Architecture & Urban Design Portfolio 2016-2020 by Thomas Jui Huang Ou

architecture. urban design. portfolio. 2016-2020. Thomas Jui-Huang, Ou

ARCHITECTURE & URBAN DESIGNER 2012-2018 Bachlor of Architecture, Tamkung University, Taipei, Taiwan 2017 Erasmus Programme, CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain 2019-2020 MA Architecture & Urbanism, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

Table of Content 01

Shangri-La, Shezi / 01 再別．社子島

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta / 17 消失的三角洲：馬格拉港都市再生計畫

Miniature City Within The Gaps / 33 夾縫中的島嶼城市

School Prodis: Participatory Design / 43 參與式設計 : 特殊學校的想像

Breaking The Phenomenal Wall: Toyama Heights / 47 戶山團地青銀共居計畫

Shangri-La, Shezi

This is a result of an applied research and personal experience discovery on the topic "ShangriLa, Shezi" conducted during the 2019-2020 academy year at the Manchester School of Architecture, instructed by professor Colin harwood and Curtis Martyn in the program MA Architecture and Urbanism which is jointly accredited by University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.

This thesis project begins from the research question â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can urban identity be preserved under urban development?â&#x20AC;?, targeting Shezi Island, Taipei as a site to analyze a potential way to undergo urban development and renewal project while respecting the current urban fabric and the existings. The first half of this thesis project started from understanding the history of development in Taipei and specifically Shezi Island to set up Ou, Jui-Huang the contextual background of this project and followed with examinations of design and planning methods alongside with cases of study as a more topological approach of the research phase.

The second half of this thesis project documents a planning and design hypothesis that conceives how Shezi Island could potentially be developed and have a transformative impact on the entire city. Major issues including flooding and living condition had been addressed throughout the design progression. Finally, this thesis project reveals one over thousands of different possibilities dealing with similar issue. The goal is to raise public awareness on how our city is currently being developed and reconsider the undeveloped possibilities. All in all, the intervention could go way beyond the existing condition while truly make significant changes in an urban scale.

再別．社子島

01 The Site & The People Shezi Island had a long but miserable story, it all dates back to more than 50 years age, when super typhoon "Gloria" swiped over northern Taiwan, carrying heavy rainfall causing the majority of Taipei flooded for 3 days and 3 nights, with Shezi Island, being low on terrain, severely ruinned. 7 years later, a restriction of construction of the area sets it apart from the rapid development of the city, as it being forgotten for decades. In first part of this thesis project, an overall analysis of Shezi Island, starting from the historical background, demography and economy activites to urban environment, including connectivity, important artifacts and the flooding condition will be further addressed, providing a general understanding on the situation Shezi Island is standing.

Location map of Shezi Island 02

Shangri-La, Shezi

Vision of Planning Project Proposal

Population: 16,000 people 20% Agriculture Land 12% Residential Land

7% Industrial Land 11% Commercial Land

27% Park 12% Public Facility Land

Considering the potential users to be part of the planning process while linked with existing conditions, a visional map is created while major land usage configurations were decided alongside of some important planning topics, including three diverse, but connected zones. These zones became the mother-bone of more detail developments while making significant impact on the discovery of consept and selection of program on the next step of this thesis project.

11% TraďŹ&#x192;c Land

Residents

Living

Leisure

Business Owners

Farmers User Students

Sale

Manufactor Research

Agriculture Sale

Zone of Living Culture

Study Relax

Young Professionals

Visitors

Zone of Marine Industry

Working

Event

Experience

Career

Networking Leisure

Accommodate

Zone of Leisure Activity

Shangri-La, Shezi

02 Concept & Design Process

COMMUNITY

Super Campus

Sharing With City

Educational Complex

Community Involving

SCHOOL

Fixed Boundary COMMUNITY

SCHOOL

Community Invading

COMMUNITY

CORE SPACE PROGRAM PROGRAM

FOUNDATION

PROGRAM

A GR

Program & Space

SCHOOL

URBANISM

Interaction With Urbanism

再別．社子島

Contemporary Courtyard Building Configuration

Determinant Style

Cluster Style

Renovation of Semi-Public Space

Community Plaza

Street

Play Ground / Park

Courtyard

Iconic Tree

Alleys

Courtyard Style

Spreaded Style

Courtyards and habitational clusters are two of the major building configurations in Shezi Island, therefore, how it can be contemporized to suit the mordern living needs became increasingly important. Starting from a top to toe understanding of the transformation of traditional courtyard housing from an existing historical building on site, the House of Li Jhongji.

