stone forms shape tourist facilities by MVRDV in taiwan

MVRDV to redesign tourist infrastructure in taiwan

MVRDV, working with HWC Architects, wins the commission to redesign the tourist infrastructure of Jialeshui, Taiwan, with their masterplan Nature Rocks!. Located on a dramatic stretch of coastline in the far south of the country, where wind and sea have sculpted sandstone into animal-like rock formations, the project proposes improved accessibility and visitor facilities while keeping all new construction within the site’s already developed footprint. By echoing the fractured, layered geology of the region, the design turns roads, paths, and buildings into rocky fragments that appear to emerge from the terrain.

all renderings by MVRDV

Jialeshui’s Coastline as a Cracked Stone Landscape

Jialeshui, part of Kenting National Park in Pingtung County, is among Taiwan’s most well-known geological parks. Visitors come for formations such as Rabbit Rock, Toad Rock, and Seal Rock, yet despite its popularity, the site has struggled with inadequate infrastructure. A narrow road currently serves as the only connection between forest and shoreline, forcing shuttle buses, cyclists, and pedestrians to share space. Small kiosks and pavilions have been damaged repeatedly by typhoons, leaving the area both congested and fragile.

WIth Nature Rocks!, the architects at MVRDV address these challenges by reshaping circulation and public spaces as a cracked stone landscape. The straight road is broken apart and re-stitched into a system of pathways that flow between forest and coast, dividing into zones for walking, cycling, shuttle buses, and rest. Some of the rock-like fragments rise into small buildings that house a visitor center, exhibition spaces, restrooms, and lookout points. The roof of the largest volume becomes a panoramic terrace for stargazing and views of the sea. At the entrance, three sculptural structures cluster together as a gateway, while along the route, new kiosks and viewpoints replace outdated facilities at existing points of interest, including the sea lookout, the stone deck, and the waterfall.

MVRDV wins the commission to redesign the tourist infrastructure of Jialeshui, Taiwan

Concrete and planting strategies complete Nature Rocks!

MVRDV carves cracks between the rock-like elements that act as passive drainage channels, helping to manage stormwater and flooding while also allowing vegetation to take root and animals to move between forest and shore. A planting strategy layers tall native trees near the forest edge, shifting to salt-tolerant species by the coast, while even the concrete structures are intended to weather and host mosses and plants over time. Concrete is selected as the only material capable of withstanding the site’s harsh climate, and its aggregate will partly be recycled from demolished buildings.

By confining interventions to previously developed areas and allowing natural systems to shape the design, MVRDV and HWC Architects aim to strengthen Jialeshui’s role as a geological park without eroding the qualities that made it famous. 

located on a dramatic stretch of coastline in the far south of the country

wind and sea have sculpted sandstone into animal-like rock formations

the project proposes improved accessibility and visitor facilities

the design turns roads, paths, and buildings into rocky fragments that appear to emerge from the terrain