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Thoughts of an Architect John Hejduk 1986 - That architectural tracings are apparitions, outlines, figments. They are not diagrams but ghosts.
- Tracings are similar to X-rays, they penetrate internally.
- Erasures imply former existences.
- Drawings and tracings are like the hands of the blind touching the surfaces of the face in order to understand a sense of volume, depth and penetration.
- The lead of an architect's pencil disappears (drawn away) metamorphoses.
C O N T E N T S of Trace-Based Operative Machines
0. P r o f i l e 1. R e v o l v e 2. A P u b l i c P r o g r e s s 3. A n o t h e r C u l t u r e P a r k 4. C o v e r e d , L a y e r e d 5. F u t u r e S c h o o l o f N a m a s i a 6. M o b i l e M o b i u s 0. E p i l o g u e
0. Profile
HOU, Chi Chia Born Mar.11 1991 Taipei, Taiwan
Language : Chinese (mother tongue) English (TOEFL:102) International Exhibition of Architecture Graduation Design , Grand Review , 2014 . 09 .
Education : 2009-2014 B.Arch National Cheng Kung University Tainan, Taiwn
Computer skills : AutoCAD , SketchUp + Vray , Rhino + Grasshopper , Revit , Adobe Photoshop , Illustrator , Indesign , Premiere , Microsoft Office
Internship : 2013 AECOM Beijing, China 2012 Hoya Architects & Associates, Taiwan 2011 Bio- architecture Formosana, Taiwan 2010 H.C.C.H & Associates, Taiwan
International Workshops : 2014 Urban Mega-Ecology, Bangkok, Thailand 2013 EMBT Workshop, Tainan, Taiwan 2013 Pavilion Formosa, Tainan, Taiwan 2012 BIG Hualien Resort, Tainan, Taiwan
Publications : 2014.11 Taiwan Architecture Magazine 2014.10
1.
R E V O L V E
The Trace : Landscapes of Power
Power is the relationship of domination and obedience. By controlling over senses, justified values are perceived. The "right" value might only be the illusion formed by collective conscious. When our senses are being controled, it created rooms for hiding, hiding the truth. Conflicts are the begining of perceiving both the presented and the hiddens, no matter it is about physical space, history events, political incidents, I look for boundarys which accommodates conflicts, to find new relations between the visibles and the invisibles.
politics
Significant clues to our prisoned status in modern society depict the antithesis of the antinomy of freedom. The System affects us through physical spaces and invisible medias. In the era of information explosion, we receive massive news constantly. News, comercials, and informations are delivered through multiple mediums. We are controled.
media
Through observation and documentation, I tried to represent my question of the value constructed by the System.
top : " President : more good than harm " Protest against Trade Agreement in Taiwan , 2014 middle : " Owning both newspaper and the television " Protest against Media Monopoly in Taiwan , 2014
food bottom : " Cooking oil made of recycled waste oil " Food scandal in Taiwan , 2014
Highway created a vertical layer in the context. In this vehicle autonomous region, drivers' senses are being confined within the linear infinite. While specific values can be delivered upon the surface, rooms for storage are created underneath the highway.
Highway 1, section Taipei, Taiwan
Monument:FoundingFather
Declar
Extrication:AmusementPark F r a g m e nt s : R e m a i n s O R e s t r i c t i o n : F l i g h t Pa t h
Monument:War BrainWash:RadioStation
PoliticalCorrectness:Museum
Camouflaged:MilitaryBase
Highway 1 Yuan Shan Interchange Taipei Taiwan
Monument:TheSacredMountain
ration:PoliticalSymboledHotel
f MeijiBridge
Monument:WarHeroes Heroes
Camouflaged:MilitaryBase
Restriction:KeelungRiver
Control:HighWay
Restriction:Airport
Prehistoric Time
Qing Dynasty
Japanese Rule
Nationalist Government
Contemporary Taiwan
Yuan Shan is the physical boundary and border area of Taipei city, but it was also the spiritual center among the history of the city. Colonial regime placed symbols of power here, forming the landscapes of power. Such political symboles were erased, overwrote, eventually forgotten along with the change of realms.
With different levels of road systems passing by, these "historical remians" stand quietly among Yuan Shan district, forgotten by us. They are traces of political realms whom once ruled this land. I looked under their appearance, trying to communicate with their deeper meaning, and presenting what's hiding underneath the surface.
