TAIWAN ARCHITECTURE ANCHORED IN THE ROLLING AND PRECARITY

Chao-Ching FU
Professor Emerita, Dept. of Architecture
National Cheng Kung University

Taiwan is an island nation with an area of 36,000 square kilometers, ranking 38th among the world’s islands. Within the jurisdiction of this island nation, the thinking of different ethnic groups and the actions of various regimes throughout history are distinctly different from those of mainland countries. The unique natural and cultural conditions make Taiwan one of a kind, setting it apart from others.

The island, surrounded by the sea, has seen successive regimes and political uncertainty. In the 17th century, the Dutch and Spanish arrived, introducing political and cultural changes. Later, the Ming Zheng and Qing dynasties brought waves of immigrants from China, establishing Han culture and politics. After the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan colonized Taiwan, intertwining Western and Eastern influences with Taiwan’s indigenous culture, shaping a unique society. After World War II, the Nationalist government brought Taiwan back into the Chinese cultural fold, influenced by American aid and foreign ideas. In the 1980s, the local movement led to Taiwan’s first peaceful transfer of power in 2000, rediscovering its indigenous roots. From the Dutch arrival to today, Taiwan has undergone continuous change. Taiwanese architecture reflects this dynamic history, demonstrating a diversity that is unique in the world. What constitutes Taiwanese architecture and what defines Taiwanese identity has always been a question, yet never truly a question, because the people of Taiwan have their own answers in their hearts.

Under the main axis of politics, economics, culture, and society, the “uncertainty” of nature has deeply influenced Taiwan’s architecture. Since the beginning of human architectural activities, Taiwan has had to face the conditions imposed by nature’s uncertainty. Geologically, Taiwan is an island formed by the compression of several tectonic plates, with endless earthquakes requiring the island’s buildings to constantly adjust their earthquake resistance. Each catastrophic earthquake is also another opportunity for change. In terms of climate, the southern part of Taiwan has a tropical climate, the northern part has a subtropical climate, and the mountainous regions have a temperate climate. The Tropic of Cancer runs through Chiayi County and City as well as Hualien County. Summers to autumns are long and hot, with temperatures reaching above 35°C. Winters are short and mild, occasionally interrupted by cold fronts from the north, dropping temperatures to below 10°C, with highaltitude mountain areas experiencing snowfall. Typhoons attack Taiwan every summer to early autumn, bringing heavy rains that cause floods, landslides, or mudslides. Recent extreme weather has exacerbated the situation. The diverse climate and varied geography mean that for over 400 years of recorded architecture in Taiwan, there has never been a standard answer for Taiwanese architecture. How Taiwanese architecture responds to the challenges of nature has always been a question, yet never truly a question, because the people of Taiwan have their own answers in their hearts.

The uncertainty of politics, economics, culture, society, and nature has led the people of Taiwan to seek a glimmer of hope in religious beliefs. From formal religions to folk beliefs that resemble religious practices, and even widespread ancestor worship, these have become part of everyday life for the common people. Folk religious activities, such as paying respects to Tai Sui (the God of Age), processions of deities, celebrating the deities’ birthdays, and lighting bright lamps, fill the calendars of many people. The density of religious architecture in Taiwan is astonishing. From a micro perspective, Taiwan, in fact, exists in different forms. The outer islands of Taiwan are especially distinct. In addition to the main island, Taiwan has many other large and small islands, which, due to their unique geography, history, culture, and religion, are part of the same life community as Taiwan but show significant differences from the main island in various aspects. Heterogeneity has always been a characteristic of Taiwan. From a macro perspective, although most countries do not formally recognize Taiwan diplomatically, they cannot ignore Taiwan, because Taiwan holds the key to the world, especially in terms of high-tech semiconductor chips and its strategic position as the first island chain. How Taiwan’s architecture faces the future, and how the future defines Taiwan’s national position, has always been a question, yet never truly a question, because the people of Taiwan have their own answers in their hearts.

Taiwan, as an unstable island nation, has the power to influence global stability. In the context of an unstable world and natural environment, the people of Taiwan find their footing through diverse beliefs. Taiwan’s physical environment has been fluctuating, gradually finding its anchor, yet it continues to evolve in search of contemporaneity. The project “NON-Belief: Taiwan Intelligens of Precarity,” which represents Taiwan at the International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, is curated by the Department of Architecture at National Cheng Kung University. It consists of seventeen teams, offering seventeen concepts and providing seventeen possibilities.