September 8, 2023 | Updated: September 12, 2023
Located in Datong District (Taiwan), a fast-growing, premium location in the city of Taipei, exclusive apartment complex The Crown boasts a unique architectural design.
Destined to reach cultural icon status, this 108 metre-high skyscraper doesn't scrimp on outstanding features, combining striking vertical fluidity with an impossibly light exterior envelope made with KRION® K·Life 1100 solid surface and ventilated façade systems developed by Butech.
The work of studio ON-A and developer Kingland Property Corporation, the key concept behind this spectacular construction was to create a unique and distinctive residential landmark. "Essentially, our mission was to create a spectacular building that would set a new architectural trend and become a city landmark", said the studio's co-founders, Eduardo Gutiérrez and Jordi Fernández.
The Crown boasts a full range of residential and leisure facilities, integrating luxury apartments with exclusive services. The amenities include a lounge bar on the ground floor; a gym, work spaces and a library on the first floor; and a sky garden on the top floor, complete with multipurpose spaces for social events.
But there's no doubt about it, the spectacular façade is what sets The Crown apart from the rest. The white superstructure is defined by fluid, sinuous forms encompassing the entire volume of the building, forming the unique "crown" that gives it its name.
The Crown's structure is the fruit of a collaboration between studios ON-A and HPA ARCHITECTS & ASSOCIATES and Butech's specialist façade team. "The envelope is crafted in KRION® K·Life 1100, a material that enables us to create any shape and successfully deal with the joints at the nodes of the structure, something that was key to maintaining the proposed sense of fluidity", explained the architects when discussing the prominence of the PORCELANOSA mineral compound in the project.
The striking external composition is made of 250 node modules (straight, diagonal and corner) all created from different moulds. To guarantee the success of the project, a 1:1 scale prototype of one of the node pieces with a double curve (4 m x 4.5 m) was first constructed at Butech's facilities. The internal structure of the façade, fixing systems and the design of the prefabricated modules were hashed out by Butech's architects and façade engineers.
Trendbook file
