The Architecture Trip--The Most Famous Taiwanese Architect--C. Y. Lee

Taipei 101

  We can see Taipei 101 every day. Do you know who is the architect that designed Taipei 101? He is the most famous and the most controversial architect in Taiwan, C. Y. Lee(李祖原).

C. Y. Lee(李祖原)

  Why is he famous? It is because a lot of architectures in Taiwan were designed by him. Here are some works done by him.

1. Taipei 101:
  The highest building in the world once. The shape of it is like a bamboo, and the coin decoration symbolizes wealth. The most surprising device of it is the damper(阻尼器), preventing earthquake and typhoon destroying it.

Taipei 101

Taipei 101 is the shape of bamboo

The coin decoration

This decoration symbolizes wealth

The huge damper inside Taipei 101

2. 85 Sky Tower(85大樓):

  The second highest building in Taiwan, the shape of it is the Chinese word "高," represents the "Kaohsiung City."

85 Sky Tower

The shape of 85 Sky Tower is the word "高"

3. Lihpao Land(月眉育樂世界)

4. Taipei Bus Station(台北轉運站)

5. Expo 2010 Taiwan pavilion(上海世博台灣館)

  Then, why is he the most controversial architect in Taiwan? Here are some Lee's architects to explain the controversy.

1. Fang Yuan Building(中國方圓大廈):

  As you can see, It is a shape of a coin. To be mention, it was elected to be one of the ugliest building in the world by CNN.

Fang Yuan Building is a big coin

2. Chien-Cheng Circle(台北建成圓環):

  A food court open in 2003. But now, it becomes a white elephant(蚊子館) and is going to be destroyed.

Chien-Cheng Circle's glass make the inside too hot

3. Tainan Chinese Town(台南中國城):

  A building with poor design, that make it become a place with poor security. It is going be destroyed.

Tainan Chinese Town

4. Chung Tai Chan Monastery(南投中台禪寺):

  A luxurious monastery. Being elected to be the ugliest building in Taiwan.

Chung Tai Chan Monastery

  Although Lee is a controversial architect, I believe that his designs look not so bad. Maybe he needs to pay more attention on the usage of the architect, instead of focusing on the shape and the size.