A new residential high-rise designed by architecture firm OMA has reached its structural peak in Taipei, introducing a vertical village model that responds to shifting patterns of living and working in the post-pandemic city.
The 23-storey project, known as the Metropolitan Village, is located in the Xinyi central business district and has been designed by David Gianotten and Chiaju Lin. Commissioned by Continental Development, the building is scheduled for completion in 2027, with HCCH & Associates Architects Planners & Engineers acting as the local collaborator.
A residential typology shaped by hybrid living
The project is conceived around the increasingly fluid boundary between domestic life and work. The building comprises more than 30 unit types, ranging from 68m2 (732ft2) studios to 165m2 family apartments, with the majority measuring 120m2.
These units are designed to support multiple modes of use, allowing spaces to be adapted for living, working or leisure. The variation in layouts reflects a broader shift away from standardised residential planning towards more flexible configurations that accommodate different household structures and routines.
Interlocking volumes define form and identity
Rather than a singular tower form, the Metropolitan Village is organised as a series of interlocking volumes arranged around a central services core. Each volume is expressed with a distinct façade treatment, creating a differentiated external appearance across the building.
This aggregation introduces variation in both scale and identity, while maintaining a unified structural system. The façade combines glass and coated aluminium panels, with patterned glass used for balustrades in areas requiring less privacy. This material approach references traditional Taiwanese interiors, where patterned glass has historically been used as a partition element.
Responding to contrasting urban scales
The massing strategy is informed by the site’s position between two distinct urban conditions. The front of the site faces the larger-scale Xinyi district, characterised by wide streets and commercial development, while the rear connects to the finer-grained Wenchang neighbourhood.
To address these differences, the volumes are arranged to respond to both contexts. The lower portions of the building are lifted to create a pedestrian passage that links the two areas, introducing a new route at ground level and improving connectivity across the site.
Distributed amenities form a vertical social landscape
Shared facilities are distributed throughout the building rather than concentrated in a single zone. A business centre and meeting room are located on the ground floor, while a library, bar and restaurants are positioned at upper levels aligned with the rooftops of surrounding buildings.
At the top of the tower, a gym and communal terraces provide views across the city. Placed at different levels, these spaces accommodate work, leisure and social interaction within the residential environment.
The Metropolitan Village marks OMA’s first residential tower in Taipei and its second project in the city, following the Taipei Performing Arts Center. The development brings together a range of consultants, including Evergreen Consulting Engineering, Techkey MEP Consulting Engineers, Ming Sheng Engineering, Segreene Sustainable Design and Consulting, CMA Lighting Design, OLFA Landscape Design Group and Tien Studio for interior design.
