UCSI PUBLIC LECTURE
BY ERIC CHEN
THE SPEAKER ERIC CHEN
- Studied philosophy of fine art and Architecture at Tainan National University of the Arts
- Studied Architecture at Chung Yuan Christian University
- Assistant professor of Chung Yuan Architecture
- Visiting professor of UCSI University
- Established ArchiBlur Lab
- Artistic director at THE 201 ART 顺天建筑文化艺术中心
- Former leader of Interbreeding Field
PROJECT URBAN ARCHIPELAGO
INTRODUCTION
BODY AND LANDSCAPE AS WAYS OF SEEING. The talk is introduced by ArchiBlur Lab founder Eric Chen. The talk is mainly discuss about he trying to preserve old building and house in Taiwan with different way of architecture. He spent a long time observing different cities in Taiwan trying to find out how the local people view and feel the cities and how can his creation benefit local people. Eric and his team then introduced a series of moving architecture project named Urban Archipelago.
Ten pavilions sized structure designed with different function will be placed in different location. Each will have it particular function and some of it can be disassembled and some can be moved on wheels, which respond and intervene with their architectural surroundings to transform the selected urban gaps into villages, stages, schools and theaters. The intention was to return to the starting point of architectural ideology to instigate the loss of physical senses when living in an urban environment,. The structure were inspired by countless spontaneous solutions that can be seen in Taiwan’s streets, squares and parks, and especially at night markets.
He explains that the aim of this project is to build up connection between people and environment with his moving architecture. The project has start a year ago and it still on-going. This project of urban archipelago is a drifting platform that fill the urban spaces. The fresh architecture scale is use to develop to drift and change between the body, the city and the landscape acted as a media to stimulate society sensitivity of a history and memory.
He talked about, the main idea to creating this modular structure which can move around the city , was to create the awareness for the people to remind them the old places where they are so often gathering but getting disappear in the vast development of urban context. For the first three Urban Floating Islands is to incite the loss of physical senses when living in an urban environment. These three islands also mainly play the roles to revitalize the forgotten and neglected corners in the street. Besides that, each three are also the new “conjunction” of the city where to gathers. The conjunction is to create a bizarre and even morbid urban landscape to discuss the tension and vitality of time and materiality.
Project No1 Time Machine Project No2 Memory House Project No3 Exhibition Hall
名人画报屋 家庭故事屋 时光摄影棚
Following 7th to 9th was built and use to capture nature forces, where different from the others. ‘Wind house’ and ‘Water house’, to capture and collect wind and water, located near the sea. ‘Riverbank story house and moving garden’ is where after the forces were capture, are used to run over plantations, introducing new system. The last one was located at Hong Kong,‘Urban floating island’, it was like a octopus, with tentacles concept. Reflecting urban conditions and transformation of Hong Kong city.
Project No4 Science Garden Project No5 Moving Garden Project No6 Voice House
水川故事屋 移动花园屋 时光音响棚
Continues with the 4th - 10th archipelago, including ‘The riverbank story house’, where located near school for kids, they will come to play with to ensure the veges grow well on top of the roof. The 5th and 6th was a collaboration with the medical center, providing medical check up, health data, health knowledge. Few plantation were use to introduce to local which will help to cure their health problems. Both naming ‘Moving garden’ and ‘Voice house’ respectively.
Project No7 Wind House Project No8 Moving Garden Project No9 Water House
风光屋 植生屋 遗光屋
Following 7th to 9th was built and use to capture nature forces, where different from the others. ‘Wind house’ and ‘Water house’, to capture and collect wind and water, located near the sea. ‘Riverbank story house and moving garden’ is where after the forces were capture, are used to run over plantations, introducing new system. The last one was located at Hong Kong,‘Urban floating island’, it was like a octopus, with tentacles concept. Reflecting urban conditions and transformation of Hong Kong city.
Project No10 Animate base of Hong Kong
浮洲聚落
REWORKING ARCHIVE: DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE
Delineating the boundary between the natural and the artificial. When a person walking on the bridge, he will force to touch the stick and make vibration on it, then make ones to pay attention and feel of the surrounding.
CONCLUSION
The talk ended with Q&A session, the talk is very inspiring.Every single things is possible as long as we try, a small simple structure does not need to stand out in the crowd but contents a meaningful context within it and bring a higher living qualities to the surrounding. From how Eric brings him passion throughout every project, I have learnt a lot.