Minister says overly sophisticated proposals hampering search for contractor
Taiwan鈥檚 transport minister has demanded a rework of RSHP-designed proposals for the third terminal of Taipei鈥檚 Taoyuan International Airport to speed up delivery of the already delayed structure.
RSHP was appointed to the 拢1.5bn project in 2016 after the practice鈥檚 bid team beat rival consortia that included Foster + Partners and UN Studio. Its winning design was inspired by traditional Taiwanese rooftiles and the nation鈥檚 dramatic scenery. The interior proposals also feature lighting provided via flower-shaped aluminium tubes.
But at a press conference last week, minister Lin Chia-lung blamed the design of the 640,000sq m terminal for difficulties in establishing a construction team, and demanded a rethink within six months, .
It added that the project鈥檚 budget had increased by 5% this year alone because of the difficulty of attracting bidders to deliver the scheme while its target completion date had been pushed back to 2023. CNA said the project鈥檚 budget was now NT$78.9bn 鈥� 拢2bn at today鈥檚 exchange rates.
黑洞社区鈥檚 sister title BD as part of a team including Arup, landscape practice Gillespies and Taiwan-based CECI Engineering Consultants, however sterling exchange rates have also weakened since then.
CNA reported transport minister Lin saying that elements of the scheme that had been under construction since 2017 鈥� including taxi ways and aprons 鈥� would be paused temporarily.
鈥淣ow that the government has increased the budget for the project 鈥� the original design must be modified to allow construction of the project to be kick-started as soon as possible,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he bid to seek a constructor to carry out the project has failed [three times] because of its sophisticated design, and we have asked the design consultant company to make a change within six months to attract bidders to the project.
鈥淚f it fails to meet our demand, we will consider terminating the contract with the design consultant company,鈥� he added.
RSHP has been contacted for comment.
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