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Architects: Bio-architecture Formosana
- Area: 8260 m²
- Year: 2016
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Photographs:Lucas k Doolan, Rui Jsung Pan, BaF
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Manufacturers: FOREST LAI ENTERPRISE CO.LTD, HaunSu Tech Corporation, Kolee, Shine-Life Enterprise Co.Ltd
Text description provided by the architects. Taijiang is the oldest settlement for Chinese migrating from mainland to Taiwan. Taijian National Park was established in 2015 to preserve the landscape and cultural heritage of the region. The site of the visitor center is on a seven hectare fish farm, which houses the tourist service facilities, administrative spaces, the national park police station, and dormitory for the staff.
The building was raised from the ground above the fish farm, acknowledging the on-site natural context. Its design was determined by different factors: the buildings functionality, the public accessibility, and the relationship between the multiple masses and building height were the criteria that decide the outcome of its shape. The alleys and water network break the building masses into smaller forms in order to allow enough ventilation and reduce solar heat.
A connected waterway was established to join individual fish farms on site and to the nearby Taijiang river system. The configuration of the water network system is responsible for reducing the level of evaporation, thus decreasing water salinity and introducing a wider range of biodiversity.
The boundary between public and private was made to be ambiguous due to the openness of the building program. Its inclusivity mirrors a traditional village where the different elements perform together as a whole.
The natural environment becomes the additional program. The re-shape of the bank, which used to be steep, is now the perfect set for new species to live in. All building boundaries, roof, floor, and walls, were planned in order to create a better living space for species like birds and fish.