“Reading is like the growth of plants, and seasons repeat like a rebirth.” In 2025, Taichung is poised to unveil Taiwan's first architecture that combines an art museum and a library—Taichung Green Museumbrary. Starting May, the Taichung Public Library will kick off a series of warm-up events, including the “Notes for the Green Museumbrary” lecture series and “The Season of Books” exhibition. These events aim to bring together experts in architecture, humanities and arts, and reading advocacy, alongside citizens, fostering a direct exchange to infuse reading and aesthetics into everyday life, thereby guiding individuals to immerse in the urban humanities essence and cultural depth.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau noted that the Taichung Green Museumbrary is the first project in Taiwan by Pritzker Architecture Prize winners Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. This elegant architecture is integrated with the Central Park. It is also a new type of public building that combines an art museum and a library. The design features a blend of glass curtain walls and metal grids, giving the building the appearance of being wrapped in a flowing silver-white veil. Kazuyo Sejima’s design style, characterized by lightness, fluidity, and transparency, creates a green dialogue between the park and the building and effectively reduces indoor heat load, promoting energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, this is the first art museum and library in Taiwan with a seismic isolation system.

The Taichung Public Library noted that this year, it will focus on the convergence of architecture and reading by inviting experts and scholars and hosting a series of lectures that will outline the Taichung Green Museumbrary, with the goal of engaging with citizens as they anticipate this world-class library. The first lecture, scheduled for May 26 at the Main Branch, will feature Dr. Hsieh Tsung-che, an architecture PhD holder from the University of Tokyo. His lecture, titled “The Beauty of SANAA’s Architecture: An Interpretation Through Japanese Aesthetic Consciousness,” will lead attendees into the aesthetic realm of Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Kazuyo Sejima.

Additionally, on June 29, Urban Detective Li Ching-chih will share his book Becoming a Traveler in Your Own City, encouraging people to take their time exploring Taiwan's architecture and finding joy and meaning in the experience. Moreover, on July 6, Host Motif Wu Shu-yuan will talk about the significance of public spaces in urban aesthetics. Welcome to participate, delve into urban aesthetics, and collectively shape a beautiful vision for the city.

The Taichung Public Library noted that from June 1 to July 31, the Main Branch will host the “Green Museumbrary Warm-up Book Exhibition – The Season of Books.” This event will spotlight the native Cochinchina Homalium from Dadu Mountain in Taichung, and will be organized into three themes: “Green Seeds,” “The Beauty of Light,” and “The Forest of Books.” The exhibition will feature hundreds of books covering various topics, including Taichung literature, travel, lifestyle, and aesthetics. Like Cochinchina Homalium that grows in harmony with the seasons, the benefits of reading also take time to cultivate. Through this exhibition, visitors can discover their personal reading journeys, spreading the seeds of knowledge further while experiencing the richness and vibrancy of life through reading.

The Taichung Public Library announced that beginning in August, the “Notes for the Green Museumbrary” series events will invite various guests monthly, including “Mars Children's Book Map” Su I-chen, “Tales of Bookshops Trilogy” Chung Fang-ling, and renowned architect Liu Pei-sen. These sessions aim to engage citizens in reading within the park's expansive bookroom, inspiring a connection with nature and beauty. For more details on these events, visit the Taichung Public Library website (https://gov.tw/WoL).