Taitung’s Indigenous architectural aesthetics have once again gained international recognition. The Taitung County Government recently received official notification of the award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design & Urban Studies. The Matang Indigenous Tribal Gathering Place, actively promoted by the Taitung County Government over several years, had been selected from more than 1,200 entries worldwide to win the highly prestigious “2026 International Architecture Award®”. The recognition highlights Taitung’s achievement in integrating Indigenous culture with contemporary design in public architecture.
Taitung County Magistrate April Yao said that for the past 70 years, tribal members had long faced the situation of having harvest festivals but lacking a permanent gathering place. The Matang Indigenous Tribal Gathering Place is more than a public building. It serves as an important venue for cultural heritage preservation, ritual ceremonies, and community interaction. After going through processes including urban planning amendments, land acquisition, and funding arrangements, the county government ultimately completed this community center in Central Taitung, which harmoniously blends traditional spirit with modern design. This award reflects the integration of Taitung’s “Slow Economy” policy vision with local cultural identity, earning recognition from an international jury of leading design professionals.
Now in its 21st year, the “International Architecture Awards” is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious architecture awards. The selection process is conducted by a jury composed of outstanding designers from around the globe. The distinctive feature of the Matang Indigenous Tribal Gathering Place lies in how the design team, “Multitude,” integrated the imagery of traditional Amis dwellings and elements of maritime culture into a modern architectural vocabulary. The design also takes the surrounding landscape and practical needs into consideration, giving the building a strong cultural identity while balancing functionality and integration with its environment.
The awards ceremony for the “New International Architecture 2026” was held on September 18 in Athens, Greece. The Matang Indigenous Tribal Gathering Place was exhibited at the event and featured in the annual architecture publication of “Global Design + Urbanism” Series.
The Taitung County Indigenous Peoples Department said that in addition to serving as a venue for important ceremonies and events such as the annual harvest festival, the Matang Indigenous Tribal Gathering Place is also used on a daily basis for elder care, early childhood education, and community activities. In the future, the county government will continue to improve infrastructure in Indigenous communities while promoting designs that combine functionality, aesthetics, and cultural meaning. Through these efforts, Taitung aims to strengthen the preservation and transmission of Indigenous cultures and allow more people to discover the county’s local character through architecture.
