Here is Kaohsiung – welcome in Kaohsiung! Like a dragonfly landing on a rock at the shore – the new terminal appears. With a large gesture the gate to the city, presents itself, welcomes, and bids farewell its guests. The large gesture stands for a clear and simply laid out yet comfortably organized and economically optimized terminal. The passenger terminal Kaohsiung stands before a quantum leap in its development. This requires a strong gesture, giving the city and its passengers a fresh start and new identification points with a new self-sufficient terminal.

The terminal should be simple, clear, and comfortable. It is vital for the passenger to be able to enter the terminal hall from the street without constraints. In consequence there is a need to build a large hall inviting people inside. The transportation market has changed in the past few years. Low cost carriers progressively dominate the business. Their preference is to bring travellers from A to B comfortably, on time, and as inexpensive as possible. Service providers want simply organised terminals or at least terminals where they only have to pay for what they really need. Ergo, the optimal solution is a simple street level terminal that is generous in light and space whilst simple to organise and with minimised technical equipment.

In order to serve big cruisers, an extended gallery with integrated waiting zones and attached passenger boarding bridges is added to the main terminal hall. With both, entrances and exits, being located on street-level, not only the does the passenger benefit from being comfortable, but the terminal itself also gains generous areas for arrival and departure and also this solution minimises costs for fire protection, ventilation, maintenance, and building engineering. All other functions necessary in the terminal such as covering and social rooms, employment lines, offices, and control and traffic services will be accommodated over the terminal hall. The volumes that stand in the terminal hall, such as the gallery and levels for lounges and restaurants are all clear, simply formed and constructed that characterises the world of seafaring.

Details:

Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Project: 2010
Contest
Investor: Port of Kaohsiung
Area: 27 000 m2
Volume: 146 000 m3
Cost of construction: –