Creating well-being through wisdom
Flipping through the construction history of Fieldoffice, “concern for others” is an important motivator in the practice’s more than 50 works. From the Julin Nursing Home in Jiaoxi, completed in 1995, and the Greater Yilan County Nursing Institute, to the St. Camillus Center for Intellectual Disability and the St. Camillus Long-Term Care Center, Fieldoffice has invested a vast amount of effort. “To every person will come the day when they are no longer sturdy enough, so we should enable elderly people to live with dignity in an accessible environment.” Facing the challenge of all kinds of care needs, an important topic for the future is how to construct appropriate spaces.
The fruits of Fieldoffice’s labors are spread across every township of Yilan County. It is therefore hard to imagine that such a prominent architectural practice is often short of cash.
Because these are publicly funded projects, there is always some limit on the fees that can be charged. “Huang Sheng-yuan always insists on first doing research based on the inherent nature of the project, and he continually makes changes. Sometimes he will go to the project site and have a walk around, and then propose ideas for changes on the spot.” Huang’s young partners are half serious, half complaining as they say this.
Although he understands that each modification means additional costs, Huang still goes ahead and tries despite obvious impediments. “At each stage of life there are things that are worth devoting oneself to single-mindedly.” With respect to architecture, which is what he loves the most, Huang hopes that each individual will give their all.
Fieldoffice, most of whose projects are publicly funded, are well aware that politics is a means for giving citizens greater well-being. No matter who is in charge, no-one should forget this original purpose, and each must make the best choices on behalf of all.
With outstanding academic and professional experience, and with works that have won international acclaim, Fieldoffice perhaps can follow an even broader road ahead. But Huang Sheng-yuan still finds himself firmly bound by—and takes pleasure in—a sense of belonging to his homeland, and a sense of mission to pass along beauty and to enable the next generation to embrace hope and dreams, whatever difficulties he encounters along the way.
Looking at his young partners, Huang has a warm glow in his eyes. “I try to be open minded, to approach people and things without preconceptions.” Huang believes that if only one carries out one’s task earnestly, then one can have a clear conscience. What Heaven can see, other people will also see.
Tsai Ming-liang held a showing of his film Walker at the Zhuangwei Dune Visitor Center, giving the audience the feeling of sitting on the beach while watching the movie.
The design of the Zhuangwei Dune Visitor Center follows the topography of the sand dunes.
The streamlined design of the entrance bridge to the Cherry Blossom Cemetery has a very modern feel. (courtesy of Fieldoffice)
The accessible environment of the Yilan County Social Welfare Center gives users a warm and friendly experience. (courtesy of Fieldoffice)
The Japanese-era aircraft hangar preserved in Yuanshan’s Kamikaze Aircraft Shelter Museum was saved from demolition by Huang Sheng-yuan.