The Department of Landscape Architecture of National Chiayi University and the Chiayi City Government work together again in offering courses after bringing out Houyi Sub-district Craftsmanship Factory in 2019. The five-week course focuses on the themes of spatial landscape of the Chiayi Art Museum and playgrounds of the Nantian and Changrong Chiayi Parks. The course features case design discussions, and on-site investigations. The students were offered the chance to design the “Young Chiayi” in their mind’s eye through numerous transformations and internalizations. On Jan. 17th, an official presentation of their works was held at Chiayi City Landscape Youth Forum 2021, Chiayi Lumber Factory. Chiayi Mayor Huang Ming-Hui presented certificates and prize money to the ten award-winning student teams, including five second-year student teams and five third-year student teams. The honored guests were briefed by the students on the design ideas of their works.
“Art Diffuser,” one of the works shortlisted for the open spatial landscape design of the Chiayi Art Museum, is designed by Chen Han-Wen, a third-year student of the Department of Landscape Architecture, NCYU. He alludes Chiayi City to a room, with the Chiayi Art Museum near the Chiayi Railway Station as the base for diffusion (the Art Diffuser itself). It serves as the starting point of a brand new cultural silk road, where the embedded projection lighting is directed to the Multifunctional Plaza. By connecting with the cultural and creative park via a landmark flyover, it allows viewers to appreciate the museum from the flyover.
“Linkage,” created by Qiu Yun-Zhen, a second-year student of the Department of Landscape Architecture, NCYU, is derived from the concept of the park as a space for resident interactions. Human relationship is alike parallel silk threads that only intersect when meeting each other. The work is designed to function as a base, and integrate the courtyards of the temple through step design, providing a walking space with forest trails. It encompasses the children’s playground and grass slope of the Affiliated Experimental Elementary School of National Chiayi University. The activity plaza provides multi-functional use with motorized water spray facilities. While the waterway is covered with transparent glass to give the feel of walking on the water, the park comes with a waterfront playground for all ages.
According to Prof. Chiang Yen-Cheng, Chairman of the Department of Landscape Architecture, NCYU, the design competition is organized to offer opportunities for the NCYU students to participate in infrastructure planning, cultivate the ability to design urban landscape from the view of urban aesthetics. In response to the park renovation project of the city government, the second-year students create an urban public space suitable for all ages in the community by integrating Nan-Tien Traditional Market and other surroundings. The third-year students, based on the concept of “conserving historical space and landscape, strive to utilize the concept of a new-style museum with a reusable space, and create a new sense of place by fusing old and new buildings and landscapes. The students who have engaged themselves in base investigation and citizen communication may consider join the workforce, become professionals and bring in new ideas on spatial design in Chiayi City after graduation.
