Wan-jen Lin (林宛蓁) is an award-winning architect who has worked on Weiwuying (衛武營) National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts along with her husband Ching-Mou Hou (侯慶謀) Together they formed studio HOU x LIN, an architecture and urban design firm, and some of the projects that they have worked on as studio HOU x LIN include the Echo Across the Harbor (大港迴聲) public art installation located at Kaohsiung’s Penglai Commercial Port, and the Kaohsiung Train Station.
Just recently, in September of 2026, Echo Across the Harbor won the Artistic Creation Award at Taiwan’s 10th Public Art Awards, presented by the Ministry of Culture. And in 2024 Echo Across the Harbor won Japan’s prestigious Good Design Award for its contribution to urban public facilities and waterfront architecture.
Hearing Wan-jen talk about the building and design of Echo Across the Harbor and Weiwuying (which is sometimes also referred to as Kaohsiung’s opera house or performing arts center) is like a mini-masterclass in persistence, patience, creativity, collaboration, and planning. Especially notable is how both of these projects used shipbuilding techniques. Also, many of the manufacturers, builders or materials used for the Echo Across the Harbor project were sourced from the harbor area where the project is located.
This episode is part of the trailblazing Taiwanese women series sponsored by NATWA the North America Taiwanese Women’s Association, which was founded in 1988. To learn more about NATWA visit their website, www.natwa.com.
Related Links:
侯林設計 studio HOU x LIN: http://www.houlin.tw/
侯林設計 studio HOU x LIN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houlin.tw
In 2024 Echo Across the Harbor (大港迴聲) won Japan’s prestigious Good Design Award for its contribution to urban public facilities and waterfront architecture:
https://www.g-mark.org/en/gallery/winners/26434?companies=e358c9eb-3705-470d-9d55-1c98d12bac5c
In September 2026 Echo Across the Harbor (大港迴聲) won the Artistic Creation Award at Taiwan’s 10th Public Art Awards, presented by the Ministry of Culture: https://www.kpld.com.tw/notice/63
Weiwuying (衛武營): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Kaohsiung_Center_for_the_Arts
https://www.npac-weiwuying.org/?lan
Weiwuying Banyan Plaza: https://www.npac-weiwuying.org/venues/Banyan%20Plaza?lang=en
Steven Holl Architects: https://stevenholl.com/
Francine Houben: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francine_Houben
Mecanoo Architecten: https://www.mecanoo.nl/Office/Mecanoo/about
Echo organ: https://www.britannica.com/art/echo-organ
Olivier Latry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Latry
Notre Dame De Paris (Notre Dame Cathedral): https://www.notredamedeparis.fr/en/
Thrust stage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thrust_stage
Sydney Opera House: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/
Hamasen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamasen
Seoul Biennale of Architecture: https://seoulbiennale.org/front/eng/index.do
Echo Across the Harbor (大港迴聲): https://youtu.be/dCOoEDx29Bs?si=dynPk9_fE2aNfYNw
https://youtu.be/yw7zQ_FZ-ag?si=Vaak1udHlvnIqz8r
Port of Kaohsiung: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Kaohsiung
Royal Eijsbouts: https://eijsbouts.nl/
Happy Sailing (快樂的出航) performed by the Echo Across the Harbor: https://youtu.be/usvZIdk0pt8?si=J9XIgFhFHktZkAul
TSMC: https://www.tsmc.com/english
Inside Taiwan’s yacht-building industry: What to expect from TIBS 2026 : https://www.superyachttimes.com/yacht-news/taiwan-international-yacht-show
Fort Provintia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Provintia
Kaohsiung Station: https://world-architects.com/es/mecanoo-delft/project/kaohsiung-station
Kaohsiung Techple public art project in train station: https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/kaohsiung-techple/754314
Kaohsiung Pop Music Center: https://www.archdaily.com/973916/kaohsiung-pop-music-center-manuel-a-monteserin-lahoz
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