In this project, Chao-Chun was responsible for concept development, architectural and landscape design, environmental analysis, 3D modeling, diagrams, and visualization. Andrita and Wendy was responsible for bio-integrated material research and fabrication.
VerdeNexus stands at the forefront of urban innovation, a transformative design endeavor aimed at redefining the landscape of Taipei. Amidst the pressing challenges of urban heat islands, pollution, and the stark scarcity of green spaces, our proposal introduces a visionary blueprint for ecological revitalization and sustainable urban living. By harmoniously blending cutting-edge architectural solutions with pioneering landscape design, VerdeNexus seeks to transform the riverbank area into a vibrant, resilient urban ecosystem. This project is not merely a design proposal; it’s a call to action for creating interconnected green spaces, enhancing biodiversity, and fostering inclusive, accessible urban environments. Through strategic interventions like elevated green parks, multifunctional towers, and digitally sculpted floating islands, VerdeNexus aspires to set a new standard for urban regeneration, where nature and city life thrive in symbiotic harmony.
Urban Heat Map of Taipei City
Site Analysis - Solar Radiation
Overall Analysis
The maps effectively illustrate the daily pattern of solar radiation, showing a gradual increase in the morning, peaking around noon, and then gradually decreasing in the afternoon.
The problem of west-facing solar radiation is particularly evident in Taiwan, where the intense afternoon sun significantly impacts thermal comfort and energy efficiency. The analysis, especially in the last two diagrams (4:00 PM and 5:00 PM), highlights how the west-facing edges retain higher radiation levels, depicted by deeper orange and yellow colors.
This analysis can help in understanding the solar exposure of the site, which is crucial for designing shading devices, planning energy-efficient building orientations, and optimizing solar panel placements.
Summery
The morning and late afternoon hours are characterized by lower radiation, while the midday to early afternoon period experiences the highest solar intensity, critical for considering heat mitigation strategies in building and landscape design. Special attention must be given to the west-facing facades to mitigate the heat gain and improve overall thermal comfort.
Zhongxiao Bridge and Dansuie River bank, Taipei, Taiwan (Google, 2024) Temperature
Process Diagram
The basic building form is generated based on the spatial conditions of the site. The building shape is further optimized through wind environment analysis. Heat insulation envelop is distributed through solar radiation analysis.
By studying the height of the bridges and the height of the surrounding buildings, it is possible to estimate that stronger winds occur above the average building height. These data can guide the development of the overall building mass and the scale of open spaces.
Wind Environment
Wind Currents
The massing is extruded upwards from the open space surrounded by infrastructure. Green open spaces are arranged on the infrastructure floors, the average building height level, and the rooftops. The building is elevated above the infrastructure, creating open spaces below, enhancing ventilation and avoiding issues with flooding during the rainy season.
By analyzing the wind environment around the site and considering the functional requirements of the building along with passive design principles, the tower is shaped to better fit the environment, allowing for natural ventilation.
Larger spaces are used in the lower floors, gradually narrowing as it goes up to promote ventilation.
Heat Insulation Envelop Distribution
Green spaces, integrated from the base to the rooftop, provide plant transpiration to cool the building. Wind ventilation is promoted through the building’s shape, which widens at the base and narrows as it ascends. Public spaces are located at lower levels, transitioning to mixed-use spaces in the middle and residential spaces higher up for privacy and better views.
In the original plan, the structure’s smooth, elliptical shape generates significant turbulence and vortices, as depicted by the blue arrows, indicating high aerodynamic drag due to low-pressure areas forming behind the structure. The corresponding wind speed simulation shows a noticeable area of high wind speed around the structure with a large wake of lower wind speed trailing behind, signifying disruption and a large low-pressure area. Conversely, the optimised plan features a jagged structure shape, resulting in smoother airflow with less turbulence and fewer vortices, as shown by the blue arrows. The wind speed simulation for the optimised plan exhibits a more uniform distribution with a smaller, less pronounced wake, indicating efficient wind flow and reduced aerodynamic drag. Overall, the optimised shape significantly improves aerodynamic performance by reducing turbulence and the size of low-pressure areas.
