King Boat Museo ng Kultura by Pingtung County Government and C.M.Chao

King Boat Museo ng Kultura by Pingtung County Government and C.M.Chao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award na Ginto in Disenyo ng Arkitektura, Gusali at Estruktura Competition Category.

GintoArkitektura· 2026

King Boat Museo ng Kultura

by Pingtung County Government and C.M.Chao

Client: C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners

A' Design Award na Ginto Winner in Arkitektura Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About King Boat Museo ng Kultura

Ang King Boat ay isang museo ng kultura na nakalaan sa Seremonya ng King Boat, na matatagpuan sa Donggang, Taiwan. Ang limang-palapag na gusali ay may puting facade na nakapatong sa isang baseng hugis-alon na nagpapaalala sa dagat. Ang facade ay nababalot ng glass fiber reinforced concrete, na pinili dahil sa tekstura nito at sa katatagan nito laban sa asin at halumigmig. Ang mga tiklop na linya at mga nakapasok na pasukan ay tumutungo sa isang gitnang atrium na napapaligiran ng expanded aluminum mesh, na sumasala sa liwanag at tunog. Ang isang replika ng King Boat sa aktwal na sukat ay itinatanghal sa ilalim ng natural na liwanag, at ang isang rooftop deck ay nag-aalok ng tanawin ng daungan.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award na Ginto

Ang King Boat Museo ng Kultura ay nagwagi ng A' Design Award na Ginto, isang napakaprestihiyosong pagkilalang iginagawad sa mga disenyong pangunahing-uri, kahanga-hanga at namumukod-tangi. Ang mga nagwagi ng Ginto ay mga likhang lubhang makabago, may pananaw at nakasisilaw sa karilagan na sumasalamin sa talino, karunungan at husay ng kanilang mga tagapagdisenyo. Inaasahang ang King Boat Museo ng Kultura ay isang lubos na pinupuri, nagtatakda-ng-uso at monumental na imbensyon na naghahatid ng walang kapantay na halaga. Ang disenyong ito na nagwagi ng A' Design Award na Ginto ay isang kahanga-hanga at iginagalang na proyekto na lubos na nakikinabang at nagpapaunlad sa mga hangganan ng sining, agham, disenyo at teknolohiya. Ang King Boat Museo ng Kultura ay lumilikha ng matinding damdamin ng pagnanais, gumigising ng damdamin, nagpapasigla ng pagkamalikhain at nakahuhumaling sa atin.

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