Miralles Tagliabue EMBT SLP.
URBAN APPROACH
On an urban scale, we read 3 different layers in the site. The first one is the sea front. An important image of the site is the one that you perceive when you arrive in boat. The building terminal has an important participation in this sea facade. The second one is the layer of the new buildings. The third layer is the one of the villages and landscape. We also identify 3 important axis on the site: the Tashan Mountain, Xiashu direction and the main connection with Kinmen town. For sure, the future building will introduce a new axis in the whole complex, an axis that will connect to the sea. This analysis conducts us to several main urban considerations for the whole site in general and for our building in particular.
SCALE
The present situation alerts about the contrast in scale between the existing villages and smooth landscape and any new construction that, by force, needs an important volume, like the ferry terminal itself. This is why we consider that the new building should not have an important height and the volume should integrate in the waving lines of the landscape. We also believe that between the old buildings and the new buildings, there should be a transition area that will help to achieve a gradual increase of the scale. New high buildings should be carefully inserted in the landscape, as special “accents” in strategic positions.
CONNECTIVITY
We believe that the first condition for any future intervention is a good connectivity with the existing net of pedestrian ways and roads. This will allow the inhabitants to recuperate the contact with the sea through a series of pedestrian paths and roads that will conduct in a natural way to the sea shore and the public spaces. These connections will permit to introduce in the future new touristic, pedestrian and cultural circuits in the proximity of the port that will revitalize the whole area. Tourists will have not one, but many arguments to walk along sightseeing from one monument to another. Several types of circuits can be promoted from the ferry terminal itself (natural, historical, architectural, etc.) for all types of tourists. The new building of the ferry terminal will be one of these attraction points because you will have a quality public space with a very privilege position to observe the sea. (the roof) . the new ferry terminal will be closely linked with the rest of the public spaces and paths through the public spaces that are organized on the site around the main building. The roof will be connected to the public spaces with mechanical stairs.
