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Architects: Bio-architecture Formosana
- Year: 2010
Text description provided by the architects. The site for the second phase is part of the 47 hectare campus of ITRI in Southern Taiwan. The mid-to-low density development plan of the campus started in 1995, and proved in 2002. The first-phase construction launched in 2003 was carried out under the guidelines of green building technology and ecological construction. The whole campus is programmed to be a research environment including building hardware and landscaping software for 1500 people. The overall layout comprises research buildings, cafeteria, dormitories, ecological ponds, bamboo forest, organic green house, and an art district for bamboo kiln.
The site is surrounded by hills in three directions, and fronted by lakes to the west. The layout is aimed not only to have the building cluster fit in the environment but to make the place for the habitat of the existing eco-system. Further, the built site, along with its networked landscape within the whole campus, is expected to be a great place for ecological observation. The building group is formed as part of the landscape vista dialoguing with the topography, and its roofs serve for viewing Chiayi Plain.
The ecological pond in the center of the courtyard may adjust the micro-climate and co-work with a nearby retention pool. With future efforts to cultivate the lake area in the vicinity of the construction site, the experience strolling around the site and its neighborhoods will be characterized with the scenic water body in stepped elevation and in varied scale from manmade to nature.
Bamboo forest is a prosper scene in the campus area, and utilizing this local material helps to reduce carbon footprint of the new construction. The application of bamboo ranges from planting to architectural elements like exterior screening of the staircase, soft partition in the entrance area, and in the courtyard to define the outdoor corridor. Further walking path is planned to circulate to the bamboo forest around the site and to the Bamboo Art Section in the southern campus. Locally produced brick is adopted for the pavement of the semi-outdoor walkway.
