The Road on Architecture

The Road on Architecture

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The Road on Architecture

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CONTENTS |

Prologue

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Chapter 1

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The Discovery of White/ 白 的 發想 What is White?

008

concept and thesis

Back to White/ 白的重現 White as Sensory Experience

010

0001-0010

The Road/ 長 路 An Ongoing Story Outside the Dike

022

the ritual and funeral space/ Shezi island, Taiwan

Chapter 2

047

Ramble A Walk in the Building

050

the environment and history center/ UCSB

Transformation Village About Global Warming and Tuvalu

052

sustainable building and living style/ Tuvalu

15x15 Skin Division Computer Aided Architectural Design

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pavilion/ Taipei, Taiwan

Chapter 3

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Working experience

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from 2007 to 2011

Selected art works

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photo, hand drawing, words

Epilogue

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PROLOGUE |

“Not to find one's way about in a city is of little interest. But to lose one's way in a city, as one loses one's way in a forest, requires practice. …

I learned this art late in life: it fulfilled the dreams whose first traces were the labyrinths on the blotters of my exercise books.”

A Berlin Childhood Around the Turn of the Century- Walter Benjamin

Blueprint Labyrinth/ Background It is the blueprints, spread thickly across the dining table that makes a home-cooked meal different. Scraps from the meal drop onto the fragments of blueprints leftover from Father's job, blooming into greasy flowers, thus blending architecture into an element of my everyday life. In my dreams, a single street expands among the lines crisscrossing the stretch of blueprint, holding a remarkable energy that draws people forward; I cannot resist being drawn to the arresting scenery as well. As a child, it is a free, magical scope that nurses endless possibilities to my yet to be cultivated mind. Although it remains silent, the space pulses and is constantly metamorphosing, be it at every past moment or in the blurry past, not at all the stone-still image we would imagine it to be.

J.D. Salinger's novelette “Nine Stories” lies open in front of me, with “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” being the title of the first chapter, I think to myself: I have either gotten lost in the rigmarole of lines, or I have been captured by the blueprint with the name of Destiny.

Collage Labyrinth/ Stage Is there anyone who longs for home more than Odysseus, after his decade-long toil at sea? Currents have swept many a traveler to a halt on my island home, collaging the streets with totems from regions all around the world, a long stretch of global wall paper. As its ownership change hands under yet another siege, the struggle between beauty and ugliness is honed down to no sense at all. It remains an energetic baby forever, gurgling with newborn vivacity and always smudging itself head to toe with paint. This is a cunning city, revealing its gargantuan shape only vaguely, never showing its complete being. Residents had padlocked, metal windows fitted to the facade of the buildings, yet they hang their underclothes on the outside, flouncing the layer that lies most intimately next to their skin. One must decipher it as we do Cubism works of art: without greed and although unable to capture the complete picture; we shall get a glimpse of its glory when we pay our utmost respect. Otherwise, each step we take would pose as a trap biding its time, one that clamps its ugly and grotesque jaws on you at the slightest absence of mind. At this moment, I no longer remain my ignorant self, but carefully rap its backbone like a weathered archaeologist, also silently hoarding scenery viewed from every angle, the way a thief would.

Bird Eye View Labyrinth/ Story Before I grope my way and explore along the long distance to reach the future, I have already gazed upon it from a bird's eye view, with the shepherding god Pan as its master. The path unwinds deep into a thick forest; they seem to stretch to nearby areas in a similar manner. But only those who take an actual walk through the forest will realize his reign, discovering the scenery after each turn of the path, and the soil beneath each step we tread. Every sign must be read carefully once more, like the punctuation that strings words together, or the notes clamoring on the stave. As we wend our way through the labyrinth, the ultimate goal lies in the center instead of the rim, the core we endeavor reach only by tracing the Euler route. Pan, the master and the navigator, hides in the bushes without missing any hints of loveliness, for he understands the richness of the land and gladly shares it, unveiling objects that were once invisible to the eye. On the vine that we gaze with such eager expectancy, abstract terms such as beauty, perception, and space cluster heavily like fruit.

Some wander about in the branched and forked paths of the maze, while I continue determinedly toward the heart of the labyrinth. The experience of threading through labyrinths during different space-times has enabled me to weave a delicate map among many discontinuous instants, piecing together a panoramic view that gradually grows intact. Just like the way architectural design mends and communicates in a continual process, I know that: the more I see, the more I do.

Prologue | 003

With the void, total empowerment.

— Albert Camus

CHAPTER 1 UNDER GRADUATE THESIS PROJECT 2010

Back to White/ 白的重現 White as Sensory Experience 0001-0010

Le Vide/ Yves Klein in 1982 The object of this endeavor: to create, establish, and present to the public a palpable pictorial state in the limits of a picture gallery. In other words, creation of an ambience, a genuine pictorial climate, and, therefore, an invisible one. This invisible pictorial state within the gallery space should be so present and endowed with autonomous life that it should literally be what has hitherto been regarded as the best overall definition of painting: radiance.

With the void, total empowerment. — Albert Camus

THE DISCOVERY OF WHITE | 白 的發想 What is White

Ever since the idea was proposed rashly, I thought of this question repeatedly. After discussions with various professors, I now discover that white is not only a representation of color but also an action and an atmosphere in space. In addition to the five senses, i.e. vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch, it also implies ideological philosophy. Different from Western paintings which depict actual forms faithfully, Chinese paintings are more concerned about interests. Literati insert Lao-Tzu and Zhuang-Tzu’s philosophy and their own spirits in paintings, recording in summary landscapes in their hearts and consciously leaving white on paintings. Thus, before looking into paintings, theories or life experience, let’s first start with the relation between Lao-Tzu and Zhuang-Tzu’s philosophy and white.

