L ARCH 495C Studies Abroad (6 credits)

Community Design | Cultural Landscape | Ecological Design | Historic Preservation | Sustainable Development

View final project posters here

Located in a valley of tobacco and rice fields, Meinung is one of Southern Taiwan’s most scenic and culturally important townships. However, like most rural townships in Taiwan and many developing regions, Meinung is also facing challenges from a globalized process of economic restructuring, influx of tourism, and urbanization. How can design and planning offer tools for local communities to respond to these forces? How can designers and planners work with local activists to develop alternative visions of local development and conservation?

This month-long field studio will work with one of the most dynamic and resilient community organizations in Taiwan, the Meinung People’s Association (MPA), to develop design and planning strategies for cultural and environmental sustainability for the township. Formed in early 1990’s as the leading organization against a proposed major dam, MPA has led the local community in successfully defeating the proposed Meinung Dam. In recent years, MPA has expanded its role through various community building projects to improve the livelihood of the predominantly Hakka community.

In this studio, students from University of Washington will form interdisciplinary and cross-cultural teams with local activists, university students and residents to develop catalytic design projects as well as planning frameworks to address composite sets of urban and rural issues. Possible studio projects include design and planning of a historic district combined with a farmers market, a demonstration organic farm in form of an outdoor “eco-museum”, and design of an “eco-lake” combining water treatment, environmental education, and organic farming. The hybrid nature of these projects will challenge the disciplinary and cultural boundaries as well as the conceptual divide between urban and rural.

 

Photos: Chia-Ning Yang and Jeff Hou