Category: urban design

DSSH Bridge Powered by the Sun, Purifying the Air

This shape-shifting helix bridge is a flexible tensile structure, by applying more tension to different points, a technological dynamic deformation can be achieved in response to the people crossing the bridge. It becomes a living element that responds to its use.  Not surprisingly, this design won the first prize at the Building to Building Pedestrian Bridge International Challenge.
The tensile skin incorporates Foldable Photovoltaic Solar Panels capturing energy from the sun to generate and supply electricity from a clean and sustainable energy. This makes the bridge self-sustainable. To go beyond green, the design includes Plants that clean and purify the air, transforming the pollution of the city in pure oxygen. Plants and the Breathable Membrane make a greener environment and a clean pedestrian tunnel.
 

Urban Redevelopment Project at Tainan Main Station Area


 

Architects: Maxthreads
Location: Tainan, Taiwan
Project Team: Max Yang, David Millar, Samya Kako
Competition Organizers: Bureau of Development Tainan City Government, Taiwan (R.O.C.) & INTA (International Urban Development Association)
Prize: Second Prize




The second prize winning vision for the Urban Redevelopment Project at Tainan Main Station Area responds to the extending aim of positioning Taiwan in general, and Tainan city in particular, as a major historical based tourism destination. Designed by Maxthreads, their strategy attempts to contribute to Taiwan’s economic diversification from its current infrastructure lead planning system. More images and architects’ description after the break.


Tainan main station master plan is imagined as a cultural based community and nature intervention, with sustainable residential development and the potential for natural habitat areas. It aims to be a cultural and vibrant edutainment intervention as well as a secluded haven of peace and tranquility. Tainan main station is conceived as a new gateway of Taiwan’s history.



The proposal aims to reconcile community and biodiversity. It will act as an eco-transitional urban device, transferring and linking the diversity of the surrounding urban districts and programs. The concept behind the master plan proposal derives from the area’s original function as transportation node. The proposal will maintain the areas historical identity, whilst providing a boundary free and a self-sufficient urban planning, incorporating a number of sustainability systems.