Press Release
Heart of Dawu Service Area by C.M Chao Architect and Planners Wins the Bronze A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
C.M Chao Architect and Planners acknowledged for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 16, 2024 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Heart of Dawu Service Area by C.M Chao Architect and Planners, designed for C.M.Chao, has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2023 - 2024 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
More About Heart of Dawu Service Area
Heart of Dawu is a highway service area built at Dawu Fishing Port in Taitung, Taiwan. The two-story building takes the image of a lighthouse, and its curved walls in earth tones link the blue sea in front with the green mountains behind. Reinforced concrete, wood and glass form the main structure. Reversed beams create space for planting, while the top floor holds a walkway and an observation deck facing the Pacific Ocean. The building provides resting areas and a center for local agricultural and fishery products, and presents the culture of Taitung to travelers.
About C.M Chao Architect and Planners
C.M.Chao at present, there are 60 colleagues, including Kaohsiung Office, Tainan Branch Office, and Taichung Office, who are good at transforming the landscape into design. We regard design as the process of environment creation and find new space value through this process. We are more convinced Architectural creation must be connected with land and life, so that space can move people.
Award Record
C.M Chao Architect and Planners is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards were granted in the 2023 - 2024 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award
The A' Architecture Design Award is an international architectural design competition recognizing good architectural designs by best architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to architectural design studios, building contractors, structural engineering firms and architecture and design consultants from all countries. Typical entries include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. The awarded architectural projects are published at https://designers.org/design-category/architecture
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/152935
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/152935
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!152935
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/346816
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Heart of Dawu Service Area
- Function
- Service Area
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Black, Dark Olive Green, Light Slate Gray and Silver
- Images
- 5
- Client
- C.M.Chao
The Recognition
- Laureate
- C.M Chao Architect and Planners
- Country
- Taiwan (China)
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2023 - 2024
- Design ID
- #152935
Credits
- Team
- Chien-Ming Chao
- Image Credits
- C.M.Chao
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- 1. Lighthouse Imagery: The project is centered on Dawu Fishing Port. It is one of the gateways to Taitung County in the South Link Line, encompassing nature, culture, and transportation. From a distance, one can see the iconic exterior of the building standing at the harbor. 2. Riding the waves: Entering the building, one can feel the perfect convergence between the first floor of the double-story building and the outdoor landscape. Walking along the perimeter, visitors can appreciate the boundless circulation of greenery and the slightly undulating visual experience.
- Inspiration
- The base is on Highway No. 9 and is a must-see for in-depth travel to Eastern Taiwan. Dawu Fishing Port is a perfect resting place during the journey, with a rich natural landscape and a gentle topography, offering a view of the sea in the front and a view of the luxuriant mountains in the back. The architect hopes that this project not only serves as a service area for relaxation and shopping, but also connects the local characteristics to convey the culture, art, and nature of Taitung, and become the core building that establishes the value of the tourist fishing port.
- Research
- To emphasize the location advantage, 'natural environment development' and 'in-depth tourism' are the core. The project is in the image of a lighthouse. The double-story building is eye-catching with its special and innovative curved shape. In addition to the spire design, the top floor features a planned walkway and observation deck. The observation deck offers a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and a large area of greenery. Outside, one can see the curvature of the building in earth tones that blend with the environment without borders. Ingenuity in connecting the land and the sea.
- Challenge
- The base is in a remote area. The challenge was the manpower and materials required are very difficult to transport, which leads to higher costs. For this reason, the project was built with local workers, and the technical aspects were difficult to meet the requirements of the architect. In particular, the curves had to be as smooth as a wave, which relied on the architect's control and quality requirements on site.
- Realization and Technology
- Main building materials: reinforced concrete, wood, glass, etc. The base is surrounded by the blue sea in front and the bright green mountains in the back. The color scheme is based on earth tones to link the two scenes. The surrounding environment is planted with plants and shrubs of different heights according to the terrain. It is worth mentioning that the reversed beams of the building provide opportunities for greenery at the base. When people are at the highest place of the building, they can see a view of the ocean covered by shrubs.
- Operation and Interaction
- Travelers will not only be able to buy souvenirs and agricultural products in the South Link Service Area but also get a connection with the local area. In addition to rest, souvenirs, and agricultural and fishery products, visitors can learn more about the culture and art of Taitung. To emphasize the local characteristics, the layout is based on the angle of the drone to capture the most beautiful sea view and to create a smooth route between the architecture, interior, and surrounding environment.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project finished in June 2022 in Taiwan.
- Specifications
- Total base area: 33,947.95 sq. m. Total floor area: 4436.63 square meters. The project is a two-story building on the ground. To provide visitors with a better experience, in addition to the way the building connected to the scenery, the architect started the planning from the external route. According to the route guide, visitors can enjoy the mountain view, sea view, Agricultural and Fishery Products Exhibition and Sales Center, and comfortable resting area.
- Keywords
- Taitung, service area, fishing port, lighthouse, weakened boundaries, Pacific Ocean, regional revitalization.
