Joint Winner of Taiwan Centers for Disease Control Complex International Competition

A joint proposal by Ricky Liu & Associates (Taiwan) and CUH2A, Inc., Architecture Engineering Planning (USA) has won the international competition for the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control Complex located in the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park in Hsinchu County. The complex will include an Administration Center, a National Health Command Center, and a Laboratory & Research Center.

Here is how the architects describe the project:

The Project includes the Phase I “Research and Diagnostic Center” and the Phase II “Administration Center” based on space requirements of the program. The Research and Diagnostic Center, as the landmark in the region, is 9-level laboratory building located in the western site with its facade facing the Hsinchu High Speed Rail Station. Taking a full consideration of the total power supply, mechanical running and their maintenance, the “Power Center” is designed as a separate building to the CDC campus.

Security Control
It is a key issue in the Project Planning to plan the staff’s security control. Public areas including the Epidemic Educational Hall, Health Center, Education Center and Conference Center are all open to the public. The accesses at the North side and the landscaping one at the South will be stationed with security guards by manual control. Staff control area including offices, the National Health Command Center, Laboratory Building and so on requires Card-Access Control. The Laboratory Building is especially designed with multi-checking access control system to thoroughly stop those with no permission accessing the Building, so that the control will be effective.

Site Plan Concept

At the south it setbacks from the roads alongside in the Park for 20m wide to form a plaza in belt shape, creating the perception of entrance to the complex. At the north entrance of the Administration Building a glass corridor is planned accessing to the Research and Disease Control Center. The building volume of a arc design descends level by level from the northeast to the southeast, resisting the Northeast Monsoon throughout the year. The building integrated with the Research and Disease Control Center creates a greenery courtyard surrounded by landscape. To the south it plans dense ecological forest blending with the greenbelt inside the Park, representing the spirit of ecological landscaping the Biomedical Science Park adopts.
 

Spatial Structure
Based on the planning conception of ecology, healthiness, safety, share of resources, the Research and Diagnostic planning adopts module design for the purpose of safety and rigidity. Its integration with the arc building of ecology and greenery shapes an articulation naturally at the center, facilitating a dining and recreation space for communication. Through such a spatial design it offers people a healthy and comfortable environment.
 
Extension Project
In the consideration of feasibility for extension, the economy effectiveness of original power equipment and the public office spaces for staffs, and the integration of overall planning, the Research and Disease Control Center shall have its southern office area extend further to the south according to its extension project. Based on the actual requirements it is to plan the extension to labs and achieve the goals as scheduled.
 

Design Conception
Based on the overall landscaping concept and planning of the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park , the Center for Disease Control is designed as follows:

The integrated diverse landscaping elements and the ecological values facilitate the ease of a perching environment full of mutual creature thriving and coexistence.
 
Circulation Planning
For the safety and security consideration, the staff and logistic flow of the traffic are designed separately. The entrance of the staff and visitors underground parking is designed north-east to the site and the exit is designed north-west to the site. The truck entrance to the south-east of the site is designed for the R&D Center and storage room for sudden epidemic outbreak only. A Motorcycle Parking is set in the southern site. It integrates with the Greenbelt of the Science Park to shape a natural barrier separating the CDC campus from the outside.

 
Flow & Circulation
The visitor, conference and educational spaces of the Research & Diagnostic Building that celebrate the significance of TCDC’s science are crucial to supporting the Center’s vision and guiding principles. Visitor flow through the facility to promote good will is central to the design proposed by Ricky Liu Architects and CUH2A. Safety for the visitors, and security for the research data is maintained through the use of view windows along visitor tour path outside direct confines of the laboratory environment. Each floor, including the High Risk BSL-3 spaces located in the basement level include this concept. In so doing, visitors will be allowed to observe the workings of the spaces, without the risk of exposure from the benchtop work. This concept also minimizes the impact of periodic disruptions to the laboratories from visitors taking tours.
 
Form

The southward elevation of the building adopts level-by-level setback design to form platforms of greenery responding to the nature, developing a environment for offices and life in the ease of green, nature, energy conservation and comfort.

 
Indoor Environment

Utilize the access corridor of inner circuit and 1.5m-wide elevators in connection between upper and lower floors to enhance the smoothness and efficiency of the vertical and horizontal circulation. The high atrium introduces natural daylight inside the building enhancing the inner ventilation to reach the purposes of brightness, conform and energy.