The Wandering Walls in the ArchDaily Guide to Good Architecture
Wandering Walls Honored as One of ArchDaily’s “Top 100 Works of Architecture”
ArchDaily is one of the most influential platforms in global architecture, renowned for its professional insights and an international readership exceeding one million. In 2022, the platform published its first-ever book, The ArchDaily Guide to Good Architecture, selecting the “Top 100 Works of Architecture” from over 40,000 projects worldwide. Wandering Walls was the only project from Taiwan to be featured.
This recognition is more than a title — it is a profound affirmation of Wandering Walls’ design philosophy. Since its founding in 2008, ArchDaily has adhered to rigorous editorial standards, publishing more than 40,000 project reports. The book’s selections were evaluated according to ten key criteria: Considerate, Durable, Holistic, Inclusive, Innovative, Local, Protective, Resourceful, Useful, and Desirable.
Each category includes only 6–16 representative works, with 104 projects in total making the final cut. Wandering Walls was listed under “Durable”. For ArchDaily, “Durable” architecture is not only about standing the test of time, but also about achieving a longer lifespan than average in its local context, minimizing reconstruction and resource waste, while retaining functionality and beauty across generations.
To meet this “Durable” standard, a building must be rooted in its geographic, climatic, and cultural context, utilizing materials and construction techniques that adapt to environmental changes, and allowing for flexibility over time. The curved concrete walls of Wandering Walls not only address the challenges of the strong seasonal winds in Hengchun, but also create a dynamic spatial flow and interplay of light and shadow — a space in dialogue with nature.
The design of Wandering Walls breaks away from the conventional orthogonal layouts and rigid column-beam structures, allowing walls to flow freely within the space — even extending beyond the main building to become part of the surrounding landscape. This design spirit has placed Wandering Walls alongside works by Pritzker Architecture Prize laureates Alejandro Aravena (ELEMENTAL, Chile), Kazuyo Sejima (SANAA, Japan), and Diébédo Francis Kéré (Kéré Architecture, Germany) in the book, making it a significant representative of Taiwanese architecture on the global stage.
More media coverage: United Daily News