Taiwan Grand Shrine
Jiantan Mountain
Meiji Bridge
Keelung River the Sando
Japanese Rule
Zhongshan Road was constructed during the Japanese Ruling era; it was the "Sando" - a road approaching the Taiwan Grand Shrine. The tip of the axis of the Sando was designed pointing at Tokyo, where the emperor of Japan stayed. Because of encountering the Keelung River and Jiantan Mountain, the political axis made two unwilling turns, gave in to the forces of nature. The bridge that crossed the Keelung River became the threshold of the God's Domain. Now the Grand Shrine was altered into the famous Grand Hotel, and the Meiji Bridge was disassembled, waiting to be reconstructed.
In my project, I tried to show the deeper meaning of the political landsapes, offering a different perspective apart from their appearences. The building was placed along with the political axis, with the tip marking the Mountain and the River. Althought the architecture seems to sumit to the political force, the outstretch of the building volume and the rotating circulation formed the resistance to the power.
YOUTH HOSTEL
SUBMERGED PLAZA
ENT
SWIMMING POOL
GALLERY
FERRIS WHEEL
MOVIE THEATER
LIBRARY
RANCE
Unlike the political relics, this architecture is opened for every citizens. It is a Public Monument. Each function in the building represents a hidden meaning of the surrounding buildings.
30-35m
High Way 1
25-30m
The Grand Hotel
20-25m
Monuments of (Fictional) War Heroes
15-20m
High Way 1, Jian Tan Mountain
10-15m
Free Way Interchange Memorial of our Founding Father
5-10m
0-5m
Storage Site of the Remains of Meiji Bridge
Keelung River, River Bank
The architecture acts like a Panopticon. A watchman that observes and different target and represents differently at different height.
The rotating circulation make turns when encountering the Mountain and the River. After climbing up to the roof, the ferris wheel transforms the circling planner experience into a sectional reading of the building.
The Plaza emerges with the The Submerged Plaza tide, alludes the forces of the River. The Entrance is designed with a parallel layer of the river bank. The river bank has always been a distinctive seperation (or threshold) of the city and the nature in Taipei.
Keelung River
River Bank
0-5m
Keelung River, River Bank
The The Plaza Plaza is the hollow center of the architecture, surrounded by the conflictaccomodating boundary. We are able to perceive the surreal landscape composed of the conflict between the architecture and the surrounding at the plaza.
Storage Site of the Remains
5-10m
Storage Site of the Remains of Meiji Bridge
While driving through architecture by the Free Way Interchange, it feels like driving through a tunnel, entering a heterogeneous environment.
Free Way Interchange
10-15m
Free Way Interchange
Memorial of our Founding Father
Jian Tan Mountain
The Hostel is the ironic response The Youth Hostel to the illegal hotel business ran in the Memorial of our Founding Father The Room cut through the TheExhibition Exhibition Room Jian Tan Mountain, provides us with a different perspective of the mountain. High Way 1
15-20m
High Way 1, Jian Tan Mountain
Monuments of (Fictional) War Heroes
The Movie Theater is where the fictional truth been played, just as the fake monument set up by the government to strengthen our patriotic feelings.
20-25m
Monuments of (Fictional) War Heroes
The Grand Hotel
The Swimming Swimming Pool The Pool creates a carnival atmosphere in contrast to the solemn atmosphere of the Grand Hotel.
25-30m
The Grand Hotel
The The Ferris Wheel transforms the circling planner experience into a sectional reading of the building.
30-35m
The Grand Hotel, High Way 1
" It makes this place that I occupy at the moment when I look at myself in the glass at once absolutely real, connected with all the space that surrounds it, and absolutely unreal, since in order to be perceived it has to pass through this virtual point which is over there. "
Michel Foucault
2.
A
P u b l i c
P r o g r e s s
The Trace : Obscured Collective Consciousness
Due to the commercialization of housing, housings have been seen as a mass producted investments, not as a place to live in. The design of the building have been simplified to just simply piling up single dwelling unitv. The emphasis on the efficient use of the limited land caused the compression of the public spaces in the building; leaving only corridors and elevators outside our living spaces. Public facilities become calculated numbers instead of space for communication. I think the singled living experience and lack of public life is contradicted with the concept of metropolis, which should provide multivariated values, just as a good housing should provide multiple living experiences and public lives.
The ready-to-be-renovated old building sits on the last industrial land in Taipei, hoping to be developed into collective building provided for small families. Housings were designed with lavish living spaces and needless decorations nowaday, they are investments instead of a home. In my project, I tried to question the mass producted housing these days with a housing composed of multivariated housing unit.
