A Dutch architecture and design firm has renovated the infrastructure in a famous geopark, converting the bland and grating modernity into a nature-inspired welcome mat.
Jialeshui is a well-known scenic area in the southernmost part of Taiwan, known for its remarkable rock formations shaped by wind and water in Pingtung county.
The local government recently selected the design proposal submitted by MVRDV together with HWC Architects that was based around a series of key structures and paths that take the rocks themselves as inspiration.
Called Nature Rocks, MVDRV designed a network of new pathways and public spaces that improve accessibility while seamlessly blending into the rocky environment.
Over thousands of years, strong winds and sea waves have shaped the area’s soft sandstone coastline into a series of sculptural rock formations, many of which resemble animals and carry names such as Rabbit Rock, Toad Rock, and Seal Rock.
Currently, the forest just behind is separated from the rocky shoreline by a single road that cuts through the landscape—a narrow, largely straight route shared by shuttle buses, pedestrians, and cyclists. The pavilions and kiosks peppered along the road have been damaged by typhoons and seawater, and the whole ensemble looked exploitative and a bit ramshackle.
“What you see today at Jialeshui shows a clear boundary between the natural and the artificial; in turn, this artificial trail separates nature from itself, separating forest from coastline”, says MVRDV founding partner Winy Maas. “Our goal was never to impose architecture on the landscape, but to let it emerge from the natural conditions; to break the monotony of the straight line… and to emphasize that Nature Rocks!”
All of the new construction will be confined to areas that are already developed to avoid disrupting the original natural landscape. Inspired by the layered forms of the coastline, the design breaks up the existing straight road and reimagines recreational pathways as a cracked, rocky, naturalistic landscape that stitches the forest and the coastline back together.
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The rock-like fragments define various zones for circulation and public activities while some are extruded into buildings that echo the natural features of the local rock formations, blending into the surrounding environment.
At the entrance to the park, three sculptural buildings form a welcoming cluster. The largest of these “rocks” contains the welcome centre, a café, and a souvenir shop. A second building provides spaces for exhibitions and environmental education, while the third contains restrooms.
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The main building’s roof doubles as a terrace for stargazing and panoramic views. This entrance cluster is set within a sloping landscape of small plateaus and plazas designed for events, markets, or simply to enjoy the view.
For the rest of the route, the existing road will be transformed into a more accessible route for pedestrians, cyclists, and shuttle buses, as well as clear zones for movement and relaxation. Several smaller “stops” are positioned at existing points of interest: the stone viewing deck, a sea lookout point, and the waterfall. At each stop, the site’s existing outdated structures are replaced with viewpoints, kiosks, and other facilities.
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