In May 2010, the CMP PUJEN Foundation for Arts and Culture was established, and by July of the same year, it launched the “CMP BLOCK: Taichung Cultural and Aesthetic Living District.” The project brought together over a hundred art and cultural organizations and more than a thousand creative professionals, presenting dozens of exhibitions that attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. This initiative earned the 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility Award from Global Views Monthly.

Located behind Park Lane by CMP, CMP BLOCK transformed an unused elementary school site into a dynamic cultural hub. The CMP Group invited architect Kung Shu-chang, a recipient of Japan’s prestigious design award, to collaborate with CitiCraft Studio in creating a semi-open structure composed of more than 2,000 white Phyllostachys edulis (Moso bamboo) poles. The alternating pattern of solid and void bamboo walls created a rhythmic architectural space that seamlessly linked indoor and outdoor areas, turning the site into a multifunctional venue for exhibitions and performances—a stage for artists and cultural creators to take the spotlight.

To present a perfect blend of art and nature, curator Zeng Wei, who represented Taiwan at the 2010 Venice Architecture Biennale, was invited to organize the main exhibition “Take A Breath—From Taichung to Venice.” The exhibition symbolically bridged Taichung’s cultural vitality with the international art scene. Zeng noted that CMP BLOCK, located alongside the Calligraphy Greenway, offered a rare open-air breathing space within the city—hence the title “Take A Breath.”

The exhibition featured natural elements collected from Taichung’s mother river—the Dajia River—including water, stones, soil, and plants. These were displayed in four thematic sections evoking the idea of “home,” each housed in recycled glass bottles suspended by ropes. A 40-meter-tall transparent floating balloon installation invited viewers to imagine gazing from the city of Taichung across the sea toward Venice, prompting reflection on the land beneath their feet and their connection to it.

Beyond the striking spatial design and thematic exhibitions, CMP BLOCK also launched public cultural programs such as the City Fresh Air Film Festival—a series of outdoor screenings—and the Little Grass Music Festival, featuring performances by Cosmos People, Wu Chih-ning, Anniedora Band, Woody Woody, and Suming. Together, these events infused the Calligraphy Greenway neighborhood with an atmosphere of freshness, joy, and creative vitality.

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