Neil M. Denari Architects Wins New Keelung Harbor Service Building

UPDATE: We have received a set of renderings of the winning entry from Neil M. Denari Archtitects. Selected images have been added to the article.

The entry by LA-based Neil M. Denari Architects has won the First Prize in the international competition for the New Harbor Service Building in Keelung, Taiwan. 

Denari beat out strong competition from the other four teams shortlisted on July 19 (previously on Bustler): Asymptote Architecture (USA) and 大元聯合建築師事務所 (R.O.C.); Mecanoo Architecten (The Netherlands); Platform for Architecture+Research (USA) and Series et Series (France); and ACDF Architecture (Canada).

The competition called for a landmark building that "will create a new 'Gateway to the Nation' motif." The brief asks for designs for a modern passenger and cargo terminal, transfer station, maritime gateway art plaza, a joint office building and parking structure, and development of unused land behind wharves W4 - W6 for handling goods from cross-strait passenger and cargo ships.

The massive multi-billion dollar renewal project is expected to accelerate development in the areas surrounding the harbor and promote local prosperity.

Besides Taiwanese scholars and architects, Yuan Liang Tsai, Gene King, Victor Y.C. Suthe, Ming Hung Wang, and Jenn Wei, the international jury also included foreign members Aaron Betsky, Michael Speaks and Kiyoshi Miyazaki. Stage One of the competition had received thirty-one entries from twelve countries.

UPDATE: Here are some selected renderings we have received from Neil M. Denari Archtitects.

Find more first model photos of Neil Denari's winning entry in the image gallery below.

For the complete set of hi-res renderings plus a video of the project, please check out this Showcase feature on Bustler's sister site Archinect.