In both categories, care for the buildings has gradually extended beyond just the oiling of now defunct historical machines into revitalizing surrounding areas by creating greater interactivity between the sites and their host communities.
This concept frequently gives rise to contemporary designs making a new interface with the old structures, thereby putting once drear historical edifices at the center of new, engaging and people-oriented complexes.
Two examples of historical sites built in the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945) follow. The Taipei Guest House, managed by the central government, was made a national treasure in 1998, and the grain storehouses in Changhua County were declared historical buildings by the county government in 2003.
Taipei Guest House
A major renovation project has been completed on one of the most graceful historical buildings in Taiwan.
The Taipei Guest House is widely seen as the most beautiful colonial-era building in Taiwan. Built in 1901, six years after the Japanese takeover of the island, and extensively renovated about a decade later, it stood next to the office of the Japanese governor as a symbol of the new colonial power that took over from its predecessor, the Chinese Qing regime (1683-1895). Much more than the governor's dwelling, the grand structure bore witness to a number of significant political and diplomatic events, receiving dignitaries from Japan and abroad and hosting major ceremonies and celebrations. Today, it is where Taiwan's government lavishes hospitality on its foreign guests.
A restoration project, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, started in August 2003 after a year of research conducted by scholars and experts. For architect Hsu Yu-chien, who took charge of the renovation, the major challenges came not only from natural deterioration of the structure but also from past repair efforts. In the early 1990s, for example, the walls of the building were coated with a chemical sealant to protect them from the elements. "The result was a hard, industrial look," Hsu recalls, "and the original feel was lost."
French doors open on to the balcony above the portico. (Photo by Chang Su-ching)
The formidable job of removing the sealant without damaging the original stone cladding was a real challenge for the German and Japanese consultants, but Hsu's team finally used two removal techniques that produced the desired result. One way was to soften the sealant with a chemical and the other to blast it off with a high-pressure water and chemical mix.
The methods were considered by some too risky to use on one of the nation's most treasured historical buildings as they both involved potential damage to the cladding's surface. "We conducted tests on a small area of the painted wall in advance," Hsu says. "I think an overly conservative attitude can be an obstacle to the development of restoration skills." He points out that different structures have different problems and that the skills with which to tackle them should be acquired and refined along the way.
Removing the sealant from the walls was just one of the tasks in restoring the building's original appearance. One of Taiwan's earliest concrete structures, the Taipei Guest House was built with techniques that have largely fallen into disuse today--at least in Taiwan. For example, Hsu's team needed the help of Japanese technicians in preparing seaweed and applying its pulp to the walls to recreate the original sealant. Many other skills were learned from written records and on Hsu and his team's trips to Japan.
For Hsu, a professor of architecture at Hua Fan University in Taipei County, the repair project has a cultural significance that extends far beyond its technical aspects. "Cultural resonance does not come from individual, subjective appreciation of architecture and decoration alone," he says. "Rather, it is found in the objective construction of a historical space where real events took place."
In the published diary of Den Kenjiro, for example, the eighth Japanese governor of Taiwan (1919-1923)--and first non-military one--tells of how the then Japanese crown prince, the future emperor Hirohito (1926-1989), stood on the building's third-floor balcony waving to thousands of lantern-carrying subjects parading on the boulevard in front of the governor's office. Hsu points out that paying attention to such historical details not only helps improve visitor and tourist information, but also helps determine how things can be preserved or removed to restore a better dialogue between the building and its surroundings.
The Taipei Guest House has a Western-style front garden and a bigger Japanese-style one at the rear. "For such Renaissance-style buildings, gardens are an integral part of the whole architectural space," Hsu says. "This space played host to a noble and graceful lifestyle which included afternoon tea in the garden." Before the renovation project began, however, the door opening onto the large second-floor balcony overlooking the rear garden was sealed shut. On the balcony were piled the ventilation ducts of the old air-conditioning system. "It looked like a blocked blood vessel," Hsu says. These ducts were later replaced by smaller ones concealed between the ceiling and floor, and the balcony was cleared.
The restoration project was completed in April last year and now this national heritage site is open to the general public on assigned days. Hsu thinks that the search for historical meaning in a specific context is central to the cultivation of civil culture and aesthetic appreciation, along with exposure to music, fine arts and literature. "Historical and cultural identity and integrity are fundamental values that cannot be challenged in any way," he says.
Following the economic and political heights that Taiwan has attained, cultural confidence is the next goal for Taiwanese people to reach for, and Hsu believes that historical buildings play a crucial role in this pursuit. When that cultural height is scaled, perhaps renovation projects on a scale similar to that of the Taipei Guest House will have more than just NT$300 million (US$9 million) allotted to them for their complex, subtle social roles.
Old Barns, New Grain
Disused grain storehouses have been preserved and revitalized through creative design.
One of the top prizes of the annual Taiwan Architecture Awards, organized by Taiwan Architect magazine, went to the renovation of old barns in Fusing Township near Lugang, a prosperous commercial center in the nineteenth century in central Changhua county. Built in the mid-1920s to store grain, the barns were left unused for years after the grain business was eclipsed. In addition to the preservation of historical sites, the last decade has witnessed increasing efforts to revitalize old buildings by giving them new functions in order to create a living connection to businesses and life in local communities. The renovated Fusing barns may be used as eateries or exhibition centers although no agreement has yet been made between the county government that financed the project and the local farmer's association that owns them.
Original surfaces feature throughout the barn redevelopment in Fusing. (Courtesy of A+B Design Group)
Among other things, the judges of the Taiwan Architecture Awards thought that the renovation architects created a balance between preserving historical value and creative design. "When I was younger, I used to show off my ability as a designer," says Jay Chiu, chief architect on the project. "Now I avoid that tendency, especially in the case of historical buildings."
Chiu says that his team followed a subtraction principle. The storehouses, for example, had multi-layered walls to control temperature and humidity. The removal of rotten layers and restoration of those in good condition have produced an interestingly uneven texture to the new walls. "Stripping away those layers was like decoding the old structure," Chiu says. "Sometimes we took out bricks and inserted steel, glass or mirror to create a more engaging surface within the existing structure."
When the decayed tiles on the roof were also removed, the original beams were exposed and left that way. A new steel structure was built to form a large, overarching roof that connects the three barns. In addition to creating a big continuous indoor space, the new roof protects the old buildings from further weathering. "The old structure was left relatively intact and juxtaposed with the new one," Chiu says. "So the memory of the past meets the present and future needs under the same roof."
Another barn opposite the three connected ones has had its roof clad in glass and an elevated walkway built under the eaves, leading visitors through the original roof structure without really entering the barn. Chiu says that the penetrating skywalk is a game played in the restored space that creates endless possibilities for interactivity. "I imagine those without tickets on the walkway saying hello to ticket-holders below," he says.
One of the judges who selected Chiu's work, Kung Shu-chang believes that the barn complex shows a mature grasp of spatial arrangement and a fascination with building materials and skills. The incorporation of new structures and materials into existing historical buildings requires careful study of the relations and compatibility between different architectural elements. Chiu's team also consulted scholars and experts from the government's Council for Cultural Affairs.
In a time when the rapid development of new urban land gradually gives way to the redevelopment of old, disused areas, Chiu saw how highly the local government valued such regeneration by the speed with which it approved changes in city planning and relevant licenses. "Amazingly," Chiu says, "everything was done in a year."
An elevated walkway under the eaves of the new, overarching roof. (Courtesy of A+B Design Group)
Actually, all the effort was intended to prolong the lives of old buildings that have already stood the test of time. "These buildings deserve refined, modern lives with the marks of time left visible," he says. "But they must be strong enough to withstand more sunshine and rainfall in the future."
Chiu points out that, although reinvigorating the old space was a pleasant experience, his creative energy was often consumed by "unseen forces." As the designer and major creative power behind the project, Chiu had to go through all the meetings and negotiations required for public construction. "I often felt a lot of mental tension," he says. Nonetheless, he is happy to see his team's efforts breathe new life into local development.
The Rules of the Game
According to the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, which was extensively revised in 2005, three kinds of "ancient structures" are designated and managed by the central, special municipality (Taipei and Kaohsiung) and local governments. All "historical buildings," the more loosely defined version of old structures, are under the jurisdiction of local governments. A committee of officials and experts must be organized by the central or local governments to examine a potential site's historical value and management plan.
Currently, in addition to 618 historical buildings, there are 634 ancient structures around the country, 88 of which are national sites. Except for two ancient indigenous culture sites, these buildings span different periods of Taiwan's history from the Spanish and Dutch periods in the 17th century through the Chinese Southern Ming (1662-1683) and Qing regimes (1683-1895) to the Japanese era. These notably include the Spanish Fort Santo Domingo, two Confucian temples and a couple of elaborately designed structures built by the Japanese, such as the presidential office.
The 2005 revision of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act made the Cabinet-level Council for Cultural Affairs the sole central agency responsible for the management of the nation's ancient structures and historical buildings. In the past, this job was split between the council and a number of other organizations such as the Ministry of Education and Ministry of the Interior. One of the major changes in the latest version of the law allows historical sites whose status are under consideration to receive the same protection as already recognized buildings.
Compensation is also offered to owners of ancient structures to prevent them from demolishing buildings (as has happened in the past). Owners of historical buildings are entitled to land and house tax reductions of up to 50 percent. In addition to the exemption of land, house and inheritance taxes, owners of ancient structures may receive proportional compensation of floor space in other areas or receive other compensation of equal monetary value.
Write to Pat Gao at pat@mail.gio.gov.tw