Feng Chia University’s Gong‑Shan Building, Designed by Kengo Kuma, Wins the Taichung Urban Spatial Design Award

The winners of the 12th Taichung Urban Spatial Design Award were announced today (29th). Gong‑Shan Building, the signature architectural landmark of Feng Chia University’s Shuinan Campus, stood out among more than 100 entries and received the Special Jury Award for its design philosophy of harmonious coexistence with nature. At the award ceremony, Chairperson Cheng‑Shu Kao, President Vey Wang, and the architectural team attended the event, with President Wang accepting the award on behalf of the university—highlighting Feng Chia’s recognition of this honor and affirming Gong‑Shan Building as a benchmark of “negative architecture” acknowledged by both professionals and the public.

Located on the southern end of Feng Chia University’s 5.7‑hectare Shuinan Campus and adjacent to the Central Park of the Shuinan Economic and Trade Park, the Gong‑Shan Building was designed by internationally renowned architect Kengo Kuma. Since the planning stage, the project has attracted widespread attention. The two‑story structure spans approximately 14,677 square meters, employing a low‑height, wide‑span layout to create an open, fluid, and transparent learning environment.

The building integrates flexible and multifunctional spaces, including the Birthday Hall for large academic lectures, general education courses, and arts performances; a Grand Auditorium equipped with smart systems and global conferencing capabilities; versatile rooms for interactive and interdisciplinary learning; and 21 sun‑lit classrooms alongside six green public areas. Beyond being a physical facility, Gong‑Shan Building embodies Feng Chia University’s educational ideals—creating a learning venue defined by openness, dialogue, innovation, and the spirit of the common good.

The building features a 46% greening rate, while the overall campus landscape reaches an impressive 82% green coverage. Over 570 trees were planted, including several over 70 years old, giving the appearance of the structure organically emerging from the earth. Certified as a low‑carbon building, Gong‑Shan Building is expected to reduce nearly 20,000 tons of carbon emissions over the next 60 years. Kengo Kuma’s signature “negative architecture” approach ensures the building does not dominate with grandeur, but instead humbly steps back, letting nature take center stage and becoming one of Taichung’s most gentle and breathable urban spaces.

A highlight moment from the award ceremony: President Vey Wang (left) and Honorary Distinguished Professor and Counselor for University Affairs Lung‑Shih Yang (right) accepted the Special Jury Award presented by Taichung City Government Secretary‑General Huang Chong‑Tien.

The site also bears significant historical meaning, once serving as a WWII kamikaze airbase. Feng Chia University transformed this land—once associated with war—into a sanctuary for education, symbolizing a journey from conflict to peace and from isolation to shared community.

Adopting an open‑campus concept without perimeter walls, the building seamlessly merges with the adjacent Central Park. This intentional gesture of sharing green space with the public not only breaks down barriers between the university and the city, but also embodies Feng Chia’s philosophy that “the greatness of a university lies in serving the common good.” Students and residents walk, rest, and interact freely—realizing true spatial democracy and social participation.

Chairperson Cheng‑Shu Kao, President Vey Wang, and the architectural team also gathered for a commemorative photo at the Gong‑Shan Building, celebrating this milestone in architecture and campus development.

Feng Chia University emphasized that a well‑designed building is itself an important part of environmental education. Gong‑Shan Building’s meticulous attention to light, acoustics, spatial proportions, and material selection aims to enrich the sensory experience of its users—bringing aesthetic education beyond the classroom and into everyday life.

The recognition of Gong‑Shan Building not only sets a new benchmark for urban spatial design in Taichung but also demonstrates the university’s proactive role in urban development and sustainability. Through this building, Feng Chia University conveys that architecture is more than physical shelter—it is a vessel that guides people toward goodness, beauty, and learning, fulfilling the educational vision of “Greatness, Goodness, and Shared Joy.”

Designed by world‑acclaimed architect Kengo Kuma, the Gong‑Shan Building sets a new paradigm for shared space among university campuses, urban environments, and nature.

Situated within the Shuinan Economic and Trade Park, Feng Chia University’s Gong‑Shan Building is hailed as the area’s “lowest and greenest” architectural landmark.。