Primitive Community
Street House Community
Town House Community
Contemporary Community
Modern definition of public spaces such as plaza, exhibition space, lecture hall, and library were placed in the lower floors with confined independent living environment placed on the top of them. But as we move up to the upper floors, the area of the living spaces started to shrink while public spaces expand from narrow hall ways to public courtyards, allowing residences to communicate.
1 F
2 F
Entrance Plaza, Library, Exhibition Room
Lecture Hall, Residence Lobby
Placing public spaces such as plaza, exhibition space, lecture hall, and library in the lower floors, allowing the public to join and share the spaces.
3 F
4 F
2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom 1 Kitchen
2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom 1 Kitchen
The lower parts of the housing unit were designed with the most interior area, and least public and outdoor space. Suitable for residents look for a more private life without interruptions form their neighbors.
5 F
6 F
2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom 1 Kitchen
2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom 1 Kitchen
As we climb up, the interior area of housing unit starts to shrik, with balcony or public hallway emerges. More possibilities for public activities to happen.
7 F
8 F
2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom 1 Kitchen ; Public Garden
2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom 1 Kitchen ; Public Classroom
Public plaza and community center are placed. Residents can enjoy a better quality public space though living in a smaller suite.
9 F
10 F
1 to 2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom ; Public Dining space and kitchen
1 to 2 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom ; Public Activity Space
The corridor based plan arrangement starts to decompose, with small squares allowing more intimate interactions within the neighborhood.
11 F
12 F
1 Bedroom 1 Livingroom 1 Restroom ; Hybrid Public Space
1 Bedroom ; Hybrid Public Space
The decomposition intensify. Some of the basic functions of the suit were even moved to the public area. "Public" become a part of residents' life.
13 F
14 F
1 Bedroom ; Hybrid Public Space
1 Bedroom ; Hybrid Public Space
The Public Progress finishes with a mixed, intimate, interacted living condition being achieved.
Although I still distinguished a better living condition in my own opinion, I still tried to provide a multivariated living condition, because the meaning of public is that we can find our own position in the environment.
3.
A n o t h e r
C u l t u r e
P a r k
The Trace : The Cutting Boundaries
Apart from the tenure issues of the Hua Shan Park itself, we concluded all sorts of activities seperation and physical space seperation that caused the desolation of the park. Starting from identifying the boundary conditions between the park and its neighbor, we observed the northern part (community), eastern part (digital and electronic mall), and southern part (art center) of the park, and take a further depict of the physical boundary condition. We then drew the urban diagram, a design strategy that searched for possibilities based on the documentation of the boundary condition. Re-define the boundary condition, and connect the deserted public space with the neighbors again..
Hua Shan Park is owned by 3 seperated authorities, the Department of Cultural Affairs, Railway Bureau, and Environmental Protection Agency. The park used to be part of the distribution center of the brewery and part of the train station; undergo the rail way underground and the construction of the free way, and the end of the brewer industry; the park still isn't used actively.
Railway Underground The underground project of the railway offered the opportunity to suture the parted areas. But instead, another inter-regional high way was built on top of the former rail road.
Inter-Regional HiWay The importance of the transportation overpowered the declined industry. A highway interchange then cut through the industrial site.
Major City Road Major city roads were set up, alongside the geographical context.
Wine Industry The industry was set alongside the railroad system. The railroad created a spacial seperation in between the area.
Urban Expansion The area was the geographical boundary of Taipei city.
CommunityEntrance
thePark
MallEntrance
ArtCenterEntrance
We concluded three physical seperation within three boundaries of the park. Each member of the group chose one boundary that we're interested in. I chose the northern part, the interface with the community, having a high way and a rail way evacuation tunnel blocking in the middle, causing the seperation.
Pedestrian Entrance
Railway Evacuation Tunnel
Underground Parking
A further depict of the physical boundary condition was made in order to look for opportunities to re-link the seperated region.
Northern Boundary
CommunityEntrance
MallEntrance
ArtCenterEntrance
Site Plan
CommunityEntrance
CommunityCenter
Library Cafe
Railway Evacuation Tunnel
Workshop
UrbanEntrance
Isometric Drawing
CommunityEntrance
Community Entrance uses the pedestrian entrance of the underground parking as the threshold, creating a horizontal connection between the northern part of the park and the community.