Ladybug was used to analyze the sunlight exposure of the building during the summer and the whole year. Red areas indicate higher sunlight exposure, while blue areas indicate lower exposure. This analysis data was imported into Houdini as a basis for distributing the heat insulation envelope. Based on the solar radiation data, insulation and ventilation openings were strategically placed to enhance the building’s energy performance. As seen in the rendered image on the right, areas with high sunlight exposure are covered with insulation layers, while areas with low sunlight exposure have openings to enhance ventilation. Additionally, plants are placed to provide shade and reduce direct sunlight.
radiation accumulation analysis
Procedural Modeling Process Tower Islands
Walkway
Distribution of landscape plantings
Sky Garden East Elevation
3D printed optimized geometry
This model has been optimized using topology optimization, saving 30% of the material while maintaining structural strength similar to the original performance. This 1:10 scale model was manufactured using 3D printing and serves as a reference model for future scaleup fabrication.
This rendering simulates the result of
One of the islands was selected for further analysis by Grasshopper tOpos, with the aim
Simulation of Island
Bartlett in Situ Exhibition
River Bank
Walkway on the islands
Elevated green gardens transformed from infrastructure
Community farms foster strong connections between social institutions and residents
Central atrium design promotes natural ventilation
Residential living room view, direct sunlight in summer is avoided
Organic Purify Blocks
Modular system to optimize the environment
Best of the Year in 2022 iF Design Talent Award
ChaoChun Kung
Looking forward to daily life
Plaza design with multi-level greenery
Chao-Chun Kung
Collaboration
In this project, Chao-Chun participated in concept development, architectural and landscape design, 3D modeling, development diagrams, and visualization.
Pei-Chi was responsible for site and environmental analysis, drawings, layouts, and competition presentation.
Pei-Chi Tsai
Gold Prize in 2023 AYDA Awards
In the face of the epidemic, public relations have many changes and uncertainties. Society has a lot of confusion and fear in people’s hearts. In fact, not only the epidemic but also the social, political, and economic news and events in our society in recent years have often been negative. For example, the almost year-long war between Russia and Ukraine, the collapse of cryptocurrencies, and the stock market have profoundly impacted the public and left people feeling breathless.
The life we want and aspire to is often the most ordinary, stable, and comfortable environment, like air, sunshine, and water. Freedom and security are also of them. We don’t feel it when we have it, but we feel immense pain when we are deprived of it. The site has the potential to be a welcoming urban living room where people can meet, move and share in a multi-functional space where cheerful colors encourage natural interaction and smiles. The current use of this space is now for the general public and tourists from around the world and is no longer so strongly intended. In the future, this should be the case. After the epidemic, this site could be a place of rebirth, leading people together into a more colorful and varied future.
The design is based on analyzing the urban environment and user comfort. It is an important transition point to address Taipei’s severe heat island effect during the summer months. The park’s central plaza is transformed by introducing urban sunlight, solar radiation analysis, and wind flow analysis. A multi-level elevated green space is proposed to alleviate the high temperature during the day and create a multi-level open space. At the same time, quantitative development also echoes people’s aspirations and expectations for a better life.
Concept Diagram
History
The Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei is a prominent monument built in memory of the former President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek. Completed in 1980, the hall is a fusion of traditional Chinese architectural elements and modern design, symbolizing Chiang’s significant but controversial role in the country’s history. While some admire Chiang for his leadership against Japanese invasion and his efforts in developing Taiwan, others criticize his authoritarian rule, marked by human rights abuses, notably the 228 Incident and the subsequent White Terror period. These divergent views on Chiang’s legacy fuel ongoing debates about Taiwanese identity and the hall’s purpose, with some advocating for its repurposing to reflect a broader narrative of Taiwan’s history and democratic evolution.
Relations between Distance with Park and Air Temperature
Integrated Environmental System for Urban Green Plaza Activities and Functions
Bio-Optimized Greenhouse
Revolutionizing prototype with biomaterials
Chao-Chun Kung Man I Che Simeng Sun
Collaboration
In this project, Chao-Chun was responsible for environmental analysis, geometry development, animations, and visualization. Man I was responsible for material research and fabrication. Simeng was responsible for site analysis, drawings and fabrication.