01

Lao-Zhuang’s Philosophy and Imagination of White

“The Way is without form or quality, but expresses all forms and qualities.” Lao-Tzu, Chapter 21 of the Tao Te Ching. Lao Tzu believed the nature of all things is material, but not one or several specific materials. The origin of all material in the Universe is the Tao of “existence before all creation” and “expression of all forms and qualities”.

Although the Tao is an uncertainty without form, but under the uncertain state, it is with form and material, which are “formless form” and “material without materiality”, thus it is profound and implicated.

The idea of white represents a certain degree of incompleteness. It is because of such incompleteness that people have space for imaginations beyond vision. This space gives rise to various imaginations depending on different eye point of an individual. Formless things may seem useless, but they sometimes hold immeasurable functions.

02

The space-time in Chinese paintings and fixed focal perspective of the West

White became the highlight in Chinese long-scroll paintings. This “White” is not “nothing”, but the heritage of “useless use” in Lao-Zhuang’s philosophy. It is profound thinking toward time and space, and has brought great influence to Chinese arts since the Song and Yuan Dynasties. The space-time that true long-scroll paintings attempt to express is one without significant boundary. These paintings try to save us from the time and space of false impressions so we can reach the land with true freedom. From the above description by Jiang Xun, we can divide Chinese long-scroll paintings into two categories: 1 It is the heritage of the “useless use” in Lao-Zhuang’s philosophy – thinking process (internal) / philosophy (1) 2 It is profound thinking toward time and space – connection of changing scenes (external) / moving focus (2) Michael Sullivan discussed in Chapter 8 of The Arts of China the reason Chinese paintings created “moving eye point”: “The Chinese gave up focal perspective and use of shadows after discreet thinking. The scientific perspective method could only provide scene from a fixed angle and a single eye point. Although such perspective could satisfy Western people’s logic, it was inadequate to Chinese painters who questioned: Why do we have to limit ourselves from depicting the world outside the one single eye point?”

Chapter 1 | The Discovery of White

1 On a Mountain Path in Spring

SCENE 1

SCENE 2

SCENE 3

2 Night Revels of Han Xizai

03

Transparency

Different from Chinese paintings, Western paintings value a great deal perspective, but this does not indicate the state of white will vanish because of perspective. The white in Western paintings first appeared in impressionism. The painters began to express active light by stacking colors to sheets and faces. Instead of white, it is more like representing synchronicity.

White went on afterwards and affected cubism and constructionism.

Western paintings pursued likeness during the Renaissance, and perspective is forming a scene based purely on the background of accurate vision. However, what I am discussing here is not the way of “believing by seeing” which tends to be totally objective and accurate, but rather the art and architecture forms bounded by perspective at the beginning of the twentieth century, that is, after the period of Paul Cezanne.

Dismissing the transparency in the aspect of materials (I am still concerned about materials, but I must first define the white I wish to discuss to avoid being confused), Colin Rowe spoke in Transparency about an image of architecture in 4D space beyond the aspect of material. He began with the “Mont Sainte-Victoire”(3), created by Paul Cezanne in his late years, and discussed how painters gradually achieved greater range of time and space by destroying focal perspective; cubism and constructionism were also brought closer to the concept of synchronicity through breaking and integrating objects.

3 Mont Sainte Victoire

4 Klaus Chapel

04

Realized White The Transparency proposed by Colin Rowe was mostly analyzing how the design of Le Corbusier reflected phenomenal transparency. Whether the situation in which spaces penetrate each other without generating any destruction, the richness in depth of space, or the implication in measurement of shaped wall could all be seen in finished works.

Therefore, both the “White” of the East and the transparency of the West not only exist in texts or 2D space, but they can actually be structured in 3D space and realized with a timeline, as well as be perceived and discussed. Finally, in respect to data related to the research, I will propose a few cases I believe to have created white successfully.(4)(5)(6) The incompleteness represented by white contains broader time and space, allowing individual imagination to generate more freely. From Lao-Zhuang’s philosophy, white in paintings to Western transparency, these all indicate the richness of space always occurs after a timeline is added. Moreover, white can exist beyond vision. With scent, touch and other senses, perhaps it will be necessary to discuss material.

5 Zen Garden in Ryoanji Temple

6 Vietnam Veterans Memorial 008 | 009

BACK TO WHITE | 白 的 重現 0001 - 0010

In this step, white is not a color. Rather, it is a process of visualization, it is also a specific source from the discovery of sensitivity. All in all, there is no such thing as “ white” , “ white” exists solely in our sensory perception.

Therefore, we must not attempt to search for “ white.” Instead, we must search for a way to feel the whiteness. Because nonbeing longs for being, on occasion it creates a stronger sense of being than being itself.

In the case study of 0001 to 0010, I have tried to concrete white from my daily experience and surround the white to find the source of aesthetics and space that produces simple and pure origin through the concept of white.

這個階段所描述的白，指的不是色彩，而是一 種圖像的過程，是由感官認知中探究尋找而出 的具體的「白」。總而言之，「白」指的不是 白色，而是可以感受到白色的「感受性」，所 以我們不需要尋找白，而是要尋找能夠感覺白 的感受方式，因為白所代表的「不存在」有時 反而比「存在」具有更強烈的存在感。在 0001-0010的十個案例中，我試著從生活經驗 中將白具體化、圍繞在白的四周，藉此找出白 誕生於美學和空間意識中，那份簡潔和純粹的 原點。 Chapter 1 | Back to White

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title 3D cube exploded drawing context sensory image study model concept image

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0001 |

service core transparent glass mirror

exploded drawing NAME Mirror House PROPERTIES The sense of sight is unreliable in this house. Sometimes, natural scene sneaks into the house over windows from time to time, but no one can really touch it. People's images are reflected in this space again and again, the same character has been spread out on the mirrors. Only people themselves can judge the real themselves.

