The Reunion Market
Architectural Design Studio Project | Chaoyang University of Technology
Year 3 | Summer 2018
Old buildings blend with traditions.
The development of the business district in Taichung, bursting with culture, nature and delicacies, creates a unique atmosphere. The purpose is to create another human space combined with history, revitalize old buildings, and simultaneously, a commercial place that appeals to the younger generation. Traditional markets in Taiwan, also known as wet markets, provide various produce.
The process of buying and selling indicates the pattern of relationships among local people, bargaining and chatting become warm and vivid memories in the wet market. Walking through crowded markets, coming across familiar vendors, and giving friendly greetings to each other creates relationships which are irreplaceable. The design introduces the image of growth rings, which layer by layer, reveal the sign of the times in old buildings. The main concept is to gather people from outside and create strong links among each generation.
CONCEPT OF DESIGN
the tree ring
Each layer of the annual cycle represents a point in time during the growth. This process is also what we are doing now. Therefore, I designed the middle walkway as a stack of layers, indicating that each layer people walk through is a story.
Positioning the spatial attributes and integrating them with local vendors and hot pot restaurants, I created this design. By moving into the buildings from the first half of the market to the hot pot restaurant in the back, the design allows young people to understand and enjoy the culture of the place, both past and present. The integration of old and new brings out this design.