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- Architects: Emerge Architects
- Location: Toucheng, Taiwan
- Architect In Charge: Sam Yang, Ally Chang, UZ Liu
- Design Team: Ying-Chen Ling, Yen-Yao Lin
- Area: 107.51 m2
- Project Year: 2018
- Photographs: Studio Millspace
- Approved Building Inspector: Si-Kan Ke
- Structural Engineer: K.C. Structure Engineering Office
- Construction Architecture: San Yang Electrical Engineering
- Electrical Engineering: San Yang Electrical Engineering
- Interior And Landscape Manufacturer: San Yang Electrical Engineering
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Text description provided by the architects. Averagely 220 wet days per year plus frequent typhoon landings, a newly reform area incorporating alleys exclusively designed for pedestrian activities, with the dwelling needs of urban lifestyle and wide age range. What is the housing reflecting Yilan’s terroir and people?
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Within 6*30m site, we propose three approaches in our design. First, by imputing an “Open Rain-sound Courtyard”, which serves as the spatial core. Second approach was to develop the “relative high-rise” comparing to lower rural houses, each level is planned with a “three dimensional living patios”, potted and functional for activities as well. Lastly, in the mid of a city lacking of open space, we aspire to elevate our rooftop garden as a new ground, suitable for watching the stars and listening to the ocean in urban solitude. “To Open and To Connect” is the strategy to answer the proposition.
A-A Section. Image Courtesy of Emerge Architects
Ground level opened to the street: Originally the garage, now reassigned to be part of public arcade for passersby, also for activities in the rain season.
Continuous courtyards: Each unit has a garden courtyard, with further plan linking them to form an ecological corridor.
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1F Plan
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Back alley open space: Kitchens are opened to the back alley, or lively alley, comprising vegetable gardens and outdoor sinks. Culs-de-sac become a community space for neighborly events.
Rain-sound open courtyard: Life and space both spread from the center courtyard, where to perceive Yilan’s rain and the subtle change of season.
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Atrium to connect spaces and activities: a continuous curvy ceiling, fir-wood plate molded concrete, makes up the atrium. The atrium connects kitchen-dining room on the first floor, living rooms, hallway library, and a 3.5 m-deep semi-outdoor space on the second floor. By connecting the spaces, the atrium also gathers the activities in the house. For house shrine on the third floor, 2-story high book wall and a tearoom on the fourth floor, another huge slope roof covers all. An open riser staircase ventilates the house vertically and exhales the heat out.
2F Plan
Facing the road [outward], hollow brick façade gives a sense of ambiguity, and serves as frontier against typhoon. Facing courtyard and back alley [inward], vast openings let enjoyable sunshine and greenery in. Obscure outward but open inward, is a statement of attitude for new urban living.
An ecological pond, a vegetable farm in the backyard and a roof garden with esculent growth, are the natural touches proposed in the urban life.
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Metaphors and Symbols
On Yilan Plain, Toucheng village shows traits of vernacular landscape: glossy shingle beach, cuesta rocks, aged alleys, ancient arcades, endless paddy field, pitched roof, rooftop additions, washed granolithic finishing, red bricks, corridors, housing courtyards, and potting sheds… All remerged in a new form in the building.
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