FUNCTIONS A service core which is covered by mirrors.

Four corners of house which are covered by mirrors. Four vertical transparent glass windows on four sides of the façade. third floor perspective USER Person who trusts “seeing is believing” and always relies on the sense of sight.

鏡子屋 視覺在這個空間中是不可靠的。自然的光景偶 爾從窗外透露，卻無法觸及。自身的影像一再 反射於四周鏡面上，相同的角色在空間中被鏡 子展開，只有自己能夠判斷地出唯一真實的自 己。 空間中具有一個被鏡子完全包覆的服務核、被 鏡子完全包覆的四角以及在四個立面上的垂直 透明玻璃窗。 使用者是眼見為憑並且仰賴視覺的人。

concept model

concept image/ Citizen Kane, Orson welles, 1941 010 | 011

0002 | 9m x 9m mirror frame 1m x 1m opening 3m x 3m opening 5m x 5m opening 7m x 7m opening

exploded drawing NAME Pinhole Camera House PROPERTIES Person who doesn't realize the secret of the house can't get his integral reflection by standing in front of all frames. On a specific perspective point, the distant scene has been refracted in the minimum window of the frame and collected together to be a picture on another side of the house. Every movement has been inclusive in this tiny window secretly.

FUNCTIONS The house is constructed by four mirror frames which arranged accordingly by the windows’ size. The minimum window of the frame is higher than the person who has been peeped.

people who have been peeped

peeper

USER A peeper and the people who have been peeped.

針孔相機屋 不知情的人在層層鏡面框子前怎麼樣也無法照 映出自己完整的影像。透過特定的透視點，遠 方的影像被鏡子折射匯聚至房屋另一側的窗口 成像，對面的一舉一動都被偷偷包容在這小小 的框景之中了。 空間由四層鏡面框子構成，依上頭的窗口尺寸 由大至小排列。最小的窗口遠高於被偷窺者。 使用者是偷窺者及被偷窺者。 Chapter 1 | Back to White

concept model

concept image/ Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock, 1954

0003 |

dormer

mirror opacity facade

entrance

exploded drawing

NAME The Shrine PROPERTIES The faith in there without words and idols, all of sanctities and secrets in the universe follow the cycle of sunrise and sunset. In this space, the person can soak in the spilling sun light from the dormer and totally avoid any interference, sun light has been perceived on every inch of the skin honestly. The prayer there no needs to doubt, because this is the true faith.

FUNCTIONS All of façades are black. All of interiors are empty and white. The entrance and the dormer on the same axis.

section 1

section 2

section 3

USER The person who worships the sun.

一個神聖的場所 這兒的信仰沒有文字亦沒有偶像，宇宙的神聖 奧妙就在於太陽每日起落的週期循環間。在這 裡可以完全不被干擾地沐浴於順著天窗而下的 日光之中，光線被誠實地感知於每一吋肌膚之 上。在此地，任何祈禱者都無須懷疑這就是最 真實的信仰。 建築外觀是一個全黑的正立方體。建築內部全 白且空無一物。入口和天窗位於同一軸線上。 使用者是崇拜太陽的人。

concept model

concept image/ Silent Light, Carlos Reygadas, 2007 012 | 013

0004 | pedant light mirror

white narrow stair

NAME Lost Memory House

exploded drawing

PROPERTIES The narrow stair connected to the entrance let the elder wipe up all of the unnecessary or necessary thoughs to go out. The only illuminant in the house comes from the pedant light. Sometimes, the reflection in the mirror makes the elders believe someone comes back then beneath the dusky light . In this space, the elders only hold their memory, and that's the only thing can be lost.

FUNCTIONS The façade of the house is black with a white narrow stair which is the only way entering the house. Four sides of the indoor walls are covered by mirrors. A pedant light at the center of the ceiling. entrance perspective USER A solitary elder.

遺失記憶之屋 入口又窄又陡的階梯讓人打消了所有不必要或 是必要的出門念頭。屋子裡唯一的光源來自天 花板中央的一盞吊燈，昏暗的燈光偶爾在鏡子 中反映出的人影還以為是誰回來了。在這個空 間中，老人僅擁有記憶，也只有記憶尚可被遺 失。 建築外觀是一個全黑的正立方體和一座白色通 往入口的狹窄階梯。室內四面牆壁皆為鏡子。 天花板中央有一盞吊燈。 使用者是獨居老人。 Chapter 1 | Back to White

concept model

concept image/ Dark City, Alex proyas, 1998

0005 |

dormer

mirror

closed stair central garden

exploded drawing

NAME Selfish House PROPERTIES They hide their garden in the center of the house carefully; even the curious children who courageously step up the stair can't mouse about the interior. The flourished green has been spread to every corner. The only condition is not sharing the green with strangers, so they also exclude themselves out of the real nature unexpectedly.

FUNCTIONS A vertical garden in the center of the house.

A closed stair connects with every floor directly. Three windows can be used to detect outside activities.

1F-3F plan

1F-3F section

USER The selfish people

自私之屋 他們小心翼翼地將花園藏在屋子的中央，連鼓 足勇氣走上樓梯的孩子都無法窺探其一。花園 盎然的綠意盡可能的被延伸到室內的每個角 落，但絕對不能與外人分享，因此他們也誤將 自己封閉在真正的自然之外。 一個位於屋子中央的垂直花園。一座直通各樓 層的封閉樓梯。三個可以窺視戶外活動的窗 子。 使用者是自私的人。

concept model

concept image/ The Selfish Giant, Oscar Wilde, 1888 014 | 015

0006 | the long wall

the first dimension the second dimension the third dimension

exploded drawing NAME Three Dimensions of A Tree (Wall House-1) PROPERTIES The first one is the tree itself. The second one is the leaf of the tree outstanding the wall implies seasons in the yard. People always remember the tree, but not the house. The third one is the reflection of the tree extended along the pond in the yard and walks into the house. It is how the natural picture ended up on the indoor wall.