Bio-Optimized Greenhouse
Revolutionizing prototype with biomaterials
The primary aim of a greenhouse is to provide optimal conditions for plant growth. Nevertheless, the construction components and maintenance contribute to an immensely negative effect on the environment. In this project, we would like to provide a possible solution from a multi-disciplinary perspective, integrating computational design, digital fabrication, material science and biochemical dynamics to introduce an innovative prototype in contrast to the conventional architectural design of the glasshouse.
The primary architectural proposal was established based on the data generated from a series of computational simulations of predominantly wind and radiation. The linkage of the data using programming commands thus developed an optimal structure, which was then integrated with bio-transforming hydrogel biomaterials containing bio-pigment to establish the final prototype. The hydrogel imitates the human skin ‘barrier’ system for building the facade, controlling the amount of light to get through. The result is the final concept of the sustainable greenhouse.
Energy Bridge
Sustainable bridge design for novel algae fuel cells
Chao-Chun Kung
Bommisetty Sameera
Mynasabgari Sharifunnisa
Nomination of the 2024 C-IDEA Design Award
Collaboration
In this project, Chao-Chun was in charged of process diagrams, 3D modeling, bridge and structure design, visualization, and environmental analysis. Sameera was responsible for material research, section and diagrams. Sharifunnisa was in charged of fabrication and prototype.
Bio Caring
A sustainable and innovative senior care
center
Chao-Chun Kung
David Lee
Pei-chi Tsai
2020
Collaboration
In this project, Chao-Chun was in charged of wind and solar analysis, architectural design, and visualization.
David was responsible for 3D modeling, diagrams and plan drawings.
Pei-chi was in charged of site analysis, section drawings and post layout.
Future of Museum
Opened and digitalized new museum style
ChaoChun Kung 2021
Finalist - Top 5
Issued by Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards
Renaissance of Chinese Architecture
Reflects the local characters and culture attitude
Chao-Chun Kung
YingRui Wu
2020
Collaboration
In this project, Chao-Chun was in charged of 3D modeling and visualization. YingRui was in charged of site analysis and diagramming.
In this project, Chao-Chun was in charged of 3D modeling and visualization.
David was responsible for 3D modeling and plan drawings.
Pei-chi was in charged of site analysis, drawings and post layout.
Chang-Ting was responsible for section and diagrams.
Fuhua Fugui Zhongshan Reception Centre
Reception Centre
Design by Chao-Chun Kung
TTF Architecture Studio
The design of the reception center for Fuhua construction emphasizes a minimalist, cubic form, harmoniously blending modern architecture with natural elements. The use of curtain glass walls is a key feature, allowing an abundance of natural light to permeate the interior, creating an airy and welcoming atmosphere. This transparent facade not only invites in the daylight but also offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, strengthening the connection between the indoors and outdoors. The layout is open and flexible, allowing for easy navigation while also providing spaces for informal meetings or quiet reflection. This reception center is not just a gateway to Fuhua construction but a statement of its values and vision, combining modern design with sustainability and a deep respect for the natural environment.
Plan
Elevation
Rendering
Government tender for the renovation of buildings
CSC JYC Architectural Office
During my employment at CSC JYC Architectural Office, I contributed to five government tenders for building renovations. Upon receiving the original blueprints, I used Revit to develop 3D models of these aging buildings, crafted design and rendering proposals for their refurbishment. These projects afforded me invaluable insights into the public tendering process employed by the government. Collaborating with seasoned professionals from diverse disciplines, I gained exposure to a range of architectural styles, techniques, and regulatory frameworks. This experience not only expanded my technical capabilities but also deepened my appreciation of the subtle considerations necessary when designing facilities for various government entities.
Visualize & BIM Modeling by Chao-Chun Kung
Zero One Tech - Fangyuan Building
Design by Chao-Chun Kung
JieKang Interior Design
This proposal designs an office space for 150 people at Zero One Tech, including an open office area, executive offices, an equipment room, three meeting rooms, a copy room, and a staff lounge.
A highlight of the design is the hexagonal lattice wall in the staff lounge, inspired by the crystalline structure of silicon wafers. The hexagonal shape not only symbolizes the stable corporate image of this technology company but also complements Zero One Tech’s corporate green, creating a vibrant and fresh atmosphere.
