The competition launched last
autumn by property developers
Genuine Development has recently
drawn to a close: an invitation
to 20 architects to design 20 villas
in Taiwan.
The chosen site – the
Northeast Coast National
Scenic Area – is an immense
natural park facing the Pacifi c
Ocean. This factor compelled
all the architects to seek a
dialogue with the landscape,
and at the same time adopt
a wide variety of solutions.
Rome practice IaN+ proposed
an ecological evolution of the
Palladian villa, and Taiwanese
architect Shu-Chang Kung
came up with the Radix House,
a dwelling made up of fi ve
elements that lightly touch
the ground. Kengo Kuma created
a “transparent” design
in which the house almost
seems to disappear, while
the Graft group devised a
villa on three vertical levels
in which a spiral movement
integrates architecture and
landscape. Work is set to start
on site this summer, with the
first houses due for completion
by December 2009.
E.S.