FUNCTIONS A tree higher than the wall. A long wall higher than adults' average height. The tree, the pond, and the vertical window on the house are on the same axis and they are all parallel with the wall.

interior perspective

USER The nature observer.

一棵樹的三種向度（圍牆屋之一） 其一是一棵樹的本身。其二是一棵樹高於圍牆 的枝葉暗示著庭院內的季節，人們總認識這一 棵樹，但不認識這一幢房子。其三是一棵樹的 倒影順著庭院中的水池延伸至屋內，這份天光 水色就給這樣掛在牆上了。 一顆高於圍牆的樹。一道略高於成年人身高的 圍牆。樹、水池以及房子立面上的垂直開窗位 於同一軸線上並且平行於圍牆。 使用者是自然觀察家。 Chapter 1 | Back to White

concept model

concept image/ Washington Monument, 1884

0007 |

chimney the long wall

exploded drawing NAME Smell House ( Wall House-2) PROPERTIES This is neither a factory, nor an incinerator.

This is a small restaurant without signboard and which doesn't need to attract customers.

Gourmands follow the aroma to come here; the smell of fresh meals is its logo, and has its own path on the city map. The wall can't construct any obstacle to cut out the gourmands' way, there is no need to worry about losing the sense of sight. Only the day without aroma can claim that “Day off”.

Being unable to always rely on sight, ants find their food with the use of their extraordinary sense of smell. I try to connect chimney to this idea, because people are like the urban ants. We keep forgetting the smell in our daily lives.

FUNCTIONS A high chimney connected to the kitchen. A long wall higher than adults’ average height.

A dining room hided behind the wall.

perspective

USER The gourmands.

氣味之屋（圍牆屋之二） 這不是工廠，也不是焚化爐，這是一間沒有招 牌也無需攬客的小飯館。老饕尋香而來，濃郁 的飯菜味兒是它的正字標記，在地圖上自有一 條它的路徑。圍牆無法構成任何前往的阻礙， 就算看不見也不用擔憂。只有少了氣味的日子 方可宣告＂本日公休＂。 連接廚房的高聳煙囪。一道略高於成年人身高 的圍牆。藏身於圍牆後的用餐空間。 使用者是老饕。

concept model

concept image/ Perfume, Tom Tykwer, 2006 016 | 017

0008 | skylight

transparent glass bathroom bathtub

NAME Invisible Bathroom exploded drawing PROPERTIES The invisible bathroom only exists in the moment of being used. In the other time, it is just a tank in the house. It's an inexistent bathroom. People can easily look through the house from one side to the other. The steam surrounds the space when people take off their clothes, step into the space, and turn on the hot water. In this moment, the bathroom in the center of the house separates this space into two parts.

out of use

FUNCTIONS The bathroom is a square space with glass walls which locates in the center of the house. The skylight on the top of the bathroom. There is no direction in this house, and the center of the house is the bathroom. in use USER The person who enjoys taking a bath.

看不見的澡堂 看不見的澡堂僅存在於被使用的當下，其餘的 時刻它是一只空間中的玻璃缸，它是不存在的 澡堂。一眼就可以從空蕩屋子的一側望向另一 側。唯有在脫衣踏入它並將熱水打開的那時， 蒸氣裊繞，位於屋子中央的澡堂將原本完整的 空間分成了兩邊。 澡堂位於屋子中央的正方型玻璃隔間。天窗位 於浴室正上方。屋子以澡堂為中心，空間無分 前後。 使用者是享受泡澡的人。 Chapter 1 | Back to White

concept model

concept image/ Blind Light, Antony Gormley, 2007

0009 |

opacity roof

transparent glass ramp exploded drawing

NAME Floating House PROPERTIES As the vaguely emerging peak among the clouds sea, floating house is the floating island in the metropolis. The transparent materials of facades itself transform the heavy and huge building figure look light.

Only the weighty roof still reminds the building of its own status.

A Easily Fogged Up Afternoon due to the relatively high temperature at noon.The water vapors more than it does in the afternoon, and as the temperature drops, the water vapor forms fogs. That's the progress of clouds sea forming.

FUNCTIONS Besides the roof floor, all of facades of the house are transparent with light color. The facades of roof floor are opacity with dark color.

roof floor perspective

USER The climber lives in the metropolis.

漂浮之屋 如同雲海中隱約浮現的山頭，漂浮之屋是都市 中的浮島。通透的立面材料讓建築物本來巨大 而沉重的形貌轉而輕盈，只有厚實的屋頂還提 醒著它本來的身分。 屋頂層以外的建築立面是淺色透光的。屋頂層 的立面是深色不透光的。 使用者是都市中的登山客。

concept model

concept image/ Sea of clouds, Hyogo, Japan 018 | 019

0010 |

NAME Micro City House PROPERTIES The elders live on first floor. They follow city people's work schedule as their daily routine, and they watch the hurried people leisurely at the rush hours. The single people live on second floor. They go to work early and go back home late, they are not only cautious but also polite, but they don't know their neighbors. The nuclear family lives on third floor. Dinner time is the moment they most expect for. Through the small dormer, they pray and also make a wish to the shooting stars. This house concentrates the city's diversity.

contact/ public space

The setting of film itself, with its dark room and straight-forward gaze, reproduces the mirror stage in which secondary identification occurs, allowing for the illusory constitution of the subject.