It is clearly seen that the publicity of semi-public space should be regard as the most important element to deal with.This project aim to renovate but not demolish the accent of tradition but to re-intervene with the existings to promote a better living method while remains part of the local costum.

Shangri-La, Shezi

Reproduction of Taipei Composition of Building

Material of Building

Roof Tiles & Dark

Second Row

Back Row

Wall

Arcade & Front Row Patio 16-23m

Patio 16-23m

Yard 16-23m

Brick & Mainly Red , Yellow and Light Green

Transformation-Shezi

In the past, most buildings are low rise and low density

In the past 50 years, temp. structure filled up most empty spaces without overall consideration & planning

In the future, mid rise apartments will accommendate most of the resident to give space for green facility while the iconic buildings will be regenerated

再別．社子島

Linked Life Cycle Size of circle indicates the scale of each program

Public Housing For Youth

Lab / Office

Showroom

Shipyard

University

Iconic Temple

Store & Apartment

Green Link

Shade of circle indicates number of times people spend using this facility on a weekly basis

Vaporetto

5 times or above 3 to 4 times 1 to 3 times Less than 1

Cafe

Library

Museum

Water Sports Recreation

Hotel

Pier

Light Rail

Width of the line indecates amount of users and direction of movements between different proframs High Usage Rate Mid Usage Rate Low Usage Rate

Leisure Farming

Villa

Potential Adjacencies are outlined

Shangri-La, Shezi

03 Shangri-La, Shezi

Master Plan

The Shangri-La Shezi project is composed by a lot of differnt sectors, each linked up with another. Looking from an aerial view perspective, the new developed area is slightly smaller than the existing area protected by the embankments due to introducing new canals and the seasonal infilteration lake. Starting from the tip of the peninsula, the existing university and local marine industry had merge and expended into a Marine IndustryPedagogical Zone which focuses on connecting the research or academic studies done in the university and pretical manufacture of componants or skills. Apart from the above, to encourage the younger generations to participate in the marine industry and maybe start-up their own career, a youth focusing public housing with a fully functional start-up hub is also introduced to this zone. The center part of this project is the Zone of Living Culture which occupied the space between an iconic temple of Shezi Island and the proposed canal. Transforing condition from waste land and factory buildings, a green axis is introduced to elevate the overall living conditions of this place with shops and apartments in local style laying beside. Slightly larger commercial space is created right beside the new canal as part of the design to attract visitors. A Leisure and Visitor focusing Zone is created beside the new seasonal infilteration lake to take advantage of some of the best fresh water spots in Taipei. The major programs in this zone includes a water sports recreational center and a museum transformed from an abandomed structure of post industrial architecture. Another highlight of this zone would be the floating villa on the infilteration lake which can only be reached by boat during raining season. Leasure farming also took place in this zone separated with traditional farming. 1. Sketch Master Plan 2. Working Model of Shezi 09

Shangri-La, Shezi

Marine Industry Area

University

Cooperating with the existing university and local indusries located at the tip of he peninsula, the marine industry area devoted to build connection between the younger generations who has an interest on the local industry while assists them on opening up their own career. Taking advantage of an existing pier currently used by the university as a training facility for practical lessons, it is extended and transformed into a small-size shipyard for not only the local industry but also visitors to experience this unique process of ship building, Labs, offices and factories occupied buildings, new and old, in this area, accompanied with a showroom to exhibit the final product and a youth focusing public housing for the young professionals to stay in and interact with other people.

