King Boat Museyo sa Kultura by Pingtung County Government and C.M.Chao

King Boat Museyo sa Kultura by Pingtung County Government and C.M.Chao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award nga Bulawan in Disenyo sa Arkitektura, Gambalay ug Estruktura Competition Category.

BulawanArkitektura· 2026

King Boat Museyo sa Kultura

by Pingtung County Government and C.M.Chao

Client: C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners

A' Design Award nga Bulawan Winner in Arkitektura Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #174503

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About King Boat Museyo sa Kultura

Ang King Boat usa ka museyo sa kultura nga gipahinungod sa Seremonya sa King Boat, nga nahimutang sa Donggang, Taiwan. Ang lima ka andana nga bilding adunay puti nga facade nga gipahimutang ibabaw sa base nga sama og porma sa balod nga nagpahinumdom sa dagat. Ang facade giputos og glass fiber reinforced concrete, nga gipili tungod sa texture niini ug sa kalig-on niini batok sa asin ug kaumog. Ang mga pinilo nga linya ug mga naka-recess nga agianan mogiya padulong sa sentral nga atrium nga gilinyahan og expanded aluminum mesh, nga mosala sa kahayag ug tingog. Usa ka full-size nga replica sa King Boat ang gipasundayag ubos sa natural nga kahayag, ug ang deck sa atop naghatag og talan-awon sa pantalan.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award nga Bulawan

King Boat Museyo sa Kultura usa ka mananaog sa A' Design Award nga Bulawan, usa ka hilabihan ka prestihiyoso nga pag-ila nga gihatag sa unang-klase, katingalahan, ug bantogan nga mga disenyo. Ang mga mananaog sa Bulawan labihan ka bag-o, daghan og panan-aw, ug nagsidlak nga mga paglalang nga nagpakita sa henyo, kinaadman, ug kahanas sa ilang mga tigdesinyo. Gilauman nga ang King Boat Museyo sa Kultura mahimong labing gidayeg, nagtakda og uso, ug monumental nga imbento nga naghatag og bili nga wala pa makita. Kini nga disenyo nga nakadaog og A' Design Award nga Bulawan usa ka makapahingangha ug gitahod nga proyekto nga labihan ka mapuslanon ug nagpalapad sa mga utlanan sa arte, siyensya, disenyo, ug teknolohiya. King Boat Museyo sa Kultura nagmugna og kusog nga mga pagbati sa kaibog, nagpukaw og kahinam, nagdasig sa pagkamamugnaon, ug nagbihag kanato.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The building's form is inspired by a traditional king boat, with a five-story white facade atop a wave-like base symbolizing the sea. Folded lines and recessed entries mimic ocean swells, leading to a central atrium with aluminum mesh panels that ripple like waves. Inside, a 1:1 King Boat replica is displayed, bathed in natural light. The rooftop observatory offers views of Donggang Harbor. The museum's five exhibitions invite visitors to explore marine beliefs, parades, and boatbuilding rituals, celebrating Taiwanese folk religion.
Dimensions & Packaging: The five-story structure includes four levels of exhibition space arranged to follow the ceremonial procession of the King Boat Ceremony, with five permanent thematic galleries: Marine Beliefs, Divine Patrol, Regional Ceremonies, Sacred Boat Building, and The Donggang Festival. The third floor houses the museum's centerpiece 42-foot-long, 12-foot-wide King Boat replica, viewable from a 360-degree elevated viewing platform. The roof features a skylight and observation deck, reinforcing the building's vertical movement and layered storytelling.
Tags: King Boat Culture, Donggang, Cultural Museum, Local Revitalization, King Boat Ceremony, Taiwanese Folk Ritual
Production Technology: The facade is clad in glass fiber reinforced concrete, chosen for its textured finish, durability, and resistance to salinity and humidity, ideal for a coastal climate. Its surface reflects sunlight like shimmering waves, resonating with the harbor context. The atrium is enveloped by expanded aluminum mesh, offering both acoustic and light-filtering functions. A predominantly white color palette, paired with natural materials and glass windows, allows natural light to interact with surfaces, emphasizing the building's temporal and spiritual dimensions.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was translating a deeply religious, ritual-based, and localized practice into an architectural language that modern audiences could understand and feel. The architect engaged in continuous dialogue with local elders and cultural scholars, extracting symbolic elements, such as the dragon's eye, wave lines, and procession routes, and converting them into spatial form and lighting gestures. The building had to be more than a container for culture; it had to be a bridge for cultural exchange, making that transformation the core design mission.
Research: The Pingtung King Boat Museum, Taiwan's first dedicated to the King Boat Ceremony, reinterprets maritime beliefs as a 'living museum.' Its exterior mimics a king's boat riding waves, with flowing walls and dragon-eye openings that tell spiritual stories day and night. The centerpiece is a 1:1 King Boat replica suspended in the atrium, bathed in natural light. The design blends light, materials, and acoustics with sustainable features like natural ventilation. It’s a cultural, educational, and tourism hub, honoring tradition while inspiring future heritage.
Inspiration: The design begins with the traditional maritime faiths of Asia. Located in Donggang, the Pingtung King Boat Museum is Taiwan's first cultural center for the King Boat Ceremony. Inspired by the triennial ritual, the architecture transforms spiritual and oceanic imagery into a vessel of history and faith, linking local identity with future vision. Embracing the idea that 'life is culture, and culture is life,' the museum serves as a living space that bridges religion and daily life, sparking cultural renewal and community vitality.
Project Duration: The project finished in December 2024 in Taiwan.
Operation Flow: By transforming traditional culture into a modern space, the museum becomes a hub for education, community, and tourism. It welcomed over 200,000 visitors in its first month, becoming a Donggang landmark. Beyond exhibits, it preserves oral history, teaches traditional crafts, and trains festival guides, making culture tangible and engaging. More than design, it's a cultural movement, sparking heritage continuity and innovation rooted in place and tradition.
Team Members: Pingtung County Government, C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners
Image Credits: C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners