Dutch studio MVRDV has unveiled a series of rock-shaped buildings designed to blend into their coastal setting for the Nature Rocks tourist centre in southern Taiwan.
MVRDV collaborated with Taiwanese architecture studio HWC Architects to design the rocky visitor centre at Jialeshui in Kenting National Park, which was chosen by Pingtung County Government as the winning proposal in a competition.
The studios drew upon the area's sandstone coastline and rock formations for its design of Nature Rocks, which aims to blend in with the natural environment.
It will feature three main buildings made from reinforced concrete, chosen for its durability in the site's harsh coastal environment, with spans of glazing overlooking the sea. Over time, moss and small plants will take root on the buildings and grow over the structures.
The largest of the three rock-like buildings will contain a welcome centre, cafe and souvenir shop, topped with a walkable roof where visitors can stargaze.
Toilet facilities will be located in the smallest building and the other will contain exhibition and educational spaces.
Intending to minimise the impact on the natural setting, the structures will be built along an existing road and replace small buildings that have been damaged by typhoons and seawater.
The sloping site around the buildings will be levelled with organically shaped steps, forming an outdoor public space that can be used for events and markets.
Cracked openings in the paving will help drain the site and manage stormwater, designed to minimise damage caused by typhoons and flooding.
Planting will also be added to the cracks to create pathways for animals between the shore and the forest, with salt-tolerant vegetation placed near the sea and taller, denser vegetation by the forest.
Beyond the main Nature Rocks site, MVRDV will update the existing road to make it suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and shuttle buses, with additional rock-like buildings added at places it wants to draw attention to, including a waterfall.
"What you see today at Jialeshui shows a clear boundary between the natural and the artificial," said MVRDV cofounder Winy Maas. "In turn, this artificial trail separates nature from itself, separating forest from coastline"
"In our design, the artificial elements take the shape of the surrounding nature, like natural extensions of the site rather than foreign objects," he continued.
"Our goal was never to impose architecture on the landscape, but to let it emerge from the natural conditions, to break the monotony of the straight line, and to emphasise that Nature Rocks!"