Shipyard

Factory Lab / Office

Showroom Public Housing

再別．社子島

Shangri-La, Shezi

Culture & Commercial Area

Public Housing

Store / Apartment

Pier / Deck

Green Link

Religion had always played an important role in traditional Taiwanese communities, and Shezi Island is not an exception. Located at the central part of the peninsula, an iconic temple and a community plaza represents the culture believe of this place. Starting from the temple acting as one of the knot of this project, a green link connection the temple and the new canal is being introduced with roadside shops sitting aside. At the tip of the green link is a small inland pier and observation deck, allowing residents and visitor to gain connection with other parts of Shezi Island and Taipei with ease. Slightly larger commercial business and a riverside pathway is also introduced to the project.

Temple

Commercial

Community Center

再別．社子島

Shangri-La, Shezi

Leisure & Agriculture Area Leisure Farmland Existing Community Pier Hotel

Making use of the new seasonal infilteration lake and some post industrial structures, the leisure area provides a place for people to leave daily chores behind and enjoy a day of rest. The major part of this area can be enclosed with a museum showing the history and development process of Shezi Island and a multi-purpose space which can be a cafe or restaurant during day time and a lounge bar or performance hall during night. At the other end of this area is a water sports recreation center owning not only indoor facilites like swimming pool and sauna but also the entire lake for sports like jet skiing, kayaking and banana boating, just to list out a few. There are two places for visitors to stay over night. A hotel on the main land for ordinary high standard living and the floating villa for people to experience a different scenory and perspective of Shezi Island.

Wa Re ter cre Spo ati rts on Ce nte

Plaza Exhibition / Museum

Cafe / Restaurant

Floating Villa

再別．社子島

01 Current Situation Location The Lagoon The Venetian Lagoon, located in Italy, has a surface area of around 550 square kilometres. It is around 8% land, including Venice itself and many smaller islands. About 11% is permanently covered by open water, or canal, while around 80% consists of mud flats, tidal shallows and salt marshes. The lagoon is the largest wetland in the Mediterranean Basin. The Island & The Mainland Venice, can be roughly divided in two parts, the mainland and the islands. The mainland consists of the capital of the province - Mestre and other cities like Marghera, and the islands are led by the well-known island of Venice. Our site is a part of the mainland, just across the road from Venice. Since there are a large number of islands, the transport within is connected by boats called “Vaporetto”.

“You take delight not in a city's seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours.” - Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities

This is a result of an applied research and personal experience discovery on the topic "Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta" conducted during the 2019-2020 academy year at the Manchester School of Architecture, instructed by professor David Chandler in the program MA Architecture and Urbanism which is jointly accredited by University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta

History

消失的三角洲：馬格拉港都市再生計畫

Land Usage

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta

02 Major Issue Poor Accessibility

The first major issue facing the site is poor accessibility, due to Via della LibertĂ -a 55 metres wide road at the north of it. This road has five lanes for trains and five lanes for cars, but Porto Marghera is serviced by only one car lane of them. The site is attached to the highway for a distance of 1.3 km. However, the pedestriansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accessibility from the opposite side is achieved by only one small bridge. Gap Between Porto Marghera & Surroundings

消失的三角洲：馬格拉港都市再生計畫

Unfriendly Urban Environment As a former industrial area, Porto Margehra appears to have high levels of pollution. These form an unfriendly living environment for people and nature. In addition to this, the existence of the highway makes the area isolated and unsafe to live in.

Pollution & Their Source

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta

03 Design Methodology

Sustainable Living Environment

Linked Life Cycle

In order to achieve stronger links with surrounding forces (University, Forte Marghera, cities), a “super campus” is promoted in the heart of our area and has a direct link to the university of Venice science campus located less than 0.5 mile away. Moreover, more amenities and facilities are placed in the site to support this super campus and create a “life cycle”. Map of Inter-Region Connection

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta

Recontour Existing Buildings

Stage for Event or Performance

Open-Air Cinema

Exhibition Plaza

Children's Park During Weekends

Container Park

Summer Fountain Plaza

In 2050, one day, when you plan a trip to Venice, on the plane, you will never ignore the vivid land before you arrive...

消失的三角洲：馬格拉港都市再生計畫

04 Porto Marghera: 2050 Master Plan

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta

Super Campus For one of the main goals, the plan will be the foothold for young people who graduate from universities around it. Hence, we introduce companies and create incubator areas for providing jobs and cost-effective offices in super campus. There also are museum, sport field, cafe for entertainment.

After those young people are able to find a permanent job in that place, they may create their families and settle down in convenient and cheaper residential area, near the super campus.

消失的三角洲：馬格拉港都市再生計畫

Porto Marghera: The Obliterated Delta

Utopian Farm

In the south of the site a utopia farm is proposed for cultivation of food and organic products, that can be consumed by the residents themselves and even exported to neighbouring areas. The farm is divided in four sections, that they all work together to produce energy from renewable resources, so as to serve the residential areas and the super-campus. The place not only encourage a self-sufficient community, but also engages people during the process of cultivation and therefore enhances their social life. Furthermore, people from the surrounding areas can spend their spare time in this lively and healthy environment.

消失的三角洲：馬格拉港都市再生計畫

POPULAR PR ODUC TI ONS

ARE A SIZE S

PR ODUCION VALUE

20%

126,000㎡

1.25€*0.76

22%

138,600㎡

2€*1.2

22%

138,600㎡

0.19€*0.3

567,00㎡

1.6€*4.5

11%

69,300㎡

1.8€*0.36

25,200㎡

1.92€*3

12%

75,600㎡

0.5€*1.5

W IND ENER GY

SOLAR PANELS

TOTAL €1,115,238.6

R OOF SOLAR PANELS

W I ND E NE R G Y 60%

P O TAT O T O M AT O

SOLAR ENERGY

W H E AT

40%

GRAPE ORANGE

M ON E Y S AVIN G

BANANA SUNFLOWER

1 year≈100K W **3*1800h

1 year≈1K W* 60* 4* 1500h

60,300€/year

01 The Origin Everyone can have their own impression a b o u t Ta i p e i . F o r m e , Ta i p e i i s t h e extension of home, a place where memories and emotions were being built. However, the city hold more than my personal story but the life experience of a whole generation. The rich ariety of a city is mosaic by numerous different elements. While part of it may be a wonderful spacial experience, others may be the capturation of a beautiful image. The formation of a city is diverse and rich. However, the urban life is never always enjoyable. We are constantly seeking a way to live within the gaps. Is there a possibility, that we were never a part of the city we tend to live in?

夾縫中的島嶼城市

Minature City Within the Gaps -Taipei as a Megnatic Archipelago

每個人都要有屬於自己的台北學。相信還是有不少人，覺得住在台北有疏離感，高唱「台北不是我的家」，恨不得像電影「海角七號」男主角阿嘉飆句髒話回到家鄉。對這些人來說，他們找不到自己的台北學。劉維公

對於台北，每個人都值得擁有自己獨一無二的見解。對我來說，台北是家的延伸，一個被情感及回憶所包覆的地方。然而，一個城市所能承載的，絕不僅僅是我的個人故事，而是一整個世代人的生活經驗。一個城市的豐饒是由許多不同的元素鑲嵌而成的。其中的一部分可能是一種美妙的空間體驗，但另一些則可能僅僅是對美麗圖像的捕捉。一個城市的形成是多樣而豐富的。然而，城市生活從來都不完全是令人愉悅的。我們一直在尋找一種在夾縫中生活的方法。有沒有可能我們從未成為我們居住的城市的一部分？

This is a result of an applied research and personal experience discovery on the topic "Miniature City Within The Gaps" conducted during the 2017-2018 academy year at the Department of Architecture, School of Engineering, instructed by professor Wei-Jyh, Hsu in the program Bachlor of Architecture which is accredited by Tamkung University, Taiwan.

夾縫中的島嶼城市

The rich variety of a city is mosaic by numerous different elements

These elements may be the beautiful landscape, convenient transport or magnificant pieces of architecture. However, have you ever thought of the other side of the story? Is there anything hidden? When the basics of living is forced to be changed, do we have the ability or courage to overcome?

Fracture - Whiteout

然而城市生活並非始終如一的美好，我們自始至終都在找尋在夾縫中生活的方式 However, the urban life may not always be enjoyable, we are constantly seeking a way to live within the gaps.

Miniature City Within The Gaps

02 Contextual Information Unequivalent City Taipei

Hong Kong

Shanghai

Osaka

Seoul

Singapore

271.8

1104.4

6340.5

222.5

605.3

712.4

271.32

710.23

1412.32

266.53

1057.54

377.17

9753 21000

6431

2227

11981

17473

5294

88.31%

109.01%

194.37%

69.76%

51.70%

Surface Area (sqkm)

Population (10000 people)

Density (person/sqkm)

Aging Index

Table of Basic Configuration between Asian Cities

南機場國宅 South Airport Public House in Taipei

夾縫中的島嶼城市

The Disintegration of Habitation Policy 50

46.8%

44.5%

39.8%

40 30

1.Residence Build Up: -35% Special Need -30% Local -23% Citizen -12% Youth

23.3%

20 10 0

0.5%

Under 20Y

6.8%

21-30Y

31-40Y

41-50Y

51-60Y

Over 61Y

Age-Ownership of real estate in Taipei

Community Classroom

Current Public Housing

Co-Working Space

New Public Housing 1.Residence Build Up: -30% Special Need -10% Local -30% Citizen -30% Youth

2.Facility 2.Facility -Only for people living inside. -Open to the Public. -Mainly Indoors. -Indoors & Outdoors. -Isolated with the bigger -Can be isolated or be scale infrastructure. connect with the existings. 長久以來，台北都面對著不一樣的居住問題，從數量、價格等不一而全，然而，卻始終缺乏一個整體通盤性的規劃。在社會住宅部分，既有的國宅、整宅及中繼住宅多以老舊不堪，雖然台北市柯市長提出了興建五萬戶公宅的計畫，然而在蓋怎麼樣的公共住宅上似乎還有不少討論的空間。

Urban Linear Green

Community Gym

Habitation issue had been vital to Taipei for more than decades, however few had been done. Even though the current Taipei mayor promoted a project of 50,000+ new public housings, the type and objective of housing had yet been fully discussed.

The concept of the city in the city, which proceeds from a collage of a different urban entities, will be completed antithetically by the space in between the urban islands. Here the structures, by now valueless, ought to be allowed to gradually retransform into natural zones and pastures, without any rebuilding. This concerns in particular the areas of Kemperplatz, the stations of Görlitz and Potsdam, and, at a later stage, the Tempelhofer airport. Hence, the urban islands would be divided from each other by strips of nature and green, thus defining the framework of the city as a green archipelago(綠色群島). O.M. Ungers The City in the City

Miniature City Within The Gaps

Green Archipelago

Airport 4.

450m

後站商圈 1950-90

Taipei Main Station 西門町 1950-80 1990-

忠孝頂好商圈敦北商業帶 1980-95 1975-95

Presidential Palace 站前商圈 1950-80

480m

營邊段 1970

仁愛路 1.

Green Boulevard Potencial Site Spacial Knot

The urban fabric of Taipei City is formed by blocks by grided roads.Every block is being used differe depending on their different size and location.Bu the urban area of a city, blocks become the pre higher class citizens. If each block is an archipe floating in the city, than the urban area of Taipei will flooded with capitalized archipelagos. When blocks are occupied, what should we do? Do we h a different opprotunity to change the lifes of fu generations? Or it just a dream that will never c true.

夾縫中的島嶼城市

內科園區 1990-

12m

City Hall 信義計畫區 1981-

s cut ently, ut, in ey of elago l be the have uture come

16m

Space for Construction

This project tries to modify and redefine the usage of roads. In generally, roads were used for transporting people and cargo from one place to another. However, based on previous research, it had been taking up to more than 20% of the land usage in most cities. With modern cities becomming increasingly crowded, why can’t some of the people live“ above” the roads? Roads may be regard as the terrotory with the highest publicity. When it becomes the major part of our new urban life, we are currently challenging the traditional idea of a road while giving it a new role.

40 Degrees

Site Selecting Requirements

1.Road wider than 30m 2.Bus lane wider than 8m 3.Bus lane in the center of the road 4.Not an existing green avenue 5.Available length longer than 500m 6.Surrounding conditions under consideration

Bus Lanes

雖然面對限制，這條13公里長的新系統也同時給予了機會

Though facing limitations, this 13km long mega-structure may provide new opprotunaty

Miniature City Within The Gaps

03 A Miniature City Lifestyle Master Plan

在這個微型島嶼城市當中，我嘗試為每一個使用者創造屬於自己的一個小角落。在青年輔助系統的建設上，利用新創聚落群聚效應的方式，讓有想法、能力卻缺乏資金的年輕人或團隊得到一個城市中的落腳點，進而成長茁壯，同時利用綠色廊道建設出屬於台北心的生態跳島，並適度補充因為城市發展過於迅速所遺留下來的公共設施空缺。 In this miniature city, I try to create a special spot for everyone. It can be a high line plaza for sunbath, a exterior cafe for afternoon tea or even urban argriculture for people’s leisure life. As for the start-up hub and young talent promoting system, I try to make a bigger community by groupping people and teams up in the same place so that young talents with less financial support can have a place to stay in the urban area of a city. On the other hand, the green avenue above the city reconstructs the ecological island in Taipei whereas the public facilities fill up the need after rapid developements.

Existing Condition of Site

夾縫中的島嶼城市

Miniature City Within The Gaps

Daily Life in A Miniature City

夾縫中的島嶼城市

School Prodis This is a specially organized program between the course of architectural composition in CEU San Pablo and the local organization for Down Syndrome, Prodis. Using participatory design guiding methods, two student of architecture, one local and one international, pair up with a local young adult with Down Syndrome to create a school that suit the use of Down Syndrome people while also performing high end designing skills and cooperation within the groups. Case study of well designed school projects was done as the first phase of this program whereas the program also caught media attention nation wide.

This is a result of interactive participatory design studio in the topic "School Prodis" conducted during the 2016-2017 academy year at the Institute of Technology (CEU), instructed by professor Pablo Campos Calvo-Sotelo in the program Bachlor of Architecture which is accredited by Universidad San Pablo, Spain. (Project of Erusmas Year)

參與式設計 : 特殊學校的想像

During the design process, we had two working sessions to work with our friend, Alejandro. He is 22 years old, therefore, we think he had enough experience and idea in his mind about how he would like his school to be like. In the first working session, we try to ask him some simple question about his old school and what where his favorite spaces also the ones he dislike. After asking questions, we gave him tool for drawing, trying to understand how did he felt about his old classroom and the interrior formation of it. Even though he could only do simple geometrics like square or circles, but it is easily understanded. With the above, our team received our initual stage conclusion that Alejandro enjoy diafounous spaces with natural light.

School Prodis

Plan & Section The concept of this school project is to try to consider the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need from a first person narriator. We try to include as much idea of our friend with Down Syndrome, Alejandro so that this design can be an enjoyable experience for him. On the other hand, fulfil our well as future architects of only using single geomatery but still create a rich variety of different programs within the limited space given. One of the major issue that should be cover while designing educational facility for teenage is security, especally when these students have special needs. Our group agree with such statement and presented a planning structure of placing all indoor facilities at the outside chain of the project, and the general space at the inner part. It is the opposite of regular method but seemed to be working well.

參與式設計 : 特殊學校的想像

Using defferent floor and roof heights, differanting the different use of space. The roof of general space is planned to be a roof garden for student and teachers to enjoy the warm sun of Madrid whereas indoor sporting facilities like the swimming pool and multiusage gym prepare the school for all kinds of exercises during rainy season. The classroom program of this school is also different from ordinary schools. Having more than 50% of non-academical classrooms, students can learn a wider variety of different technics within.

