MVRDV wins competition to design new resilient water network in Taiwan

A master plan from MVRDV has been selected in the international competition to deliver a modernized and resilient water network to the 70,000-strong Taiwanese river city of Huwei.

Located on the site of a still-in-operation 19th-century sugar factory, the Hoowave Water Factory project will consolidate and improve the city’s water cleaning capabilities while leading to the creation of a new park and additional urban spaces with three long bicycling paths, waterfront viewing platforms, and sports fields to be used by its citizens. 

“By combining aquatic interventions with mobility and cultural attractions, we open the embankments of the river and canal to the town”, MVRDV founding partner in charge, Winy Maas, said in a press release. “Water buffers reduce runoff and help to increase biodiversity and to keep up with climate changes. Our design offers accessibility to leisure spaces and cultural places, generating a more meaningful connection between people and nature… a wonderful resilience.”

Anqingzhen Waterland, Pinghe Lake, and Beigang River Park are the three zones included in the plan, which centers around the transformation of an existing flood detention pond dike located to the south of the city’s core in order to enact a new “ecology hotspot” and rainwater harvesting flood control system. These can serve as a buffer for the anticipated influx of extreme weather events caused by climate change. Huwei's heavily-polluted Anqingzhen Channel will also be purified as part of the design. 

MVRDV expects the project to be completed by the end of 2026.