In the heart of Zhubei, one of Taiwan's fastest growing cities, will rise the Market Cube, a new project by Dutch studio MVRDV. The project – winner of the international competition for its realization – combines a traditional market with cultural spaces and gastronomic areas and is a hybrid of contemporary efficiency and collective memory, reinterpreting the urban market typology.
Zhubei, located in the north of the island, is developed in close relationship with the Hsinchu Science Park, the technology district that has transformed the city into an attractive hub for young professionals and families. The project, desired by the mayor, is part of this growth dynamic and aims to redefine the function of the public market, expanding its uses and making it a place for gathering as well as commerce. The chosen site, near the Touqian River and the bridge connecting Zhubei to Hsinchu, emphasizes the Market Cube's vocation to become a new urban landmark.
The project develops a layered idea of a market, a structure that departs from the traditional plaza and articulates vertically in a sequence of open and flexible spaces. The floors of the Market Cube house a covered market, a large food court, children's play areas, exhibition spaces, and a rooftop designed as an agricultural showcase with pavilions for events and installations. Circulation is provided by an exterior escalator system that wraps around the building, allowing modular and independent use of the different levels. Each floor also can thus operate at different times and functions, keeping the building active from morning until late at night.
Winy Maas, co-founder of the firm, describes the architecture as a “condenser of experiences,” an organism capable of generating unexpected combinations among the activities housed. Its architectural flexibility thus responds to a principle of durability and adaptability, designed to accommodate future evolutions without the need for invasive transformations.
Particular attention was paid to wayfinding and lighting, essential tools to facilitate visitor orientation. Each floor features a specific color scheme, while LED screens, neon lights, and public artworks signal the different functions. Escalators, covered in translucent panels, make the flow of visitors visible, inviting them to explore the entire building.
Interaction with the urban context is another central aspect of the project. A pedestrian bridge directly connects the second floor to the Touqian River Park, while the market extends to the street, taking advantage of the shade of the nearby overpass. The floor of the commercial spaces echoes that of the outdoor plaza, eliminating clear boundaries between public and private and reinforcing the idea of the building as an extension of public space.
