Sanmin Chang-Gu World Trade Center
Built in 1992 and 50 stories above ground, Chang-Gu World Trade Center was the first high-rise building in Kaohsiung and the tallest building in Taiwan at the time. Lee Chu-yuan, the designer of the Chang-Gu World Trade Center, deviates from the practice of constructing high-rise buildings using European and American methods (prevalent in the twentieth century) and divided the building’s facade into five segments as opposed to three-segment segments, the latter of which was considerably more common. He transforms time into space, symbolizing the gradual rise to prosperity. The rectangular building’s four corners were scraped off to produce an octagon with a concave top that drastically differs from pointed rooftops. This unique shape signifies respect for the unknown that welcomes both heaven and earth.
三民／長谷世貿聯合國大樓
長谷世貿聯合國大樓於1992年落成，地上共五十層，是高雄第一座高層建築，也是當時台灣第一高樓。
八Ｏ年代，是台灣經濟發展正好的時候，也正是那般充沛的經濟能量，支持著高層建築不斷向上發展，同時改變著現代都市的樣貌。本案設計者—李祖原建築師在此作品中，試圖跳脫二十世紀以來歐美建築界操作高層建築的既定手法，將立面由常見的三段式分割增加為五段式的分割，竹篩式的分層將「時間」化成「空間」，象徵步步高昇的氣勢。從幾何外觀來看，矩形量體的四個方角被削去，大致呈現八角柱的形態，在量體頂端，建築師選擇以蕈狀的「凹」來代替常見的尖塔收頭，這塔頂的「凹」，或許正象徵那深植於文化中對於未知的敬畏，也展現一種容納天地的氣度吧。
文／陳玉霖
圖／高雄市政府文化局、高雄市立歷史博物館