Wooden Wonders by MVRDV

As part of Chiayi’s 321st anniversary celebrations, the municipality invited MVRDV to design a pavilion and exhibition exploring the city’s deep-rooted relationship with wood, from its surrounding forests to contemporary timber construction. Located opposite Chiayi City Hall, the Wooden Wonders Pavilion encloses a square courtyard, conceived as an open, urban living room.

The design is grounded in extensive research into Chiayi’s timber architecture. While the city’s wooden buildings span many styles and periods, shared characteristics emerged, including chamfered corners and expressive, ornamented rooflines. These elements are reinterpreted in the pavilion through four diagonally cut corners and distinct roof profiles, inspired by local wooden landmarks. The exhibition unfolds along the pavilion’s perimeter in five thematic sections, including a multisensory forest experience and a workshop celebrating Chiayi’s woodworking craftsmanship, highlighting wood as both cultural heritage and future-building material.