‘La Bella Vita’ in Taiwan

Italian style, perfectly connected to the city. This is ‘La Bella Vita’, a skyscraper created by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel (ACPV) that blends Made in Italy with oriental influences, putting the needs and wellbeing of residents at the center of the creative process. The design of the building, with a height of 128 meters, located in the rapidly growing district of Taichung, Taiwan, manages to foster a dynamic relationship with the surrounding urban context, creating a new residential community in the commercial center of the city.

The complex has been organized as a continuation of the surrounding public spaces, starting with works of art and a green landscape at ground level, to create a continuum with outdoor areas. The tower has a clearly distinct identity, with apparently disjointed but complementary volumes. There is a clear separation between shared and private zones, where the use of stone reinforces the geometric figure of the balconies, behind which 168 apartments feature furnishings designed by Antonio Citterio for Maxalto, Vitra, Flexform, Arclinea, together with the lamps of Lightyears A/S and those created by David Chipperfield and Mario Nanni for Viabizzuno.

The upper portion contains the community spaces, areas conceived as a framework for interaction between residents and visitors. A central amber-colored volume is wrapped in a honeycomb window structure that is distinct from the residential parts, while also holding them together.

The latter include the swimming pool zone with the Gio chaises longues, by Citterio for B&B Italia, and a fitness area outfitted with equipment by Technogym. “The project for La Bella Vita encourages practices of shared living, creating a series of inhabited biospheres along the entire height of the tower – says Antonio Citterio. – These lobbies bring together the communities of residents, creating multiple opportunities for exchange and interaction. The lower levels form a new infrastructure for co-living, with the presence of common areas like the library, the gym, the swimming pool and the dining and meeting rooms.”