A safety review of the Taipei Dome was released April 16 by the local government, highlighting five major concerns in the unfinished cutting-edge stadium and commercial development.
“The vastly expanded floor space is prone to public safety hazards, while the interconnected underground parking lots heighten the risk of fire,” Taipei City Government Deputy Mayor Lin Ching-jung said.
“Furthermore, the complex is inaccessible to fire engines and has poorly designed evacuation routes with insufficient outdoor space to accommodate an estimated full capacity crowd of 142,000,” he said. “A computer simulation shows it takes over an hour to evacuate this number of people.”
Lin’s remarks came at a news event attended by senior officials from the city’s department of fire, planning and public works, as well as other public safety experts.
The current plan for the project comprises the 40,000-plus seat stadium, as well as a high-rise office building, multiplex cinema and shopping complex.
Lin, who was presenting the report on behalf of the project’s safety inspection committee, said the local government is now considering a number of options. “We could tear down the commercial complex and abandon the underground parking lots, or scrap the half-completed arena and convert the site into a park.”
Later the same day, Teng Chia-chi—another TCG deputy mayor—reaffirmed the city government’s stance that public safety takes priority. “Taipei Dome will not be allowed to commence operations before all safety issues are properly addressed,” he said.
In response, Tang Chia-feng, president of lead builder Farglory Land Development Co., said the project fully complies with international safety standards, but did not rule out the possibility of implementing minor adjustments.
Designed by Kansas City-headquartered Populous with construction commencing in April 2012, the undertaking involves more than 1,000 architects, designers and engineers from Taiwan, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, the U.K. and U.S. (SFC-JSM)
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