Taiwan – Home to 70,000 inhabitants, the town of Huwei will have its waterway network entirely redesigned to promote deeper connections between citizens and nature.
The proposal, developed by MVRDV, has been selected by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs as the winning project for the large-scale redevelopment of Huwei’s water systems. Including both a strategic masterplan and landscape design, the Hoowave Water Factory project is set not only to uphold flood resilience, but also to improve the quantity and quality of the town’s water.
The new infrastructure will capture and store water in harmony with nature, urban life and the river’s flow. The proposal also introduces improved mobility networks and cultural amenities to boost economic and cultural attractivity. ‘Our design offers accessibility to riparian leisure spaces and cultural places, generating a more meaningful connection between people and nature... a wonderful resilience,’ adds MVRDV’s founding partner Winy Maas.
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Strategic opportunity
Nature-centric design has proven wellness benefits, but as the Hoowave Water Factory proposal suggests, good execution of a nature-forward civic project also holds economic value in the long term