Another international landmark is coming to Taichung!  Renowned architect Tadao Ando(安藤忠雄) , a Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate often hailed as "the greatest contemporary architect in the world", is set to design the “Children's Book Forest “ library in Taichung.  Following his design of the Asia University Museum of Modern Art, Ando is teaming up with the Taichung City Government to create a dream paradise for children: Taichung Children's Book Forest「童書之森・台中」. On November 22 a collaboration project launch event was held, during which both parties signed a memorandum of understanding.

Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen (臺中市盧市長) expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Tadao Ando through a transoceanic video call. This new library, Taichung's 50th, is designed with themes that captivate children's interests, encouraging them to explore knowledge and nurture creativity.  By planting the seeds of reading in Taichung, this facility is envisioned as not only a world-class children’s library but also a significant cultural landmark. Once completed, it will welcome children from across Taiwan to read and grow.

Talking about the cooperation opportunities for Taichung Children's Book Forest, Mayor Lu said that Architect Ando  announced two years ago that he wanted to design a children's library for Taiwan. After active efforts by the Taichung City Government team, Taichung city finally won the competition amidst fierce competition from other competing municipalities and counties.  Mayor Lu thanked Ando for recognizing the Taichung city’s achievements in promoting reading infrastructure, as well as Chunta Construction Co., Ltd.(忠泰建設), for its assistance in bringing this project to fruition.

Architect Ando will personally oversee its design, while the city government will carry out land acquisition and construction.  The goal is to complete the project by 2026. Taichung Children's Book Forest will be located near the scenic Maple Garden Park (秋紅谷) in Taichung’s downtown.  At present, preparations for land, design, construction and funds have been completed and construction is about to begin. Once completed, it will warmly welcome children from all over Taiwan.

Architect Ando said online that the world is currently in turmoil, and it is our duty as adults to help the next generation of children understand the world correctly.  He stated that it is the responsibility of adults to guide children. He expressed concern about society’s overreliance on smartphones and stressed the need to provide children with more opportunities to read, fostering new ways of thinking through books.  Ando also hopes the library will feature books not only from Taiwan but also from around the world, offering children diverse resources to enhance their resilience and ability to face challenges.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau explained that Taichung City has been actively planning for reading construction based on the concept of "reading ability is the competitiveness of the city"「閱讀力就是城市競爭力」.  Over the past three years, the city has invested NT$100 million annually to expand library collections, meeting citizens’  reading needs while building new libraries and upgrading existing ones. Notable upcoming projects include the Taichung Green Museumbrary, set to open next year, along with three additional libraries currently under construction: Xidong Library (溪東圖書館), the Hsu Liang-yu Memorial Library (許良宇紀念圖書館) in Dongshi District, and Lobsang Library(羅布森圖書館) in Nantun.

The city’s reading initiatives have garnered national and international acclaim, with recent accolades including the Asia-Pacific Sustainability Action Gold Award 「亞太永續行動獎」 and Taiwan Sustainability Action Gold Award 「台灣永續行動獎」.  Additionally, CommonWealth  Magazine(天下雜誌) ranked Taichung among the top municipalities in cultural and educational capability in its 2024 survey of sustainable and happy cities. These achievements align with Taichung’s vision of becoming a livable and happy city.

Designed by Tadao Ando, this library will feature an elliptical structure enveloped by a “forest,” with Ando’s signature exposed concrete as the main construction material. The circular book wall design will create an immersive spatial experience for children while also serving as a destination for architecture enthusiasts to appreciate Ando’s work. The project is expected to elevate Taichung’s global profile as a city of reading. The city government is committed to ensuring smooth construction and future operation, aiming to strengthen Taichung as a city of both cultural and structural excellence.

The launch event was attended by Mayor Lu, Tadao Ando, Secretary-General Huang Chung-Tien(黃崇典秘書長), Urban Development Bureau Director Li Cheng-Wei(李正偉局長), Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Chen Chia-chun(陳佳君局長) , Legal Affairs Bureau Director Li Shan-Chih(李善植局長), Deputy Director of the Bureau of Cultural Affairs Shih Chun-Fu(施純福副局長), Taichung Public Library Director Tseng Hui-chun(曾惠君館長), and many important local figures were also present.