Taichung Gateway Park Project, designed by Stan Allen Architects, the Dean of the School of Architecture at Princeton University, has just been awarded a 2007Progressive Architecture Award (P/A Award), announced at 10 AM of Jan. 18th, 2008, Taiwan Time. Deputy Mayor Hsiao of Taichung City stated that this is not only the honor of Princeton University, but also Taichung City because the project will be realized in the City. 

According to the Journal of Architecture, the Progressive Architecture Award is deemed as the highest honor and challenge, and the winner is always characterized on breakthrough and innovative contents. All nominated projects shall be those which are commissioned and ready to be executed, as well as feasible. Every year, five highly-respected and recognized committee members, in the field of architecture, usually spend 2 days to define the meaning of ‘progressive’, and cautiously evaluate details of nominated projects; therefore, winning the award is very tough. Morphsis, Richard Meier, Peter Eisenman, Diller Scofidio, Steven Holl, and Frank Gehry (designer of Guggenheim Museum) are previous winners of the Award.

Deputy Mayor Hsiao expressed that winning the Award was not easy, which revealed that the Taichung Gateway Park Project has been highly recognized internationally, and will bring positive effects for future implementation of the Project.

He also mentioned that the Project is a progressive design coordinating ecology, landscape, and urban development demand, and accommodates a big domed stadium, a university neighborhood, a convention center, a forest park compared to Manhattan’s Central Park, and Taichung Tower, symbolizing the City with total development land area of 80 hectors. The site is expected to become a new land mark of Taichung, even of Taiwan, after completion.

He estimated that the total budge of the Project would be NT 47.6 billion dollars, and the first NT 14 billion dollar phase for land acquisition was challenged by citizen communication, but is expected to be resolved with determination and sincerity by the City Government within this year, and was approved by the City Council. In 2009, the Site will be kicked off for development and construction, and completed in 2011.