The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center (KEC; Chinese: 高雄展覽館; pinyin: Gāoxióng Zhǎnlǎn Guǎn) is a convention center located in Cianjhen District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Situated along the harborfront, it forms part of the Asia New Bay Area redevelopment initiative aimed at transforming the city’s former industrial port into a commercial and cultural district. Opened in 2014, the center serves as a major venue for exhibitions, trade shows, and conventions in southern Taiwan, supporting the city’s development as a regional hub for business and tourism.
Localisation
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History
Planning for the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center began in 2006 as part of national efforts to promote Taiwan’s exhibition and convention industry. The project was implemented by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, with an investment of approximately NT$3 billion. The center was designed by Australian architect Philip Cox following an international design process. After several years of planning and construction, the center officially opened on 14 April 2014.
Architecture
The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center was designed as a large-scale waterfront convention facility integrating exhibition space with public access to the harbor. The building is characterised by a sweeping, curved glass façade that faces the harbor, reflecting maritime influences and the site’s coastal setting. The structure provides approximately 66,591 m2 (716,780 sq ft) of exhibition space, including column-free halls designed to accommodate large-scale trade shows and events. Architecturally, the center emphasises transparency and openness, with extensive glazing and internal circulation spaces that allow natural light to penetrate deep into the building while maintaining visual connections to the surrounding waterfront. Scholarly analysis has highlighted the building as an example of contemporary waterfront exhibition architecture in East Asia, illustrating how large-scale civic venues are increasingly designed to integrate public accessibility, urban regeneration, and maritime identity within a single architectural form.
Whale sculpture
A large whale sculpture titled Bright Future (Chinese: 躍身未來), created in 2017 by artist Xu Tsung-chieh (許宗傑), is installed at the main entrance of the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. The approximately 12-metre-high sculpture is constructed from metal panels and depicts a breaching whale rising upward from the ground. Its dynamic form echoes the curved, wave-like architecture of the exhibition center and reinforces the maritime identity of Kaohsiung as a port city. The work symbolises the city’s transformation and forward-looking development, with the upward motion of the whale representing progress and renewal in the context of the Asia New Bay Area redevelopment.
Organisation
The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center is operated by the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center Corporation, which manages the facility’s daily operations and event programming. The center plays a role in Taiwan’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry, contributing to regional economic development and international trade activities.
Reception and significance
The Kaohsiung Exhibition Center has been regarded as a key component of the Asia New Bay Area redevelopment, supporting Kaohsiung’s transition from an industrial port to a service-oriented and tourism-focused economy. Its waterfront design and large-scale exhibition facilities have been noted as important in positioning southern Taiwan as a competitive destination for international conventions and trade events. More broadly, the center has been cited in architectural and urban studies literature as part of a wider trend in East Asian port cities, where landmark cultural and exhibition infrastructure is used to rebrand former industrial waterfronts and stimulate economic diversification.
Transportation
The center is within walking distance southwest of Sanduo Shopping District metro station on the Kaohsiung MRT. It is also accessible from the nearby Kaohsiung Exhibition Center light rail station on the Kaohsiung Light Rail.
See also
International Convention Center Kaohsiung List of convention centers in Taiwan List of tourist attractions in Taiwan
