is fully glazed and combines curtain wall glazing with horizontal lamellas and vertical glass fins. The position and size of each of the façade elements are derived from a twisted frame system, which is related to the interior organisation of the building. The concave front displays different fluent forms when seen from varying distances and directs the visual field of the customers traveling on the spiraling escalators. Edge-lighting for the vertical glass fins spreads soft colours onto the façade by night. The lighting intensity and colour effects are digitally controlled and choreographed adding another layer of fluidity to the building's skin.
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Star Place Interior
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, 2006 - 2008
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 void. 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, with views of the shop facades and activities around this public void. The vertical space also acts as a way-finding instrument and as an orientation point.
Data
Client: President Group, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Location: Kaohsiung Star Place, Kaohsiung
Program: Luxurious shopping center
Design of exterior: Façades and lighting, related exterior spaces
Design of interior: Circulation zones and Public spaces
Building surface: 25.500 m2 + 11.100 m2 for parking levels
Building volume: 135.000 m3+ 38.000 m3 for parking levels
Building site: 28050 m2
Status/Phase: realization phase
UNStudio: Ben van Berkel, Caroline Bos, Astrid Piber with Ger Gijzen, Christian Veddeler, Mirko Bergmann, Albert Gnodde, Sebastian Schott, Freddy Koelemeijer, Katja Groeger, Jirka Bars, Andreas Brink
Advisors:
Lighting Design: Arup Lighting, Amsterdam
Wayfinding Design: Bureau Mijksenaar, Amsterdam
Executive Architects:
Dynasty Design Corp, Taipei, Taiwan
HCF Architects, Planners & Associates, Taipei, Taiwan
Visualisation: rendertaxi, Aachen
