Taipei City Government

The Taipei City Government held a groundbreaking ceremony on March 16, 2026, for the Taipei Public Library and Concert Hall Construction Project at the project site located at No. 7, Lane 134, Section 3, Xinyi Road, Da’an District. The ceremony was presided over by Mayor Chiang Wan-an, with representatives from relevant agencies and local stakeholders in attendance.

According to the Hydraulic Engineering Office (HEO) of the Public Works Department, the project site covers approximately 2.6 hectares and will consist of a twin-building complex with nine floors above ground and three basement levels, with a total floor area of approximately 90,779 square meters. The Concert Hall will include a 1,500-seat concert hall, along with rehearsal spaces, backstage support facilities, and administrative offices for orchestras, meeting the needs of professional performances and regular rehearsals. The library component will include open- and closed-stack collections, approximately 3,000 reading seats, and multifunctional exhibition and learning spaces. Smart borrowing and return systems, along with digital archives, will be introduced to enhance service capabilities.

The project will comply with Taipei’s Green Building Self-Government Ordinance and is expected to achieve a Diamond-level Green Building certification, as well as meet Grade 1+ building energy efficiency and smart building certification standards. Furthermore, Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been incorporated during the design phase to strengthen design integration and construction management efficiency. The concert hall and library will operate with separate electromechanical systems, facilitating future operations and maintenance. Energy-saving, water-efficient, and rainwater recycling systems will also be adopted to reduce long-term operational costs.

The Public Works Section of the HEO noted that structural load standards for library spaces have been enhanced based on usage characteristics. High-density archive areas and general floors are designed with different load capacities to ensure structural safety and long-term use. Basement levels incorporate reinforced waterproofing, drainage, and typhoon resilience measures. System flexibility has also been reserved to accommodate future operational adjustments and equipment upgrades. The overall design complies with urban design review principles. Setback entrances provide buffer spaces, pedestrian and vehicular circulation are separated, and public safety management is strengthened, balancing traffic impact with neighborhood considerations.

The HEO added that it has supported the project since the planning and design stage, including urban design review, building permit applications, procurement, and green building certification. It is also responsible for cross-disciplinary coordination, including architecture, structural engineering, acoustics, and MEP systems. During construction, quality, safety, and progress will be strictly managed, with continued community engagement.

To ensure transparency and integrity, the city government has implemented a Government Procurement Integrity Platform, promoting information disclosure and cross-sector collaboration. This mechanism establishes communication channels among prosecutors, anti-corruption agencies, experts, scholars, and the public, strengthening external oversight and preventing improper interference. It aims to ensure that major public infrastructure projects are delivered on time, to standard, and with full integrity.

The project site was formerly the Taipei office of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and is a key public land asset. During the planning stage, the Department of Cultural Affairs proposed the development of a mid-sized professional concert hall to address demand for performance venues as well as to serve as a resident venue for the Taipei Symphony Orchestra and the Taipei Chinese Orchestra. At the same time, in response to the redevelopment needs of the Taipei Public Library’s central library and the advancement of digital reading, plans were developed for a smart central library. Following cross-departmental coordination and integrated planning, the project evolved into a combined development integrating library and concert hall functions, bringing together reading, learning, and cultural performance spaces.

Commissioned by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Taipei Public Library, the project is being implemented by the Hydraulic Engineering Office of the Public Works Department. Construction is targeted for completion by the end of 2030, upon which it will provide Taipei with enhanced cultural and educational facilities and strengthen overall public service capacity.