Honourable mention for sustainable power plant design in Taiwan
06.03.2018By launching an open competition to design a new green power plant, the Taiwan Power Company took a step on the path towards fulfillingTaiwan’s strategic goal of having no nuclear-powered homes by 2025. Stage One of the competition has now been completed and Gottlieb Paludan Architects received an honourable mention for the design concept, ‘Flakes of Salt’.
The power plant will be built in the preserved wetlands of Yongan Salt Field as a replacement for the existing nuclear power plant. The character of the landscape and its history as a salt extraction area form the basis of the design of the power plant which, from a distance, looks like giant salt flakes surrounded by water.
The new power plant, which will be open to the public, will adapt to its wetland location and consider the rich wild life in the area and its ecosystem. The project presents an integrated power plant and a deep understanding of the surrounding landscape.
The building volume works as an embankment shielding against floods, tsunamis and storms. The roof of the building resembles light, transparent flakes of salt and visitors are reminded of the history of the location. The technical installations are hidden away and protected behind the embankment and the roof.
With a delicate network of bridges, the surrounding nature reserve will become an integrated part of the entrance. Here, the design calls for a varied mangrove which will protect the flora and fauna and maintain the natural ecosystem.