Frank Gehry’s Sole Major Project in East Asia Begins to Rise in Taichung
TAICHUNG, May 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On May 3, 2025, beneath the ever-shifting skies of Taichung’s Shui-Nan campus, China Medical University (CMU) broke ground on what promises to be a transformative landmark for Taiwan-the CMU Museum of Fine Arts, designed by none other than Frank Gehry, laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize and one of the most revered architects of our time. This will be Gehry’s only monumental creation in East Asia, and a defining moment in Taiwan’s architectural and cultural evolution.
The China Medical University Museum of Fine Arts, Frank Gehry’s only major project in East Asia, features folded stainless steel forms that capture light like a watercolor-a defining moment in Taiwan’s architectural and cultural evolution.
Showcasing Taiwan to the World: Groundbreaking Ceremony for the CMU Museum of Fine Arts
CMU and Healthcare System Chairman Dr. Chang-Hai Tsai expressed his ambition to extend the university’s contributions beyond its achievements in education, medicine, and biotechnology:
“Through architecture and art, and through the hand of a master architect, we hope to offer the world a glimpse of Taiwan’s spirit.”
As early as 2014, Dr. Tsai entrusted New York-based SOM, one of the world’s largest architecture firms, with planning the Shui-Nan campus. At the heart of the blueprint was a museum-a space not just for art, but for ideas, identity, and innovation. Among more than 30 living Pritzker laureates, Dr. Tsai sought only one: Frank Gehry, the father of deconstructivist architecture. Despite no longer participating in design competitions and working exclusively by invitation, Gehry was moved by Dr. Tsai’s invitation and agreed to craft a museum tailor-made for Taiwan.
Pritzker Laureate Frank Gehry’s Tailored Tribute to Taiwan: A New Chapter in Global Architecture
CMU and Healthcare System Chairman Dr. Chang-Hai Tsai envisioned extending the university’s legacy beyond education, medicine, and biotechnology, aspiring to make contributions in architecture and the arts.
To realize this dream, in 2014, CMU invited New York-based SOM to plan the Shui-Nan campus, including a dedicated museum space. Among more than 30 living Pritzker laureates, Dr. Tsai chose only one-Frank Gehry, the father of deconstructivist architecture.
Moved by Dr. Tsai’s sincerity, Gehry agreed to create a museum uniquely designed for Taiwan, without participating in public competitions-an honor reserved for only the world’s most distinguished clients.
Forging a New Urban Aesthetic with Cascading Steel and Sculpted Metal
The CMU Museum of Fine Arts will be sculpted from folded metal sheets and undulating stainless steel, capturing the endless play of light across the sky.
Gehry’s design transforms the building’s surface into a living canvas, radiating delicate hues like a watercolor painting that changes with the sun and weather.
In an interview with the New York Times (April 14, 2021), Gehry explained:
“The design is inspired by reflections of buildings, trees, and the sky on pools of water and mirrored steel. Using softer stainless steel, we crafted a fluid form through precise folds and curves. The building will shimmer gently, breathing with light, like a watercolor in motion.”
This innovative approach not only showcases Gehry’s profound mastery of material but also creates a poetic dialogue between architecture, nature, and the cityscape-a vibrant new link between art and urban life.
Fusing Education and Art to Forge Global Connections
Chairman Tsai remarked:
“World-class cities are home to world-class universities-institutions that not only excel in academic research, but also house world-renowned museums. Universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, and Cambridge exemplify the seamless integration of scholarship and the arts.”
The CMU Museum of Fine Arts is thus envisioned as a new hub where Taiwan’s university education and aesthetic education converge, connecting Taiwan to the global cultural circuit. In the future, it will join forces with the Asia Museum of Modern Art, as well as institutional allies such as Harvard’s Fogg Museum, Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center, Oxford’s Ashmolean, and Cambridge’s Fitzwilliam Museum. Together, they will elevate Taiwan’s cultural voice on the world stage-and with it, CMU’s global reputation.
CONTACT: Carolyn Chen, [email protected]