Kaohsiung Music Center (Aihe Bay) Introduction
Located in the center of the Asia New Bay Area in Kaohsiung, this venue was constructed by a collaboration between a Spanish architectural team and a Taiwanese team. The design team utilized marine elements to outline uniquely shaped buildings, making it not only the core of popular music performances in Southern Taiwan but also an international music and cultural landmark. Highlighting popular music and inheriting marine culture, it creates a new base for music and leisure. The project was approved by the Executive Yuan in 2009 and was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to the Kaohsiung City Government for planning, design, and construction, operating under a new "administrative corporation" model as the "Kaohsiung Popular Music Center." It aims to establish a core venue for popular music performances in Southern Taiwan, nurture domestic music talent, and support related industries. Besides music performances, it also integrates waterfront scenery to create new spaces for tourism and leisure. In the intersection of the Love River and Kaohsiung Harbor—Love River Bay—the Kaohsiung Popular Music Center is situated. It consists of high and low towers, coral reef clusters, whale embankments, dolphin walkways, and a LIVE WAREHOUSE area. The high and low tower area includes the high tower, low tower, Sea Breeze Plaza, and the Ocean Sound Hall. The high and low towers feature a cutting-edge design that reflects the undulating waves of the sea, serving as the main venue's exterior design while connecting to Kaohsiung's image as a "port city." The Ocean Sound Hall can accommodate 4,000 to 6,000 people for indoor performances, addressing the shortage of medium-sized venues in Taiwan, while the Sea Breeze Plaza can host 8,000 to 10,000 people. The coral reef clusters are a mixed-use commercial space, designed with coral reef shapes in mind, providing experiences, exhibitions, and multi-functional commercial space across two independent floors. The whale embankment features a design representing whale groups, containing six independent performance spaces, with esports alliances and KKBOX already stationed in Whale Halls 3 and 5. Facing the sea, paired with landscaped observation areas, visitors can enjoy beautiful sunsets, conveniently located next to the Glory Pier Light Rail Station with parking spaces available, making it suitable for a leisurely stroll on weekends and holidays. The dolphin walkway is an independent commercial space, a 735-meter-long skywalk connecting the high and low towers, coral reef clusters, and whale embankments. The design concept is inspired by dolphins leaping out of the water, with an interior height of 5 meters and transparent floor-to-ceiling windows at both ends offering stunning sea views. As the strongest music base in the south, the unique waterfront soundscape LIVE WAREHOUSE in the south serves as the first professional concert venue in Kaohsiung with a capacity of 1,000. This is the only waterfront warehouse music space in Taiwan, featuring a diverse range of performance types, actively nurturing pop music talent, and creating a unique soundscape that incorporates local characteristics. Located in the Pier-2 Art Center's Deyi District C10, the small warehouse (230 people) and large warehouse (1,400 people) host live performances weekly, attracting music fans and quickly accumulating pop music energy in the south!
