Since the start of its trial operation on October 28, the Taichung Green Museumbrary has drawn large numbers of visitors eager to experience its architectural splendor. Social media has been filled with photos and enthusiastic reactions from the public. To help citizens better understand the design vision behind the building, the Taichung Art Museum and the Taichung Public Library invited its creators—renowned Japanese architects and Pritzker Architecture Prize laureates Kazuyo Sejima 妹島和世  and Ryue Nishizawa 西澤立衛 —to Taichung on November 7.

The two architects not only shared signature works from around the world but also provided an in-depth walkthrough of the Green Museumbrary’s design concepts and development process. Registration for the event reached full capacity within seconds, prompting the organizers to open a second on-site screening area and provide a live online broadcast, attracting participants from across Taiwan.

Chen Chia-Chun 陳佳君局長, Director-General of the Taichung City Cultural Affairs Bureau, stated that the Green Museumbrary represents Taichung’s cultural vision of integrating reading and aesthetics . The venue is not only a space where literature and art converge, but also a tangible expression of the city’s cultural identity. Through the design language of Sejima and Nishizawa, Taichung showcases an urban aesthetic that blends nature, knowledge, and everyday life. The Green Museumbrary will continue its trial operation through November 16 and will officially open on December 13, inviting the public to experience the charm of this world-class cultural venue.

Architect Kazuyo Sejima explained that the original vision for the Green Museumbrary was to create an open and inviting cultural environment, allowing visitors from both the urban and park sides to naturally encounter knowledge, art, and nature. She expressed hope that people would move freely through the building, experiencing the vitality of the architecture and its surroundings.

Architect Ryue Nishizawa added that the silver-white expanded metal mesh and glass curtain walls soften the boundaries between interior and exterior, reflecting the greenery of the park and the cityscape. The elevated design allows sunlight, breezes, and greenery to flow through the spaces. Low-reflection glass and permeable paving further embody sustainable principles, striking a balance between visual beauty and the local climate.

According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau, the lecture was held in the main auditorium of the Green Museumbrary, while a live feed was simultaneously projected in the shaded plaza on the first floor, allowing visitors to listen freely in an open, bright environment. The online broadcast attracted viewers nationwide. Many participants arrived early to experience the building’s ambiance before engaging in the lecture, and both venues were filled to capacity.

A participant, Ms. Wang, shared that experiencing the much-anticipated Green Museumbrary in person, followed by hearing the architects explain its design philosophy, deepened her appreciation of how light and air shape the spatial beauty within the architecture.

During the trial period, a rich array of events is being held. The Taichung Public Library launched a program titled “A New Chapter of Library Reading: Living with the Green Museumbrary,”(圖書館的閱讀新章：和綠美圖的生活提案)  featuring curators Wu Hsiao-Le 吳曉樂and Wu Yu-Hsuan 吳俞萱 . Topics such as “CTRL+Z: Rebooting in the Age of Anxiety”(CTRL+Z：焦慮時代重開機) and “The Hero in My Heart ( 我心中的英雄) connect speakers including Hao Ming-Yi 郝明義 , YouTubers Sun Girl孫女 and Nana Master 那那大師, author Lai Yi-Wei賴以威, and journalist Fang Chun-Chu 方君竹, guiding readers through diverse perspectives on reading.

Meanwhile, the Taichung  Art Museum is presenting “Open, Our Art Museum,”(打開，我們的美術館)  curated by Lin Kun-Ying 林昆穎. This series features creators such as Japanese director Seichi Hishikawa 菱川勢一, writer Kan Yao-Ming 甘耀明, and artists Lin Yu-Ju 林祐如  and Tian Hsiao-Tzu 田孝慈, who developed short fiction, video installations, and interdisciplinary performances inspired by the Green Museumbrary. A “Sketch Marathon” and outdoor light installations also highlight the limitless creative potential of arts and cultural spaces.

The Cultural Affairs Bureau added that the Green Museumbrary embodies Taichung’s new cultural landscape shaped by international vision and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The public is invited to step into this space where knowledge, art, and nature converge and witness the dawn of a new cultural era for Taichung. For more information, please visit the Taichung Art Museum website  and the Taichung Public Library website .

The event drew many attendees both onsite and online, including Cultural Affairs Bureau Director-General Chen Chia-Chun, Deputy Construction Bureau Director Chen Yung-Hsin, Deputy Urban Development Bureau Director Tseng Wen-Cheng, Deputy Cultural Affairs Directors Tseng Neng-Ting 曾能汀副局長 and Shih Chun-Fu 施純福副局長 , Taichung Public Library Director Tseng Hui-Chun 臺中市立圖書館館長曾惠君, Taichung Art Museum Director Lai Yi-Hsin 臺中市立美術館館長賴依欣, as well as numerous distinguished guests.