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The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation by IMO Architecture and JC Cheng Associates

The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation by IMO Architecture and JC Cheng Associates is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award in Gold in Architektur-, Gebäude- und Bauwerksdesign Competition Category.


GoldArchitektur· 2026

The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation

by IMO Architecture and JC Cheng Associates

Client: IMO Architecture + Design

A' Design Award in Gold Winner in Architektur Category

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The Design

About The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation

Die Wetterstation Taipeh ist eine meteorologische Einrichtung in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Drei Gebäude beherbergen zwei Abteilungen des Wetteramts sowie einen Mehrzweckraum und werden von einem wellenförmigen, dreidimensionalen Dach zusammengefasst. Stahlbeton verleiht Widerstandsfähigkeit gegen Taifune und Erdbeben, während Lamellen aus Cortenstahl und weit auskragende Dachüberstände für Verschattung, Lichtführung und Ausblicke sorgen. Die Lamellen bewegen sich mit dem Wind und kehren über ein Seilaufhängungssystem in ihre Ausgangslage zurück. Der Außenraum zwischen den Gebäuden nimmt die meteorologischen Messinstrumente auf.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Gold

The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation ist Gewinner des A' Design Award in Gold, einer überaus prestigeträchtigen Anerkennung für erstklassige, wunderbare und herausragende Designs. Gold-Gewinner sind äußerst innovative, visionäre und glamourös blendende Schöpfungen, die das Genie, die Weisheit und die Meisterschaft ihrer Designer widerspiegeln. Von The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation wird erwartet, dass es eine hochgepriesene, trendsetzende und monumentale Erfindung ist, die beispiellosen Mehrwert liefert. Dieses mit dem A' Design Award in Gold prämierte Design ist ein spektakuläres, respektiertes Projekt, das den Grenzen von Kunst, Wissenschaft, Design und Technologie in hohem Maße zugutekommt und sie voranbringt. The Taipei Weather Station Wetterstation erzeugt intensive Gefühle des Verlangens, weckt Leidenschaft, ermutigt zur Kreativität und fasziniert uns.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
The Taipei Weather Station is a manifestation of the environment it inhabits and seeks to observe, forming a visible dialogue with nature. Wind activates movable fins; rain threads their Corten surfaces, expressing time and weather. Sunlight filters through, casting shifting shadows on wind-shaped forms. The design reflects a belief that architecture can foster creativity, inspiration, mental health, and well-being.
Dimensions & Packaging
Client Name: New Taipei City Government
Size: 3,283 square meters.
Project Budget: 4,200,000.00 USD
Tags
Environmental integration, Experiential Architecture, Corten Steel, Moving Architecture
Production Technology
The design features 3 buildings housing two weather bureau departments and a multifunctional room, all connected by a 3D undulating roof blending seamlessly with the natural environment. Inspired by synoptic weather charts, the form withstands Taiwan's high precipitation, humidity, strong typhoons, and earthquakes. Reinforced concrete ensures resilience, while Corten fins and deep roof overhangs provide shade from the subtropical sun and allow light and views. These fins, with a novel cable suspension system, return to 0 degrees after wind gusts. The outdoor space between the buildings is dedicated to weather measurement instrument data collection.
Design Challenge
This project faced tight budget constraints and complex scientific requirements. The wind tunnel’s size, vibration, and noise posed challenges near sensitive instruments. Weather devices required both isolation and accessibility with strict adjacent structure height limitations. The building also had to withstand earthquakes, typhoons, and power outages. The low sprawling plan of the design with the wind tunnel located below grade is tuned to address each of these, while fostering scientists’ well-being in day-to-day operation.
Research
This research explored how to design a building that meets laboratory standards, integrating meteorological instruments and a wind tunnel. Objectives included achieving international‑level weather measurements and reducing vibration and noise by placing the tunnel underground. The tunnel tested facade resilience against typhoons, inspiring wind‑activated fins on a novel cable system that make airflow visible. Digital analysis shaped a 3D roof to harvest rainwater for irrigation. Results improved performance, sustainability, and user experience, with impacts on design practice, society, and community value.
Inspiration
As technology reshapes the world, monotonous jobs are giving way to dynamic roles valuing leadership, creativity, and communication. The design imagines spaces beyond data points and utility, reconnecting observers with the natural environment they study to harness nature's positive effects on productivity, mood, memory, and stress relief. Material, form, and planning emphasize connections with the environment, encouraging engagement, while common spaces foster community among scientists.
Project Duration
The Taipei Weather Station project was initiated in April 2014 as a competition entry. The design phase took place between 2014 and 2019, developed collaboratively in Taiwan and Spain. Construction began in 2019 and was completed in 2023 in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Operation Flow
This design redefines what a weather station can be by reconnecting the observer with natural processes. Unlike traditional methods that reduce weather to mere data points, it makes weather phenomena also experienceable for scientists. Wind-reactive fins reflect invisible air currents, while sustainable Corten material captures the passage of time and precipitation. The facade visualizes the sun and nature's movement, creating dynamic murals of light and shadow. This approach balances scientific activities with the experience of nature, fostering mental health and well-being.
Team Members
Random Order: Mario Hidalgo, Jose María Crespo, Ina Dai, Urdaneta Zeberio, Jeff Lu, Lain Satrustegui, Sanjain Chen, Atelier Boronski, Eurie Huang, Jon Saenz del Castillo, Michael Blaeser, Lynn Zheng, Eleni Karypidou, Mu Liu, Laura Morales, Ignacio Juarez, Weiching Chen, Daniel Cheng, Huang,Yi-Chan, Liao,Wei-Chen, Dai,Gan-Yun, Lin,Ching-Tang, Hsiao,Chih-Wen, Chou,Mei-Huei
Image Credits
IMO Architecture + Design

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