The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) opened its doors in mid-October in the south of the island. The city of Kaohsiung is transforming itself into a major cultural and artistic centre in Taiwan. Formerly a military base, the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts is the largest cultural complex under one roof in the world! Spread over a 10-hectare site, it consists of an opera house, a concert hall, a theatre, an intimate recital hall and an outdoor amphitheatre. The structure is inspired by banyan trees, one of Taiwan's typical tree species known for its canopy that provides shelter and cooling during hot weather. Like these trees, the building offers a large covered area (Banyan Plaza) that is freely accessible for visitors and locals. Another particularity of the structure: the concert hall was designed in the shape of a stepped vineyard. This unique design allows listeners to enjoy optimized acoustic and visual effects regardless of their placement. This large-scale project marks a new benchmark on the Taiwanese artistic scene. The city of Kaohsiung is thus strengthening its cultural and artistic offerings, including the Pier 2 Art Center for contemporary art and the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas for traditional architecture

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