Jean Louis Baudry/ Ideological Effects of the Basic Cinematographic Apparatus

top/ sky’s room 天空的房間

FUNCTIONS The first floor is the barrier free space. The second floor is the studio for rent. The third floor is the flat for nuclear family.

USER Every kind of people lives in city.

都市縮影之屋 一樓的老人隨著人群作息，在每個匆忙的上下 班時刻從容的望著來往的路人。二樓的住戶是 最常見的單身族群，他們早出晚歸，拘謹而有 禮貌，卻誰也不認識誰。三樓的小家庭最期待 晚餐一家人團聚的時刻，透過小小的天窗，他 們祈禱也對星星許願。這棟屋子濃縮了都市的 樣貌。 一樓是無障礙空間。二樓是出租套房。三樓是 小家庭使用。 使用者是都市中各式各樣的人。 Chapter 1 | Back to White

typical/ neighbor’s reflection 鄰居的倒影

ground/ everyone’s garden 共有的花園

model

4+4+1

object

skylight

service core opacity wall

mirror transparent glass

The film screen serves as a mirror through which the spectator can identify himself or herself as a coherent and omnipotent ego.

Laura Mulvey/ Visual Pleasure and Narrative

exploded drawing

mirror/ private space

user/ nuclear family a bed room for the couple. each husband and wife has their own space. a flexible room for their future.

top plan user/ single people two independent rooms to share. a bathroom to share. a livingroom to share. for short term tenancy. typical plan user/ senior living alone all of the living space in the same floor. full of sunshine and indoor lighting the bigger space for aisle the friendly space for social activities. ground plan 020 | 021

THE ROAD | 長 路 An Ongoing Story Outside the Dike

All of the memories, are like the marshlands that bury the low-lying tombs and the muddled water in the ruins. Although the memories of the world may be destroyed in defiance, we can only hold fragments of the world's memories, with many instants and incidents that remain.

— À la recherche du temps perdu, Proust 所有的記憶，就像是掩埋低窪墓地的沼澤地，也像是 廢墟裡混濁的水。世界上所有的記憶雖然可以無視破 壞，但是我們卻只能片段持有世界的記憶，只殘留許 多瞬間與事件。 — 追憶似水年華/ 普魯斯特

It can be implied from the primary exposition and the operating procedures 0001-0010 that White is not simply visional; it is also the feeling of wholeness. On the other hand, White too displays the two differing viewpoints, “Existence” and “Non-existence”, as white results when we merge all the colors of light together, and also after we withdraw all colors of pigment. It is the sum of all hues, yet it is colorless. The reason White is discernible from all the other colors possibly due to how it contains both timeliness and spatiality, like the elimination points on the far side of the perspective plan, also resembles the blanks in Chinese watercolor paintings. Owning such qualities enables the ability to arouse the tactile of things itself.

“The Road” intends to explain the process of a complete funeral, lasting from morning to evening in an architectural space. Injecting the spatial concept of White’s development into the factual environment as a discussion, with “sunlight, air and water” as the basic requirements when choosing the base, which has to be intimately related with the three. Situated at northern Taiwan, Shezi Island was selected as the base. It is at the intersection of the two major rivers of northern Taiwan, the sunlight, clouds, fog and tides all go through a good many changes during one day.

“The Road” is a funeral pathway that unravels from the outside of the Shezi Island dikes, the funeral itself is divided into ten chapters, including three main spaces; the plaza on land (02), the crematorium (04, 05), the platform on the sea (06). The three spaces are linked together by an unbroken ceremonial route, which follows the slope of the land outside the dikes, merging into the river and back onto land; appearing and disappearing during the ceremony. The function, or the meaning of the space can also be continually altered and deciphered due to the identity of the participant and the differentiation of the time process.

Chapter 1 | The Road

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09:00AM ATTENDANCE |

Footway on the Cliff What is death? Is it not there if we do not see it? The dead stops seeing after closing his eyes, the familiar and the unfamiliar all gather to meet you for the last time, here. 死亡是什麼？是不是看不見就是不存在？亡者閉上眼不再看，而那些熟識的 不熟識的人，卻為了見你最後一面從不同的地方，在此。

ENVIRONMENT 1 beyond the Shezi island dikes 2 facing the Damshui and Keelung rivers intersection 3 the opposite bank of Damshui river- Wu-gu industrial park 4 the opposite bank of Keelung river- the Guandu mangroves SUBJECT 1 family members 2 outsiders (those who come from different places and have not met for a long time) 3 others (those who were active at the base outside the ceremony) OBJECT 1 the dikes 2 the footway leading to the base from the bottom of the dikes 3 the 6-meter tall trees on both sides of the footway 4 theobservatory platform section 01-01’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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10:00AM PARTING CEREMONY |

Opposite The sky is high, with the warm April breezes. Sunlight splashes on the people coming for the send-off, clear and without a trace, like the words of mourning. White egrets take flight gracefully from the woods across.

Transparent are the blue skies and the river, light speckle the face of the water, or in some of their eyes. 天高，四月的風很暖和。陽光散落在送行的人們臉上，像是追悼的字句一樣 清晰而不著痕跡。對面的樹林裡一群白鷺翩翩飛起，藍色的天空和河流都很 透明，水面泛起粼粼波光, 或是一些人的眼中吧。

ENVIRONMENT 1 sunny skies 2 the receding tide SUBJECT The first round of farewell ceremonies were held in the plaza outside, those who came to the funeral pays their respects and says goodbye to the dead.

