Looking back on 2024, we’re happy to see several of our architectural and interior designs finally come to fruition. Here we’d like to share with you MIIM Office for Architecture’s built, in-progress, and newly started projects of 2024:
Our design for Da Ming High School in Taichung has reached a milestone with the completion of its reinforced concrete structural base and the start of the roof megastructure. The design features four individual blocks united under a single dynamic roof. The spaces between and above the blocks, now protected from sun and rain, are transformed into usable, comfortable semi-outdoor areas. These spaces, along with the flexible zones on the rooftops, support outdoor activities and learning. The dramatic roof geometry enhances natural ventilation through the building’s center, keeping the school environment cool and energy efficient. Much gratitude to our executive architect partners at 初樸建築師事務所 ProtoPlain Architects. The project is set for completion in 2025.
This year, construction has advanced significantly on our standalone restaurant, bakery, and social space in Taichung City, Taiwan. We’ve completed the basement and concrete structure, with the steel framework set to be assembled during the festive Christmas week. Progress continues smoothly, reinforcing the project’s synergy with its remarkable surroundings, including Philippe Rahm Architectes and Mosbach Paysagistes’ park design and the nearby future cultural landmarks by SANAA and Kengo Kuma.
Early this year we completed the interior design and fit-out of a new 600 m2 headquarters for a pioneering stem cell biotech research company in Taipei’s Neihu Science Park. Designed to support cutting-edge innovation, the project features state-of-the-art research labs, cleanroom production lines, and flexible office spaces for a team of 100. Addressing challenges such as limited natural light and the need for dynamic collaboration zones, the design includes a central conversational spine for ad-hoc team discussions, private glass units for management, and an open-office layout fostering close teamwork. Adaptable meeting spaces and carefully crafted acoustic and lighting solutions ensure a harmonious and inspiring environment for groundbreaking medical research.
Construction on our Taichung restaurant project celebrating Hakka cuisine through contemporary design has reached an exciting milestone. This year, the steel structure was topped out, and roofing and façade installation are set to be completed before Lunar New Year at the end of January 2025. The design features a stunning garden skylight, blending modern aesthetics with traditional principles to create a unique dining experience. Collaborating with one of Taiwan’s most renowned Hakka culinary families, we are thrilled to bring this project to life.
We participated in the prestigious competition for the new National Museum of Architecture and Design in Helsinki, Finland. We collaborated with Collective Studio of Hong Kong, spearheaded by former colleagues from Harvard GSD, Betty Ng and Juan Minguez. While we did not advance to the final round, we are proud of our proposal, which championed experimentative and collective curatorship and envisioned the museum as a dynamic living room for the city.
We completed the transformation of a disused industrial building in Taichung into a serene health and wellness hub for Joshua Pilates. Preserving the original steel structure, the project honors Taiwan’s industrial heritage while embracing sustainability and reducing environmental impact. Designed to foster wellness and tranquility, the space features double-height studio rooms that are bathed in natural light, with diffused LED fixtures and careful ventilation ensuring year-round comfort. A welcoming lounge integrates retail and art, while thoughtfully designed community areas and private changing zones promote connection and relaxation. The result is a modern sanctuary that seamlessly blends heritage, sustainability, and a deep commitment to comfort and well-being.
Other projects we are completing in Taichung this year include the façade of a multi-story factory building, and we are also preparing to submit a private house through the urban design review process mandated for new buildings around the most exciting real estate in the city, Central Park Taichung. In Taipei, we are just about to start construction on the interior design of a unit that overlooks the sprawling campuses of the American School and Japanese School in the foreigner-friendly neighborhood of Tianmu.
Founder and creative director Min Ter Lim delivered several lectures in 2024, with the highlight being the keynote address at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology’s (Taiwan Tech) 50th Anniversary celebrations in April. Focusing on how we design buildings in the face of climate change, the talk explored Modernist design principles before the advent of HVAC systems and highlighted the shared design philosophy of pioneers like Ralph Knowles, Paul Rudolph, Alvar Aalto, and Buckminster Fuller.
Min, who is also adjunct professor at Taiwan’s prestigious National Cheng Kung University Architecture Department, hosted a dynamic exchange with students from Hong Kong University during their visit to Taiwan and an afternoon of dialogue on “Publicness and Pedagogy.” It was moderated by Professor Patrick Hwang, and the discussion centered on defining and teaching public-ness in architecture. Third-year students from HKU and NCKU showcased in-progress work, sparking nuanced conversations on public space, land policies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and future-proofing design.
We look forward to a better year ahead and would love to hear from you again in 2025.
