In Taiwan, nearly 70% of existing warehouse is illegal. So most of the logistics operators are forced to store their goods in shabby buildings under high risks. Recent years, the trend of on-line shopping is booming worldwide and so is Taiwan. That phenomenon entitles the industry a wonderful opportunity to change the whole condition. Our client, Ally Logistic Property (ALP), established in 2013, decided to do something big to challenge the industry’s tradition by carrying out a logistics park with their radical ideas. This project is the very first episode in their grand master plan.

The site is located in the outskirt area of Taipei City, surrounded by beautiful mountainous environment. That reminds us the significance of how the building should interact with it. Therefore the first topic to deal with, is how to respond the unspoiled nature with lowest impact. Moreover, what else could we do architecturally to look after warehouse worker's well-being and create a walking-friendly environment. We believe happy workspace will bring good performance.

The idea is to deconstruct the grammar of traditional warehouse layout. Instead of kicking off with a calculator hitting the magic figures, the project started with people’s activity. We demonstrate where people may access and how possible public space could be positioned to stimulate the potential of provoking mutual interaction. So a series of outdoor space such as arcade, entrance, porch, triangle square…etc was born. Now people are able to read the path from the built environment but the markings on the floor. Those takes also carve the building massively so the mass were spontaneously formed. We hope to create a warehouse could shelter not only precious goods but also people who working there.

To fit in the nature, we use color and different texture to soften the building impact. The materials are mixed up to create a collage alike façade that suggests the project’s unconventional vision. The color stripe metallic skin goes along with the cubical white wall, floating glass box and a terrace highlight the potential of people behavior. We expect those features would trigger diverse activities and turn the mono-functional into a place encouraging creativity.