Qigu Visitor Center Introduction
Due to tidal factors, the entrance to the No. 6 Island Trail is covered by water at high tide, making it impossible for personnel to walk. To avoid the impact of tides on tourists' experience, you can check the tidal times through the Central Weather Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation. The architectural design of the Cigu Visitor Center is primarily based on the concept of a "dyke" to reduce the visual disconnection caused by human construction from the natural environment. It incorporates common local elements such as sea dykes, river dykes, and salt dykes as design elements, and employs a folded plate system to transform the "dyke" into space, resembling stacked salt blocks formed after being washed away by rain, steep as cliffs and gentle as slopes, showing the shape of valleys and embodying the power of nature acting on the earth. The primary color of the architecture is gray-white, and against the backdrop of the blue sky, this "dyke" shines bright and pure, bestowing diverse appearances to the building at different times of the day. It creates a landscape image of salt mountains within the space, enhancing the compatibility between the building and the local scenery. This architecture serves as a symbol of the unique natural landscape of the area and embodies the intention of caring for the marine environment and showcasing the beauty of the coastline. The Cigu Visitor Center acts as an information hub connecting nearby attractions and has become a new tourist landmark, providing a coastal deep travel base with friendly and diversified services for visitors. The charming water pavilion on No. 6 Island, besides being a popular photo spot, won the 2022 MUSE DESIGN AWARDS design award. The location of "No. 6 Island" is precisely the sixth production area of the Cigu South Salt Zone from 80 years ago during the Japanese colonial period, hence its name. The work is based on the changes in the salt industry of Cigu Salt Fields, interpreting the mindset of residents who experienced transformations in the salt industry and the essence of salt workers, converted into a water installation art of an island and a small house, combined with the imagery of "salt windmills" from early salt fields to convey a sense of "silent beauty" in spatial ambiance. Like a small house on an isolated island, it shows different light and shadow changes with sunlight, and the "salt" color represents the natural elements of salt-making: sunlight, seawater, and sea breeze. The work also deliberately creates the serendipitous opportunity of "island landing,” with the water level in the landscape pool rising and falling with the tides. When the water covers the path, it will not be open. Visitors can quietly appreciate the feeling of the isolated small house from the shore or check the Cigu tidal schedule before visiting. Cigu Visitor Center Environmental Art Installation - No. 6 Island Designer | Chen Yu-Liang Location | Cigu Visitor Center Landscape Pool