Track to Beauty Center for Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery
Design by Chao-Chun Kung
JieKang Interior Design
The interior design depicted in the image embraces a modern, minimalist aesthetic with a strong emphasis on linearity and light. The dominant use of white, from the walls to the built-in bench seating, creates a clean, sterile environment which is often preferred in medical settings for both hygiene and visual clarity.
The floor is finished with large slabs of marble, or a marble-like material, introducing a subtle pattern and a touch of luxury, which is often associated with high-end medical facilities. This choice of flooring not only adds an element of sophistication but also reflects light, contributing to the overall luminosity of the space.
Tainan City AnNan District Sports Center Eco-community sports complex
Visualised by Chao-Chun Kung Biophilia Architecture Association
The project is located on both sides of the river in the Jiufenzi eco-community in the Annan district of Tainan. The design is based on the imagery of the Taijiang River settlement and the Taijiang River house (bamboo cage) to create a sports complex that belongs to the Taijiang River area.
The project is designed as two buildings connected by a double-layered bridge in the center, not only considering the users of the sports hall, but also focusing on the living path of the local residents, creating a sports area that combines park landscape, riverside walkway, and ecological waters. We hope that this sports complex will not only provide people with a good indoor and outdoor sports place, but also let them experience the culture and customs of Taijiang, which is a series of stories about the alternation of land and water.
Taipei 101 Sky Park (Phase-II)
Sustainable Circular Design Redefines Vertical Living
Furniture and Interior Design by Chao-Chun Kung
Bio-architecture Formosana
Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan is a vertical living community. According to statistics, there are approximately 13,000 employees entering and leaving Taipei 101 every day. The challenge was to design a comfortable interior space for the 35th floor of the building for its tenants to relish. From the first phase to the second phase of the Sky Park living service area, we reduced the material waste. We implemented the “rental and purchase” service on the 35th floor of furniture (IKEA), lamps (Philips), and plants (floral space). Manufacturers provide the furniture and products required by Taipei 101, regularly inspect, repair and replace them, breaking the traditional furniture “manufacturing-buying-using-discarding” model, and instead opting for the “product as a service” concept of a circular economy.
Physical models
HARBOR LINKER
- REGENERATIVE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE SHUEINANDONG IN RUIFANG DISTRICT, NEW TAIPEI CITY
Design
Chao-Chun Kung
ShueiNanDong is a area divided and forgotten. The connection between residential houses and the coast was cut by the coastal highway. Although there is a huge industrial ruin. It was forgotten by passengers due to inconvenient transportation and insufficient commercial development. Through “link” as the core concept, stitching off the severed parts. Let the scenery of the border between mountains and sea can actually link the living path of local residents and the pace of tourists and anglers. This mixed-use building combines cooking area, lounge, restaurant, exhibitions and viewing platforms.
THE ASCENT OF THE STAR PRAYER HALL
- RETURN TO SONG-STYLE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Design Team
Chao-Chun Kung, YING-JUI WU, YU-JHEN SHIH, JIA-RONG LU
The purpose of this design is to understand the logical similarities and differences between modern architecture and ancient architecture through case studies, special discussions, and Song-style construction studies. According to these studies, we designed a modern ancient architecture through the logic of ancient architecture. In the overall design of this ancient building, we attempted to restore the Song-style building at Yangxian Lake in Yixing by transforming Li Song ’s Han Palace Qiqiao picture. The mess is adjusted according to factors such as base, space form, details and human scale.
A massive explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut killed thousands of people on August 4, 2020. The buildings at the site of the explosion were razed to the ground. Hundreds of buildings in the surrounding area were also severely damaged. The reconstruction project in the port area means the healing and renewal of the scars of the city of Beirut. A new lighthouse is being built on the border between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula. It is a monument to this tragic event and a new hope for the future.
DJI DRONE CENTER
Design Team
Chao-Chun Kung, YING-JUI WU
The site is located at Yangpu District, Shanghai. There are subway station and ferry around the site, and there will be a lot of traffic during rush hours. The key point to this design is to combine the existing building which symbolizing “industrial Yangpu”, and transform it to the trend of “knowledge Yangpu”. We put a brand new mass upon the old red brick warehouse. The building will accommodate a diversity of functions: entertainment, retail, office, exhibition, restaurant, etc. Moreover, we should utilize the knowledge and technology talents in Yangpu and link the nearby R&D area.
