Urban Design Portfolio 2022-2023

Urban fabric revitalisation- The Wufu urban renewal scheme

Kaohsiung City, Taiwan

Situated on the intersctions of Wufu 1st Raod and Guanhua 1st Road, the site was once the staff accommodations to Taiwan Water Coperation, which encompasses several blocks of buildings that are aged over 50 years. However, regarding the safety and values of the appearance of the architectures and its materials, were not considered as heritages despite its age as stated by the Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City Government.

This project follows the principles of Trainsit- Orient Development, the site accessibility towards vast selection of transportation such as bus stop, mrt stations and other recreational amenities such as park and schools is therefore of important. The project will emphasise on establishing close connection with the transport corridor and the urban core such as city centre and the Cultural Centre, as well as activate internal pedestrian linkage with frontages to the Water tower park which is front facing to the site.

Vehicular Network Analysis

Creating pedestrian and bike friendly environment internally

In order to reduce potential impacts from two main roads, thus the site is designed to be fully pedestrianised, exepct the garage at the Eastern side of the site. The dominant pedestrian routes are designed adjacent to the intersections, and are interlinked with several entrances such as shop and residential individually.

Maximising connections with surrounding neighbourhood

The site sits in close priximity to local neighbourhood that share 2 roads that interlink with the site, that also allow vehicles a second option to drop off passengers during peak-hours.

Public Space And Accessibility Analysis

1.

Integrate internal North and South accessibility internally

Pedestrian links create an intentional sequence which integrates the node (public square) into the extant urban fabric, while new infill buildings activate the public realm along with adjacent public spaces, such as Water Tower Park, Cultural Centre...etc

Improving site frontages and potential viewpoints

Situating at the corner between two main roads (Guanhua 1st road and Wufu 1st road, the site is expected to safeguard pedestrian whilst providing commercial needs at ground floors, as well as remaining the front facing viewpoints toward Water tower park from various locations.

Site

Public square

Pedestrian route

Green paths

Green setbacks (10m)

Green corridors

Activate public realm with more intimate urban experiences

To maxmise the mixed- use pattern between both retail and residential to accommodate more diversity

Create prominant and quality green corridor

Extend the connection of green corridors and its adjacent park to function as a substantial carbon sink of the rapidly growing community

Safeguard spatious pedestrian path alongside main roads

Urban Design guidelines followed to regulate improvements towards wider pedestrian for a more coherent experience

Establish permeable linkages with adjacent communities

Increase the permeability of pedestrian routes that link with the surroundings

Reinvigorate the former canal-commercial area

Tainan City, Taiwan

Situating adjacent to the main commercial active area, West- Central District in Tainan, it comprises several public facilities such as governmental administration, commercial, hospitals and schools that provide plenty of potential opportunities for the site.

Additionly, in order to cope with the growing investment of TSMC in Southern Taiwan Science Park, Tainan City Government is therefore seeking for new development in properties and commercial settlements.

Accompanying with the advantages of riverfront landscape from Anping River, the dynamic connection with both old town centre and the ‘‘Tainan Spring’’, which is a recent rennovated sunken pool with park that help rejuvenate the area, has drawn a certain amount of attention from visitors.

The close vinicity of ’’Tainan Spring’’ offers the site and its adjacent public space greener and more accessible public spaces that mimic the natural landscape of East Tainan. In other words, both adjacent public spaces and the site would provide vast amount of verdent landscape to the West- Central District of Tainan.

The site shares abundant history of the city’s marine and fishing industry with Tainan Canal dated back to the 17th century. Although the site had undergone an urban expropriation in late 2018, the the remnant of the connection between the site and the Tainan Canal is therefore vital.

Vehicular Network Analysis

Enhanced internal connections

The site is divided into two land plots, which are both locating on XinZhung Street. By enhancing connections between extant expropriated urban blocks and create rather safe walkable environment

Reconcile public spaces between the site and adjacent public spaces

Although the site networks have been paved and created since the land expropriation, the public squares within the site introduce the site with stronger connectivity and walkability with the canal

Public Space And Amenities Analysis

Designing setbacks to create public squares

Effectively help increase the visual landscape and contribute to environmental aesthetics to both of the canal and the site as well as act as a buffer zone alongside with street furnitures between roads and the site to ensure pedestrian’s safety

The extension of green toward Tainan Canal

Although the site networks have been paved and created since the land expropriation, the public squares within the site introduce the site with stronger conntivity and walkability with the canal

Design Visions

Redefine the variety of amenities adjacent to the canal 1.

Increase the complexity of mixed-use development around the site with more social engagements

Retain the history and urban fabric with the canal history 2.

To prolong the bonded history of the canal dated back to the 17th century, the remnant of street and elements from the past would be carefully preserved

Revitalise the site with adjacent public spaces

Increasing the advantages such as connection with the administrative core, Haian shopping district and public spaces for a more pleasant environment

In order to achieve enhanced pedestrian connection between the site and the surrounding public placeTainan River and parks. A esplanade is designed to integrate with the extant park

The plaza in front of the 2nd shopping centre is envisioned to be an inclusive public space, at the same time act as a model for sustainability, resiliience and a diagonal focal frontage that connects with the path toward Taiana river directly

The site aims to deliver a welcoming a civic front yard which could accmoomdate future developments in adjacent to the site, as well as act as a central hub for the wider green system

Pingtung county, Taiwan 3.

Pingtung county rural planning framework

There currently are 16 officially recognised indigenous tribes in Taiwan, majority of the indigenous people have experienced social inequality and the rural exodus that are inevitalby affecting majority of tribes, especially in Southern Taiwan.

Situating within Pingtung County, Sandimen and Wutai are the two home townships to both Rukai and the Paiwan community respectively. There are 10 tribes in Sandimen township, and 8 tribes in Wutai township respectively. As both townships possess strking landscapes, winding rivers, verdent mountains, as well as it rich indigenous culture of the Rukai tribes and Paiwan tribes. The preservation of its historical and cultural characteristics are therefore vital to be achieved, as well as the natural ecology and life on the mountain.

As majority of the tribes were suffered severely from the typhoon Morakot in 2009, that casued landslides in various tribes in two townships. In order to cope under the Comprehensive Development Plan of Pingtung County, this project aims to provide a sustainable development framework and to make effective use of land for the indigenous, specifically amid three sectors- life, production and ecology. Predominantly expanding the coverage of potential Agricultural Development- Type 4

This type of land use control indicates areas with abundant resources, important habitats, as well as exceptional landscapes and environment that is highly sensitive

Site sensitivity analysis

Koushe river is a central doverned river that runs dominately through the entire tribe, that was initially used for agricultural irriagation during the period of Japanese colonial between 1905 and 1945. Koushe river not only encompasses various resources of ecology, but also accommodates indigenous to relocate due to the damages caused by typhoons Moreover, consider Koushe river provides natural landscape and its historic values, is therefore preserved from any development.

The demarcation of functional zone and land use control- Type 2

Areas with abdunt resources, important habitats, an exceptional landscape or susceptibility to disaster, and with an envirinment that is rather sensitive

Site sensitivity analysis

On the Eastern side of Koushe tribe, is a large scale of mountain that is categorised as potential landslide sensitive area, that should be excluded from being designated as Agricultural Development Area- Type 4.

Moreover, there are three potential debris flow torrents that take up to 1/3 of the tribe, these areas are therefore avoided with future development