Mini Cultural Trips in Taipei

Though some may overlook it, Taipei Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is an internationally acclaimed landmark. In 2021, American news channel CNN selected it as the world’s most transformative building, while the UK’s Guardian newspaper also praised it as the best architecture of the year, and it even featured in the Taipei entry in a Time magazine list of the world’s top 100 destinations.

This international attraction was designed by an international team at Rotterdam-based architectural firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture), who won the bid in an international competition. The design was personally led by Rem Koolhaas, OMA co-founder and Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate. Koolhaas’s design gives the impression that TPAC’s ground floor is floating, creating a novel and even fantastical viewing experience.

The exterior features 1,200 pieces of curved glass, crafted by an international team of specialists, that are both transparent and concealing. Inside, two of the three theaters operate independently but can also be connected to form a 2,300-seat grand theater. According to Koolhaas, inspiration for the design came from the famous Taiwanese dish, hot pot.

Another highlight is the stargazing rooftop garden. As the name suggests, visitors can look up at the stars or look over Jiantan and even the entire Taipei Basin. The TPAC team has also held concerts on the rooftop, allowing audiences to enjoy music amidst the greenery.

Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence, Shilin Cixian Temple, Shilin Tourist Night Market, Shilin Market.