CommunityCenter
Library
UrbanEntrance
g t
UrbanEntrance
Urban Entrance is the fast entry allowing citizens to get to the park by car using the Free Way. After getting off the free way from the interchange, and into the existing underground parking, an opening on the slurry wall were made to get to the park.
Basement Floor
CrossSection
CrossSection
Workshop
Ground Floor
4.
C o v e r e d , L a y e r e d
The Trace : Fragmented Traditional Industries
The "Covered Ditch" was the most lively bazaar in the early times in Kaohsiung city. A narrow alley packed with all sorts of uses such as restaurants, shops, tailors, housings, and other functions. Although the popularity of the bazaar declined over time, the Covered Ditch still preserved an unique spactial and local custom experiences. I found fragments of the clothing industry, such as button shops, textile shops, tailoring shops scattered nearby and within the bazaar. They are the traces of the once-thrived business during the early times. By integrating the scattered fragments, reappearing the foregone experience, I try find new opportunities for the declined alley.
Add-Ons
Metal Roofing and metal huts is a common phenomenon in Taiwan. This type of fast and simple construction method allows buildings to "grow" organically, giving the building a multi-layer status.
The multiple layered status within the Covered Ditch formes an ambiguous public-private mixture experience; while demonstrates multiple possibilities with this organic form of construction methodology. The distance between people gets closer in this narrow alley, tightening our relationship with the other.
Fragments of the clothing industry, such as button shops, textile shops, tailoring shops are scattered nearby and within the bazaar. They are the traces of the once-thrived business during the early times.
Customized Clothing
Wholesale clothing
Button Shop
Clothing Alteration
Cumtumize Clothing Workshop-Based Spatial Experience
These scattered fragments trace out the process of the clothing industry. The custumization of clothing acts similar as the organic constructing methodology of the Covered Ditch. By integrating the scattered fragments with the reprogrammed Covered Ditch, forming a cumtumize-clothing-work shop-based spatial experience.
The original public-private mixture status was composed by the embankments of the add-ons.
The recomposition of the deconstructed units alters the narrow alley into little squares allowing wider uses.
Hsin Le Street Entrance
Food Court
Exhibition Space
Runway
Work Shop
Work shop
Food Court
Work shop
Runway
Pedestrian Bridge / Runway
Recreational Area
Recreational Area
5.
F u t u r e
S c h o o l
o f
N a m a s i a
The Trace : Genius Loci
The Namasia county was flooded during the Typhoon Morakot, losing their houses and public facilities, such as the middle school. After the typhoon, the village was relocated to the higher ground, ready to start their new life, and the new middle school will act as the spiritual center of their new life. Because of the various shortages in the mountain area, most of the residents move to the city after growing up, the school provides the equipment for their migration. The school is their future.
The mountain is where the residents are raised, the spiritual center of ther hearts, and provides the support while they make a living abroad. I think the school has the same meaning, and I hope the school can remind the children of their hometown while working abroad.
6.
M o b i l e
M o b i u s
The Trace : A Continous Confrontation Relationship
"The Mice Wedding" is a traditional ceremony of our department in order to welcome our freshmen. It is a carnival based on a revised version of a folklore about a mouse who looks for the best candidate to marry his daughter. At first, the mouse thought the strongest of all may be the Sun, who got the intense heat. Later the Clowd showed and shaded the Sun before the Wind blew away the Clowd. Although the House may be capable of blocking the Wind, he claimed that he is afraid of mouse since they can excavate holes in it. In the end the mouse married his daughter to his own kind. We designed the Sedan Chair for the event to marry the bride. Mobile Mobius represents the continous confrontation between each characters, while providing different riding experience for the bride.
The constantly changing form of Mobile Mobius represents the continous confrontation between each characters, while providing different riding experience for the passenger.
0.
E p i l o g u e
"The deepest problems of modern life flow from the attempt of the individual to maintain the independence and individuality of his existence against the sovereign powers of society, against the weight of the historical heritage and the external culture and technique of life." Georg Simmel The Metropolis and Mental Life, 1903
In our modern metropolis life, we gave up part of our rights in order to get protected from the government, followed by protocols to live an easier life; because this is the way "it" works. We seldom ask questions, soon, collective conscious quietly take over ourselves over time; we thought we are independent and free, but we will never get rid of the surveillance from the system. The contradiction of freedom has been discussed over times and by different forms of media. II Trace , penetrating through the surface, trying to understand how the system operates, give me the courage to confront the contradiction of our existence. To me, freeing oneself from the controlled system; standing independently on my own is the goal I will pursue in the future.