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Architect Steven Harris' design for The Master Collection near Taipei, which faces Xueshan with Yangmingshan on its north.
Housing developments are usually designed by just one architect - but in the case of The Master Collection, it's designed by five of the world's most distinguished architects! Developer Phoenix Property Investors collaborated with architects Richard Meier, Jim Olsen, Annabelle Selldorf, Stevem Harris, and Calvin Tsao (from Tsao & McKown) to create 28 private houses for their premium residential development in Taipei's Great Taipei New Town district. These five architects are included in Architectural Digest’s 2016 list of the world’s Top 100 thought leaders and design influencers.
The Master Collection site rendering
The architects had each visited the mountain location of the development to design houses inspired by the landscape, natural environment, and local culture. Each house features a private swiming pool and garden, and range from 6,372sqf to 13,718sqf.
Construction on The Master Collection is underway, with five residences by Seattle-based architect Jim Olson due for completion by Q3, 2016. A series of exhibitions will be held in the Asia-Pacific region, beginning with Hong Kong, to showcase the properties.
Pritzker Prize winner Richard Meier has, with Richard Meier & Partners, designed six stand-alone houses (above), which feature striking geometric profiles. They each have three or four bedrooms
Jim Olsen, the Seattle-based architect and founding partner of Olson Kundig Architects, has designed five unique houses (above) for The Master Collection, each one deliberately configured to frame the surrounding landscape to best effect.
The founding principal of New York-based Selldorf Architects, Annabelle Selldorf contributed five four-storey houses (above). Each of them comes with a tower-like design with large expanses of glass, use of natural light within, and maximise natural views while reducing noise levels.
A professor at Yale University’s architecture faculty, Steven Harris designed eight classic villas (above), each one integrated into the hilly terrain through horizontal or L-shaped designs. The floor-to-ceiling windows preserve the expansive views while the inconspicuous building materials – architectural concrete and granite – echo the low-key nature of the design. He has also created separate car and pedestrian entrances for the homes, reflecting his love of cars.
Recipients of the US National Design Awards, Tsao & McKown Architects designed four classic villas. All four houses are located at higher elevations, offering stunning mountain views. In order to ensure the best views, the angle of each storey shifts to create irregularly stacked designs. Tsao and his team incorporated each house into the landscape through a variety of materials, including large ceramic panels, glazed tiles and stone.
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All images: Phoenix Property Investors