ICESA’s proposal for the Taipei Pop Music Center integrates two distinct architectural volumes into a unified urban masterplan structured around connectivity and active street life.

The southern volume operates as a linear urban axis, activating the district through a continuous ground-level public program of shops and restaurants. Its primary urban gesture is the transformation of the roof into a sloped amphitheater formed as an inverted arch, accommodating open-air concerts. This space is protected by a long-span, earthquake-resistant arched canopy that functions as structural infrastructure, green corridor, and linear park. The canopy offers panoramic views while physically and programmatically stitching together the northern and southern plots. The void between the inverted-arch roof and the arched canopy aligns with the auditorium’s main axis, allowing the stage to perform either toward the protected outdoor amphitheater—via an extended platform—or inward toward the enclosed auditorium.

To the north, the indoor auditorium is elevated to release a permeable ground-floor plaza conceived as an urban condenser for informal gatherings and spontaneous performances. By orienting an outdoor stage toward the southern linear volume, the project establishes a high-energy performative corridor. The ensemble operates as a multi-level civic destination that integrates seamlessly with Taipei’s urban fabric through continuity of public space, visual connections, and overlapping programs.