1 family Members 2 outsiders OBJECT 1 the curved path (following the topography from the entrance footway in encircling the plaza) 2 the farewell ceremony plaza outside 3 the monument 4 entrance to the crematorium 5 resting space/ entrance to the tower of cremations section 02-02’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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12:00PM INTERVAL |

Chimney I remember the picture of Meursault staying up all night for his mother in L'Étranger. Everyone in the old people's home hold their own mind's secrets as going to a meeting impersonally. “The smoke is rising!” cries a child, pointing high up at the chimney. The murmurs stop suddenly. 我想起異鄉人裏頭莫索為他母親守夜的畫面。安養院裡的每個人懷抱著各自 的心事，事務性的赴會。“冒煙了耶！”高指煙囪的小孩說。唏囌地話語聲 乍止。

ENVIRONMENT 1 noon 2 receding tide 3 mangrove woods 4 the smoking chimney SUBJECT The outsiders left the farewell ceremony plaza, going into the space next to the mangroves to rest. The family uses this time to cremate their dead.

The dusty smoke rising from the cremation chimney is visible in the resting space, to know in time when it is to meet the family members and say yet another goodbye to the dead before the sea burial.

1 outsiders 2 the worshippers coming to the tower of cremains OBJECT 1 entrance space- the direction facing the chimney 2 interior resting space- the direction facing the mangrove woods 3 the basement tower of cremains 4 half-exterior resting space section 03-03’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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12:00PM CREMATION |

The Darkness-1 Brightness cannot be established at this moment, how I wish you are the one in the stretch of darkness. 光明在這種時刻是不成立的，多希望身處在一片幽暗中的是你。

ENVIRONMENT 1 the receding tide 2 the Damshui river decreases equally 1:37 3 the Damshui river recedes at a mean of 250 cm SUBJECT 1 family members 2 the helping hands during the cremation OBJECT The crematorium is a space completely sealed against natural lighting, the light comes from a single ray of artificial lighting and from the blazes of the cremation.

1 the passage leading to the crematorium is 300 cm wide (The width needed for one man lifting the coffin from the left and right sides) 2 the crematorium is situated 200cm below water level (with the lowest tideline ±0 as a standard), and the interior is 500 cm in height. section 04-04’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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01:30PM ASHES RETRIEVAL |

The Darkness-2 Through the wan rays of light, I see the particles of dust floating in the air, thinking how you may be hiding in a corner, peering at the sunlight that shines harshly on you like a spotlight. 透過微弱的光線, 看見懸浮在空氣中的塵霧。我想你或許正躲在哪個角落，窺 看聚光燈般的陽光正刺眼的照亮著你。

ENVIRONMENT 1 the rising tide 2 more light penetrates the water when it’s closer to the face of the water 3 fogging up SUBJECT 1 family members 2 the helpers that assist the ashes retrieval process OBJECT 1 the only light in the space comes from the skylight in the middle the ashes retrieval space is situated under the water level at 400cm (with the lowest tideline ±0 as a standard) 2 the ashes retrieval table is placed at the center of the space and facing the skylight above 3 the passage leading to the river level platform has a width of 150cm (enough for two people to walk side by side) a height of 300cm This is a passage that leads from darkness into brightness. (From below the river to land) The closer to the face of the water the more light shines through the window above the passage. section 05-05’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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02:00PM FAREWELL TO THE DECEASED |

Fog All of the memories are damp. Amid the last good-byes, someone asks in a low tone “Is it the smoke from earlier?” “No”, I say, “Fog rises from Shezi Island after noon, smoke drifts upward, while fog sinks.” 所有的記憶都是潮濕的。最後的送別中, 有人低聲輕問“是剛剛的煙嗎？” “不是” 我說，“午後的社子島會起霧, 煙是往上飄的, 而霧會往下沉。”

ENVIRONMENT 1 the rising tide 2 fogging up SUBJECT 1 family members 2 outsiders OBJECT The footway and the river level platform is open for use during 11:00am03:00pm (when it is above water level), it is a footway with timeliness.

After the family departs for the sea burial, the others who came to say farewell must return to land by 03:00pm.

1 the footway that links together land and the platform, the passage beneath the footway that leads to the crematorium 2 the passage that leads from the bone-picking space to the platform 3 the river-level platform 4 the yacht boarding platform 5 the staircase facing the chimney extends to below river level section 06-06’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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03:00PM BACKHAUL |

Rising Tide The river ushers everyone on their way home. Only to know the footway is sinking and bobbing as we turn back once more. It would be impossible to return… 河流催促著大家回去的路。再度轉身, 方才的棧道已經半浮半沉，想再過去已 經是不可能的了…

ENVIRONMENT 1 rising tide SUBJECT 1 those who came to the send-off but not the sea burial 2 others OBJECT 1 the footway (gradually disappearing due to the rising tide) section 07-07’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

Height of Passageway/ Footway on the Cliff: 250cm Time

Height of Tide

Height of Footway

Attendance

Parting Ceremony

Cremation/ Ashes Retrieval

Farewell-1

03:00PM Sea-burial

Farewell-2

Return Home

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5:00PM diagram of passageway/ footway and tide

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03:00PM SEA BURIAL |

Before, After Faraway, the chimney, woods and the footway, start linking together the previous and the after, also all time that is correlated. I felt the time lost behind me waiting there, the future ahead closing in gradually. 遠遠的, 煙囪、樹林、棧道，開始重新連起前後、所有相關的時間。我感受到 身後逝去的時間等待在那裏，眼前的未來正逐漸逼近。

ENVIRONMENT 1 rising tide 2 mist condenses- the skyline abates SUBJECT 1 family members out to sea---sea burial---return OBJECT 1 a yacht seating 7: length 550cm/ width 230cm/ draft of 50cm 2 pier-1 the Damshui river side: to 3 the anchoring platform 4 pier-2 the Keelung river side: fro section 08-08’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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04:30PM FAREWELL TO THE LIVING |

