CCHONG MEMORIAL HALL

The embedded memorial

The project is a memorial hall dedicated to Mr. CC Hong, founder of National, one of Asia’s most renowned home electronics brands which later became Panasonic Taiwan. The memorial hall is the penthouse centerpiece to the National Taiwan University College of Management, with a 200-seat conference facility, faculty lounge and offices. Launched in tandem with a lecture program, CC Hong Memorial Hall is conceived as a dynamic learning space rather than a static monument, to be used daily by students and faculty.

Inspired by radio waves (Mr. CC Hong started out as a radio repairman), XRANGE creates a commemoration space crafted entirely from solid oak columns, with a mural “story” told by variegated striations of light and shadow.

The memorial hall is “inscribed” with CC Hong’s portrait and the two iconic streetscapes that captured his legacy, the Hong Foundation (founded in 1972) and the enormous “National” neon sign that once dominated the heart of old Taipei for a decade from the 70s to the 80s. By way of historical photographs, the iconic images were transcribed and melded into the space as a subtle yet distinct presence as wall, mural and screen all at once. The image murals were made as a three dimensional spatial imprint, as negative cut-outs from 300 pieces of densely placed 4x15x240cm solid oak columns that are carved on both faces. A total of 600 oak columns were used in the entire space.