A fusion of mountains, plains, and the sea — Experience the Lanyang Museum with your heart

Reporter Chou Pei-hung / Taipei reporting

Since the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel, tourism in Yilan has become even more popular, and the Lanyang Museum has almost become a must-visit destination for all travelers. Unlike conventional museums, this most prominent landmark on the Lanyang Plain not only showcases the beauty of Yilan’s nature and culture but also hides many design concepts that require a thoughtful experience. Let architecture critic Wang Junxiong guide you through the spatial experience of the Lanyang Museum.

▲ The Lanyang Museum incorporates geometric triangles that blend with the characteristics of the hillscape. (Photo provided by MIKA)

In 1989, local figures in Yilan proposed the idea of building the “Kai-Lan Museum,” which marked the origin of the Lanyang Museum (abbreviated as Lanbo). Later, the Da-Yuan United Architects firm, led by architect Yao Renxi, won the design and supervision rights in 2000. After 10 years of challenges, the museum officially opened on October 16, 2010.

After the completion of the Lanyang Museum and the arrival of its staff, Wang Junxiong had a discussion with architect Yao Renxi, which gave him a deeper understanding and insight into the museum’s spatial design and planning. Gesturing to the overall layout plan, he described the Lanyang Museum as a place of “romantic reality.” Located beside Wushi Harbor and facing the sea with its back to the mountains, the design of the museum extends the concept of mountain → plain → sea. To better integrate with the natural environment, the building was designed to appear as small as possible, so half of it is “hidden” underground, with the part above ground taking the form of a “triangle” — this is also the first striking impression many people have of the Lanyang Museum.

Wang Junxiong said that the original design concept of the Lanyang Museum was that of a “local museum.” “Preservation is not the goal; education is.” Most museums, in order to protect their collections, adopt enclosed designs. But the Lanyang Museum hopes to maintain a harmonious and unobtrusive relationship with natural elements and the environment, so it adopts a geometric form that blends with the hillscape, with large glass panels resembling a transparent river running through the mountains and the sea. Stepping out from the first-floor lobby, one can directly see the ocean view; taking the escalator up, one can even see Guishan Island on the sea. After experiencing the complete views of the mountains, sea, and plains, visitors then enter the enclosed exhibition halls.

▲ Entering the Lanyang Museum, the lobby features a high-ceilinged design with large glass panels, and taking the elevator up brings the delightful surprise of seeing Guishan Island. (Photo provided by Gui Xiao-Sun)

When talking about the Lanyang Museum, besides the “triangle” design inspired by the hillscape, the exterior walls are pieced together with different stones to depict Vivaldi’s violin concerto “The Four Seasons,” using dynamic music to represent the seasonal landscapes of Lanyang — a truly remarkable feature. Wang Junxiong laughingly mentioned that the original design concept aimed for transparency, and the most suitable material would have been cast aluminum panels. “But those are handmade in Taiwan, and if they were all used, just the materials alone would take over ten years to produce.” Moreover, it might have raised suspicions of favoritism. So, from another angle, the cast aluminum panels were turned into section dividers for the musical score, resulting in an even richer visual experience.

In the conversation between Wang Junxiong and Yao Renxi, it was also mentioned that the location of the Lanyang Museum is highly sensitive in terms of both natural landscape and wetland ecology, which is why the concept of “rock” emerged — it has always been there, without giving the impression of artificial intervention.

In fact, the architectural design philosophy of the Lanyang Museum alone could warrant a much longer discussion. But how can one truly appreciate it through words alone? Perhaps the next time you visit the Lanyang Museum, free yourself from the tourist mindset of sightseeing in haste, sipping coffee, and buying souvenirs, and instead, rediscover the messages that the designers intended to convey through the “space” with your heart.