The people’s plaza
One can experience Dongmen Plaza firsthand by walking through it on the weekend. Young couples pushing strollers stop for picnics. Teenagers practice dance moves to the sound of music, and children run about laughing.
Within the open oval space there was once the site of bronze statues of political figures and a clock tower erected by the Lions Club. In 1999 architect Jay Chiu renovated the plaza. This included removing unnecessary structures and reconnecting pedestrian flow to the area within the roundabout, a lonely island surrounded by traffic, by constructing an underground passage to the nearby Hsinchu Moat Park. “My design was intended to ease pedestrian access to this historic space, thus letting the old and new mingle,” says Chiu.
Since the plaza’s renovation people have easy access to the historic site. Chiu’s design also lowered the ground level in the center of the plaza, lending it the appearance of a Roman amphitheater. The historic site thus became a stage on which visitors played the lead roles.
In another part of the city, the Long’en Canal, a feature of Hsinchu for more than three centuries, underwent renovations from Fieldoffice Architects. They made subtle changes to the canal that made it once again a more visible part of the city.
“The city was in need of more walking space,” says Yu Tsai-yu of Fieldoffice. They therefore enlarged the embankments to at least four meters in width and leveled the surface, creating a safe place for walking and other activities.
By connecting the walking paths on opposite sides of the canal, the architects were able to provide access to lanes, shops and schools that were once cut off from each other.
Comparing today’s canal with maps from the Japanese colonial era, its route has hardly changed at all. With this history in mind, Yu took care to create extra opportunities for people walking the path to approach and cross the waterway, and to view it from many different perspectives.
“Young architects strive for minimalist designs,” explains architect Huang Shengyuan, Fieldoffice’s founder. In a frenetic urban environment people need a place to get away from the hustle and bustle. The canal provides a green space for people to stroll and chat, get lost in their thoughts and enjoy the solitude.
This age-old city’s future will be shaped not by idle dreams but by the combined efforts of those creating change. And the change they seek is an even brighter tomorrow.
Traditional Chinese apothecaries are an indispensable feature of historic towns.
The Hong An Tang apothecary has been a part of local life for nearly a century. Within lie treasures from the past.
The storefronts at the Dongmen Market conjure memories of times past.
After Chen Hung-wei and other members of KhuiMng Studio set up shop in Dongmen Market, they created a new feel for the old market by adding contemporary artwork and organizing various activities.
After Chen Hung-wei and other members of KhuiMng Studio set up shop in Dongmen Market, they created a new feel for the old market by adding contemporary artwork and organizing various activities.
In the evening, the first floor of Dongmen Market becomes a food paradise.
Jiang Shan Yi Gai Suo has added new facets to Hsinchu’s cultural landscape, including experimental art and performances. (courtesy of JSYGS)
Jiang Shan Yi Gai Suo has added new facets to Hsinchu’s cultural landscape, including experimental art and performances. (courtesy of JSYGS)
Chang Deng-yao and his wife, You Yachun, have brought their passions to life in Hsinchu. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)
Jiang Shan Yi Gai Suo is located in an old house on Xingda Street in Hsinchu’s East District.
The new public space created along the Long’en Canal gives the public a place to enjoy sunshine, gentle breezes and the sound of gently flowing water.
The new public space created along the Long’en Canal gives the public a place to enjoy sunshine, gentle breezes and the sound of gently flowing water.
The new public space created along the Long’en Canal gives the public a place to enjoy sunshine, gentle breezes and the sound of gently flowing water.