Scattered The road that was so unusually expanded by silence this morning, has been severed into countless scattered pieces “Something very much like reality is actually blended in the world of endless pasts, also some kind of an omen in the far future, a cross-point in the future with feelings of yearning.” Moriyama Daidō once said in his book. 早上因為沉默而異常擴大的那條道路，已經被截成無數零碎的片段。“很像是 現實的東西，其實是融在無盡過去的世界，也是遙遠處未來的某種預兆，隨 著懷念之情與未來的交叉點。”森山大道曾在書中這麼說過。

ENVIRONMENT 1 rising tide SUBJECT 1 the farewell-bidders returning to land 2 others 3 family members who had participated in the sea burial OBJECT 1 the space above the river level 2 the space below the river level section 09-09’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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06:00PM RETURN HOME |

Dike Living along Mother Nature is surely something to rejoice in. You shall sleep in eternal slumber, forever being missed by the sun, wind, flowing waters and many people. A dear one departs, enabling me to face the world. 順著大自然生活，本來就是值得喜悅的事情。你將從此長眠，永遠伴隨著陽 光、風和流水，以及許多人的懷念。親愛的人離開，讓我面對世界。

ENVIRONMENT 1 the sky darkens 2 the tide starts to recede after the flood tide 3 the opposite bank of the Damshui river: Wugu industrial park- light 4 the opposite bank of Keelung river: the Guandu mangroves- darkness

SUBJECT 1 family members 2 outsiders 3 others OBJECT 1 the dikes 2 the footway leading to the base from the bottom of the dikes 3 the 6-meter tall trees on both sides of the footway section 10-10’ scale: 1/500 Chapter 1 | The Road

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REVIEW |

Chapter 1 | The Road

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What was has always been, What is has always been, What will be has always been.

— Louis I. Kahn

CHAPTER 2 PROJECTS DESIGN 2005 - 2009

Another Place/ Atony Gormley in 1997 .

According to Antony Gormley, Another Place harnesses the ebb and flow of the tide to explore man's relationship with nature. He explains: The seaside is a good place to do this. Here time is tested by tide, architecture by the elements and the prevalence of sky seems to question the earth's substance. In this work human life is tested against planetary time. This sculpture exposes to light and time the nakedness of a particular and peculiar body. It is no hero, no ideal, just the industrially reproduced body of a middle-aged man trying to remain standing and trying to breathe, facing a horizon busy with ships moving materials and manufactured things around the planet.

What was has always been, What is has always been, What will be has always been. — Louis I. Kahn

RAMBLE | A Walk in the Building

isometric

This project will serve as a proposal for how to manage some of the competing interests of Development, Historical Preservation, Environmental Education and Open Space Management on the Old Campbell Barn Site on west campus of UCSB. It will provide a new learning and exhibiting space, as well as a rest place for public.

I tends to make good use of spaces to solve the limits of the four directions where sunshine and wind come from, and to get great light and the southwest prevailing breezes in order to save the energy; also to provide an environment for people to take a RAMBLE.

site plan Chapter 2 | Ramble

SPACE ALLOCATION The building will be divided into two pieces. The building will be higher on the north side to fight off winter storm winds, and the south side will be lower to provide more comfortable sunshine. Prevailing breeze will enter into the building via the central outdoor platform (the green areas in the sections above the words ) , providing a nice and cool outdoor area.

1 lobby 2 display space (I) 3 gift shop

4 display space (II) 5 faculty offices 6 classroom (adults)

7 lab (adults) 8 lab prep room 9 library

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administration classroom (kids) lab (kids) lecture hall

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second floor plan

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SOUTH To provide good natural lighting for the viewing of the barn, it will use large sized glass windows. A horizontal concrete wall in the room will reserve heat to provide warmness at night.

WEST To avoid the straight sunshine in the afternoon, a concrete wall will be constructed here to block the sunshine. Wind and sunshine will come through into the building from the openings on the side.

NORTH Due to winter storm wind, the north side will be all concrete wall without any openings.

EAST The east will also face the storm winds in the winter, but as a result of the distance between the south and the north is long, in order to give the crowds conveniences to pass, the outdoor hallway will be hidden inside the wall, avoiding the wind blow directly.

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TRANSFORMATION VILLAGE | About Global Warming and Tuvalu

before 1850

1850－2000

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2050

Site Tuvalu will be the first nation to be wiped out by global warming, and it’s also one of the places on the earth that is most vulnerable to the affects of global warming. The threat of sea level rise may bring complete disaster to the 10,000 Tuvaluans residing on nine extremely low-lying coral atolls.

2001, as west governments debate the fate of the Kyoto protocol, citizens of the tiny south Pacific nation of Tuvalu have asked Australia and New Zea, and to provide them with shelter when their country becomes uninhabitable as a result of rising sea levels.

Global Warming And Sea Level .

site location

living room bathroom kitchen bedroom

PUBLIC

MUTUAL

PRIVATE (HOUSING UNIT)

public space

community hall

housing

hotel park exhibition

LAND

site plan

Tuvalu is full of holes and seawater is coming through these, flooding areas that weren't normally flooded 10 or 15 years ago. There are projections of about 50 years (before the islands disappear.) After this, Tuvalu will be drowned.

work shop field /farm store plaza /pool

church market school

Chapter 2 | Transformation Village

Those were the days, I spent, I hated, I dreamed, I missed, I loved...I can’t live it again.

INTERTIDAL

My friend Lilo.

CONTENTS OF SPACE

CHARACTER OF SPACE OCEAN

CONNECTIONS

I Live on this planet

This country on this blue planet is where I live.

