In addition, a portion of the structure of the second basement level below has been exposed with a glass floor, allowing people to further understand the history of the site and appreciate the former mall as an important part of Tainan’s history.
This new way of preserving heritage meant that the site was not cleared and renewed in a tabula rasa approach – instead the foundations of the former mall stick out of the park and the lagoon like a contemporary Roman Forum, offering a visual marker of the historical decision to close a port in favour of a mall.
A key part of MVRDV’s strategy for Tainan Spring was to bring the greenery to the city.
As a result, both the public square and Haian Road see the introduction of large areas of planting, which makes use of local plant species mixed together in a way that emulates the natural verdant landscape located to the east of Tainan, with trees, shrubs, and grasses providing multiple layers of vegetation.
The density of these plant beds varies in response to the shop frontages, providing more space for people where needed and for plants in between.
Now that construction is complete, the design will take another two to three years to be fully realised as the freshly planted beds gradually grow into the lush garden that was envisioned.
“In Tainan Spring, people can bathe in the overgrown remains of a shopping mall. Children will soon be swimming in the ruins of the past – how fantastic is that?” says Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV.
“Inspired by the history of the city, both the original jungle and the water were important sources of inspiration."
"Tainan is a very grey city. With the reintroduction of the jungle to every place that was possible, the city is reintegrating into the surrounding landscape."
"That the reintroduction of greenery was an important thread in our master plan can be seen in the planting areas on Haian Road. We mixed local plant species so that they mimic the natural landscape east of Tainan. I think the city will benefit greatly from this.”
The renovation of Haian Road has brought new life to one of Tainan’s most lively streets. Traffic on the street has been reduced, with cars now occupying just a single lane in each direction.
Meanwhile a unifying concrete tile surface has replaced a patchwork of different paving treatments that had built up over the years, and the planting strategy continues the abundant, natural approach employed elsewhere.
The project also addresses one of the street’s most negative features, the many large ventilation shafts that intrude onto the public space from below ground.
While these infrastructural elements could not be removed, they have been painted a uniform colour in an attempt to minimise their visual presence.
The city of Tainan then selected a number of local artists to decorate these structures.
Credit list
Architect
MVRDV. Principal in charge – Winy Maas
The Urbanists Collaborative
Transportation planners
THI Consultants
MEP engineers
Frontier Tech Institute
Structural engineers consultant
Evergreat Associates, SE
General contractor
Yong-ji Construction
22 Mar, 2020
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