Breaking The Phenomenal Wall: Toyama Heights

This is a result of international design workshop in the topic "Breaking The Phenomenak wall: Toyama Heights" conducted during the summer of 2016 at the Japan Women's University, instructed by professor Ya-Peng, Ren.

In the dense urban area of inner Tokyo, Toyama Heights stands out as a green oasis; the utopian experiment of social housing nested in an expansive nature. However, notwithstanding all the elements that should make this project as successful as Lafayette Park in Detroit or Dutch urban redevelopments, Toyama Heights remains a dire reminder of the failures of Post-WWII social housing policy and projects. Its aging population and deteriorating infrastructure make this project a rare locus in Tokyo suffering disenfranchisement and rapid decay. How can we breakdown the phenomenal perimeter wall that prevents people from freely entering the premise, socialize, and to create a culture of collectivity?

戶山團地青銀共居計畫

Site Analysis

The given site-Toyama Danchi is in the centrol part of the biggest city in Japan, Tokyo. Being so close to the business center of Tokyo, Shinjuku, it is unexpected to see a place with a lot of vegetation and medium hight public housings. Design and built in the 1950s, Toyama Danchi Housing Complex was originally built for poeple working in the urban area during the development era. However as time passes, the living condition within worsen drametically and people started to move out of the complexes. The ones left were the elders and the single parent families who simply had to live in Tokyo with numerous different reasons but can afford a better place.

From different analysis aspects, we understand that actually the Japanese government had spent quiet a fortune on repairment work, like adding elevators to the complexes and other programetic inserting like increasing the number of public buses and forming events for people living inside and out side to join, but little had happened. Therefore, what we are facing is not only age and low income social problems but also the fact that people from outside donesn’t want to interact with the resident of the social housings and the ones living in the social housing are also afraid of leaving the community. After careful discussion, our team believe that building up inner relations between the elder and the children of single parent family may be a good initual phase strategy, and education may also play an important role within. Toyama Danchi Housing Complex

Breaking :The Phenomenal Wall: Toyama Heights

Co-Farming

Concept & Strategy Kids

Elders

Kids

Together

Market Foot Bath

Elder People Enjoying the Hot Spring Kids Playing in the Water Pool

Library

Kids and elderly residents can eat togather in the public kitchen. They may even have a chance to cook togather sometimes. Elders

Kids & Elders

Foot Bath & Wadding Pool Kids and elderly residents can enjoy their time in the wadding pool during sunny afternoons whereas the elders can also chat with their neighbors beside the foot bath.

The Elders and Kids Live Separately

Elder People Buying Food

KidĂ¨s Pa rents Buy Cooking Materials

Library

This facility is mostly for older students, but maybe elderly residents can tell stories to the kids in the library during day time. Kids

Together

Living Pattern

Elders

Kids & Elders

Market This facility is a replacement of the original shops. There is a possibility for some elderly residents to run the market whereas the parents of the kids may be the potential customers.

The Elders and Kids Join Togather

Elder People & Kids reading

Kids & Elders

Public Kitchen

Kids

Kids Taking the Labor Class

Public Kitchen

Elders

Elder People & Kids Eating

Kids & Elders

Elder People Planting Flowers

Program Explosion & Reorganization

戶山團地青銀共居計畫

Master Plan Corresponding to the major issue of this project, which is the reactivation of site, our group tries to focus on expending the original programs that exists in our site. By opening up the use of ground level spaces, we transformed traditional style shops that are no longer functional into varies different new programs like public kitchen in which elderly residents can enjoy hot meal during the day, foot bath for poeple to relax and chat with neighbors and a library for students from out of site to be encouraged to visit the site. The core of the project, however, is the expenditure of the existing kindergarten. Taking advantage of the good natural environment and the newly designed garden like farm lands, we believe parent from surrounding communities will be willing to send their children here.

Kindergarten

Library

Shops & Market Public Kitchen Farming Land

Design Portfolio by Thomas Ou.