This is my house. Next year it will be my fish tank!

I used to have a beach as my front yard,now I have an ocean!

And fishing boats.

My neighborsKalani, Aloha, and Kepeli, they always tattletale!

And my neighbors soak in the water?!

But our situation has not been better...

So...we have to move.

I don’t like to take pictures, but dad says it’s the last time we can take picture here.

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1 dock 2 gathering space 3 work shop 4 field 5 plaza /pool 6 store 7 farm

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15x15 SKIN DIVISION | Computer Aided Architectural Design

This project is a practice of computer aided architectural design. I chose to study cloth contextures as my model to fulfil in a pavilion space in the end of the design.

The first step in this project is using Rhino to build up a 3D curve to imitate a real fabric’s diversification in different rotating levels in order to run a set of principle for the next step to study the possibility to transform the curve to be an available pavilion space.

original form

Chapter 2 | 15x15 Skin Division

transformation rotate 90°

transformation rotate 180°

transformation rotate 180°

transformation 1

transformation 2

transformation 3

TAIPEI FINE ARTS MUSEUM

transformation 4

transformation 5

transformation 6

TAIPEI ARTISTIC PARK

exhibition space

semi-outdoor shelter

outdoor space

route

site plan

During this process, I divide the 15mx15m site into 6 parts, and modify the design according to the actual space then. The site is located between Taipei Fine Arts Museum and Taipei Artistic Park. In the design, I hope to connect both, instead of separating them. That's the reason why people can enter and exit pavilion easily on four dimensions. On the other side, the exhibition space of skin is upward slowly, so the skin provides another possibilities of the route on vertical dimension.

The exhibition court is composed of six space, gradually opened from the center to the outside. The outdoor space completely opened and connected to the landscape.

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This web of time the strands of which approach one another, bifurcate, intersect or ignore each other through the centuries embraces every possibility. — Jorge Luis Borges

CHAPTER 3 OTHER WORKS 2010 - 2012

Working experience from 2007 to 2011

Invisible Labyrinth/ Jeppe Hein in 2005 The work is an imaginary labyrinth without physical walls directing the movement of the visitors.

Instead, the maze structure is organized by infrared signals. In a big space, a fixed number of infrared emitters are mounted to the ceiling at equal distance to each other, forming a grid pattern. Each emitter can be switched on and off separately via a control board, allowing the creation of a new maze structure every day. At the entrance, the visitor finds a board with printed diagrams of the different pre-programmed labyrinths performed on different days during the week, and attached infrared sensor headsets, which react with a vibrating alarm when an infrared signal, equivalent to an invisible wall, is received. The visitor thus combines the visual information with the technologically produced invisible leads, recreating the labyrinth in his imagination. The invisible labyrinth is a new form of architecture or sculpture, since it is no longer a visible or physical tangible object, but a work of the imagination and thus only becomes a sculpture through the interactivity and psychology of the viewer.

This web of time the strands of which approach one another, bifurcate, intersect or ignore each other through the centuries embraces every possibility. — Jorge Luis Borges

WORKING EXPERIENCE |

1 City Zen Garden International Workshop 2006/02 2 Cross Straits Youth Exchange Program 2007/07

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3 River Body International Workshop 2007/10 4 River Housing International Workshop 2008/03 5 BIM International Workshop 2009/04

Chapter 3 | Working Experience

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1 YungChi Associates & Engineering Consultants inc. / Taipei, Taiwan 2007/01 - 2012/01 Internship 2

2 Y.C. Liao Architects & Associates/ Taipei, Taiwan 2007/08 - 2007/09 Internship

3 3 Bio Architecture Formosana / Taipei, Taiwan 2007/11 - 2007/11 Internship 4 C.P. Hsueh Architects/ Taipei, Taiwan 2010/05 - 2010/12 Internship

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5 Fei & Cheng Associates/ Taipei, Taiwan 2011/03 - 2011/10 Designer, Competition Team Member

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SELECTED ART WORKS |

1 The Most Shining Picture/ Taiwan Exhibited at Expo 2010 Shanghai China, First Place

Chapter 3 | Selected Art Works

1 Sketch of Hobe Fort in Taiwan 2 The Transformation of Space 3 My Sketchbook 4 Ink Painting of Intertidal Zones

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EPILOGUE |

EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

TamKang University, Department of Architecture/ Taipei, Taiwan 2005/09 - 2010/06 Bachelor of Architecture

YungChi Associates & Engineering Consultants inc. / Taipei, Taiwan 2007/01 - 2012/01 Internship Y.C. Liao Architects & Associates/ Taipei, Taiwan 2007/08 - 2007/09 Internship

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP City Zen Garden International Workshop 2006/02 Cross Straits Youth Exchange Program 2007/07

Bio Architecture Formosana / Taipei, Taiwan 2007/11 - 2007/11 Internship C.P. Hsueh Architects/ Taipei, Taiwan 2010/05 - 2010/12 Internship Fei & Cheng Associates/ Taipei, Taiwan 2011/03 - 2011/10 Designer, Competition Team Member

River Body International Workshop 2007/10

AWARDS AND HONORS

River Housing International Workshop 2008/03

“The Most Shining Picture” exhibited at Expo 2010/ Shanghai China 2009 Taipei World Design Contest First Place

BIM International Workshop 2009/04

Outstanding Graduation Designing, Department of Arch/ TamKang University 2010/05 First Place

CHIA-YU LIU ADDRESS 4F.-2, No.33, Sec. 2, Roosevelt Rd. Da’an Dist. Taipei, Taiwan, 106 PHONE (+886)920348305 E-MAIL chiayu4@gmail.com 64 | Epilogue