Winner of an IALD Merit Award, the Cold War-era thermal power plant was a militarily restricted area until the 2023 Matsu Biennial event revealed the underground space to the public for the first time in 50 years.
A wash of red light on the walls animates the gritty, industrial space and suggests the working process. Accent lighting highlights the instrumentation, while cabinets are internally illuminated with amber light to replicate the machines’ operation. Once the source of the entire island’s electricity, the plant now serves as an abstract design of energy conversion.