Day 11: Back on Campus
After an eventful weekend in Genshi, we are finally back on campus at Tsing Hua University! Luckily, we were upgraded to the 10th floor (or the penthouse as Benny calls it) of the newer dorms yesterday upon our arrival.
Today marks our third day of classes, and we are hitting our stride. By now, we have been able to gauge the difficulty of the three different class levels, and some students have moved classes according to their personal strengths or needs. Our daily quizzes still feel a bit daunting, but our teacher, Hsu Laoshi, continues to encourage us “别担心” (not to worry). In my class, we are currently learning about the many tourist spots Taiwan has to offer, such as the hot springs at Green Island and the many night markets. We also worked on several grammatical structures today which was particularly helpful for me as grammar is not my strong suit.
After class let out, we had a little bit of time to rest and eat lunch before heading back out. Some of us decided to eat at Shuimu Restaurant (one of the student food courts) as that would be our meeting place later in the day before departing for the next dialogue. The food court has so many different food options such as Korean food, ramen, bubble tea, specialty waffles, and even an ice cream vending machine! The food here in Taiwan has been one of my absolute favorite aspects — even the food on campus! I am definitely more comfortable with ordering food in Mandarin than when we first arrived, but reading traditional characters on menus still proves to be a challenge. Thank goodness for the Pleco app!
In the afternoon, we all convened at Shuimu Restaurant before heading out to the Field Office to meet with Mr. Wang Wei Chieh who would lead us on a tour of the many urban projects Fieldoffice Architects have designed. At the Field Office, we were given a brief introduction to his work in creating accessible, functional, and beautiful public spaces in Taiwan. Using 3-D models as references, Mr. Wang explained the processes of tearing down the traditional walls surrounding the Tsinghua campus in order to create a more open public space and allow for easier pedestrian access. He also showed us how the new literature building is currently being built into the face of a hill by excavating part of the land in order to integrate the building with the landscape, as well as make the building easier to access for students. From the Field Office, we walked to the Green Gate of National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) to see how some of the original walls are still incorporated into the modern design.
Mr. Wang explaining ongoing projects at NTHU using 3-D models
Walking the Green Gate of NTHU
We then boarded a bus to Longshan Primary School. The architect who worked on the new building showed us how it was designed around the pre-existing trees in an effort to feel more immersed in nature. In addition, the green and yellow mosaic tiles used in the design were colors selected from the trees. While sitting on the roof of the school, Mr. Wang explained their goal of creating spaces with freedom and independence in response to the White Terror period. Thus, almost all of their designs will have access to the roof.
Group photo at Longshan Primary School
Afterward, we headed to Guanpu Primary School which integrated all the same ideas but with even more unique architecture. The design of the school was very experimental with flowing halls in a maze-like structure. Some of us were surprised to learn that the waiting list for enrollment is over 100 students long and the surrounding area has the highest average household income in all of Taiwan. We were able to spend lots of time on the roof, which looked very reminiscent of rolling hills. Many of us agreed that this would be the elementary school of our dreams!
From the roof, you can see the unique, flowing architecture of the school.
Guanpu Primary School is surrounded by skyscrapers located on what was once agricultural land less than two decades ago.
Finally, we walked along Long-en Canal Park which once was a place where people dumped their waste water but now has been transformed into a beautiful public park. After our walk, some of us took the bus back to campus while others stayed with Mr. Wang for a quick tour of the city hall. Regardless, we all arrived home quite late into the evening with much homework to do. Aiya!
Today was a jam-packed day with lots of interesting sights to see. I was particularly excited for this dialogue because I am interested in doing my final paper on architecture. Looking forward to class tomorrow and another great day ahead!
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