Taiwan Today

Kris Yao is reshaping 's architectural landscape through his insistence on designing structures that enhance their surroundings.

Architect Kris Yao firmly believes that building designs that slavishly follow trends or place undue emphasis on style only serve to alienate people that use the structures. "In , many buildings and their urban settings don't consider the movement of people, but that's what I think is of utmost importance," he says. "People have to feel welcomed by the building and the building has to embrace people. The mission of an architect is to create a venue that can provide the best setting for the events--like a train station's reunions and separations and the resulting happiness and sadness--that take place there. To fulfill this mission, an architect needs to have compassion and understanding."

, 57, graduated from the Department of Architecture at in , central in 1975 and received his Master of Architecture degree from the of , in 1978. He started his own practice, Artech Inc., in in 1985. His designs can be seen in a variety of project categories ranging from corporate, institutional, residential and cultural structures to educational, transportation and hotel facilities. They have won him numerous prizes, including the National Award for Arts in 2007; the Taiwan Architecture Award in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006; the Far Eastern Architectural Design Award in 1999 and 2000; and the National Outstanding Architect Award in 1997.

Meanwhile, Australia-based Images Publishing Group published a volume dedicated to 's works entitled Kris Yao/Artech in 2001 as part of its Master Architects series. 's design for the Hsinchu station of the Taiwan High Speed Rail system was featured at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2002 and the Architecture Biennale Rotterdam in 2003, marking the first time a Taiwanese architect had made a showing at these highly acclaimed international exhibitions. In 1999, London-based World Architecture Magazine recognized Artech as "the most impressive practice in ," adding that it was "at the forefront of the revolution" of the architectural scene in . Currently, the design firm has offices in and and employs a staff of more than 120. It has thus far designed projects in , mainland , , , , and the .

Veteran architect Han Pao-teh, 74, was one of 's instructors at . Han believes that a successful architect needs to have a sensitivity for space, enjoy challenges, know how to seize opportunities and have the ability to market his or her ideas. He says that meets these criteria and praises him for being one of the few Taiwanese architects whose design work has reached a high, international standard. Han, who occasionally still lectures on architecture, is credited for spearheading the introduction of modern design principles from the West during the 1970s, contributing substantially to the modernization of the field in .

As a full-time teacher, Han says he emphasized the logic and methodology of architectural design. "The principles I focused on are from the modernist school," he says. "They highlight rationality and functionality while rejecting unnecessary detail. Based on my observations, 's works over the years have largely adhered to these principles. At present, however, many other architects tend to appeal to sentimentality and eliminate the rational framework from their creative work. I don't see this as a positive development since from an environmental perspective, it causes disorder."

In Han's view, an architect must take a structure's surroundings into account and design it to enhance its surrounding landscape, rather than attempting to make it stand out in a gratuitous display of design skill. Han says that, although has sometimes drawn on the postmodern concept of using ornament to create greater diversity of form and reflect a building's context and history, the bulk of the structures his former student designs emphasize integration with the environment. This is a good development, Han adds, as 's overall built environment is still somewhat "disordered."

Clear and Focused

Roan Ching-yue, director of the Graduate School of Visual Arts Management at Yuan Ze University, also voices approval of 's efforts to integrate his designs with their environment. "His work is clear and focused," Roan says. "It's like a person who has closed his eyes to meditate and reflect amidst the noisy congestion of a city. The meditator is able to maintain his concentration and still coexist harmoniously with his environment."

Roan says that in the 1970s, Han Pao-teh led the domestic movement to emulate Western architectural trends of utility and simplicity of form. During the 1980s, Taiwanese architecture began leaning toward the more ornamental post-modern school, especially in commercial buildings. However, in a series of projects starting in the 1990s, gradually helped usher in a return to modernism, or neo-modernism, as the predominant architectural style in . It is no coincidence that neo-modernism, Roan adds, also happens to be the current mainstream style worldwide.

" is one of the key people who steered 's architectural development back to modernism," Roan says. "He has brought in up-to-date design concepts, engineering techniques and materials such as specific kinds of iron, steel, concrete and glass from overseas. His style has dismissed local symbolic elements, as his objective is to connect with the international mainstream. All of these things have established his importance in 's architectural history."

is a serious professional who emphasizes quality in every step, Roan adds. From expressing his unique aesthetic in drawing up the initial blueprints to selecting first-rate building materials to overseeing the execution of construction work, 's insistence on excellence has inspired many of his fellow architects. Roan cites 's design of the headquarters building of Continental Engineering Corp. as an example. Combining primarily steel and glass with an occasional measure of architectural concrete, Roan says the structure cuts an unsullied, elegant figure in a disheveled, somewhat gaudy neighborhood. In terms of symbolism, the office building conveys desirable business characteristics such as openness and trustworthiness. "'s architecture responds to the chaotic external environment by adopting an internally contained, self-cultivated posture, but it does so with neither swagger nor compromise," Roan says.

Wang Chun-hsiung, an associate professor in the Department of Architecture at , lauds the advanced techniques employs in his projects. "The professional training that received in the West beefed up his accomplishments as an architect, equipping him to deal with various technically challenging projects," Wang says. "His mastery of technique has hit a high level that few others in can match."

Despite attaining such technical mastery, however, has refused to rest on his laurels. "The significant thing about his work now is its embodiment of humanistic thinking, and that's a unique style he has gradually established in the last 10 years," Wang says, citing 's 1994 design of the in , central as an example. In designing the college's multi-purpose building, managed to produce an oasis of calm in the heart of the busy city. The structure, however, is not isolated from its surroundings, featuring small openings set in its walls that allow glimpses of the central courtyard.

"His work is increasingly turning inward, presenting a subtle aesthetic instead of being needlessly expressive," Wang says. "I admire this development in his work because it allows him to design a large structure with complex functions in a way that makes it look uncomplicated and accessible."

says there is no point in trying to adhere rigidly to architectural ideals, as life itself can be chaotic and full of paradoxes. For this reason, he considers rationalism, which holds that reason and natural forms are tied closely together, to be a tool for design work rather than a doctrine that must be followed strictly. He makes no attempts to avoid contradiction, an attitude reflected in his design of 's P Residence, a large home constructed of contrasting materials including concrete, limestone, South African black granite and wooden windows.

Fundamentally, however, favors simplicity, choosing to adopt simple approaches to resolve complex architectural demands. "In my opinion, many buildings turn out to be overdesigned," he says. "And some of the features a structure is thought to 'need' may in fact turn out to be false needs. In that case, solutions proposed to fill such needs will just complicate the design, leading to overdesign. Emphasizing austerity in design while avoiding lavish stylistic excess is something all architects can work on."

Spontaneous Expression

As he develops a design, says he actually does not give much thought to architectural styles or recent trends, preferring spontaneous expression instead. Ultimately, he believes that design should be done in complete freedom from past concepts, styles, intentions and historical and cultural burdens. The challenge he therefore faces is how to free himself from established design concepts and styles. Whether conscious of them or not, he and most other people have self-imposed limitations to their thinking, adds.

In recent years, says he has turned more attention to creating spaces that can accommodate diverse emotions, spaces that people can interact with instead of remaining apart from. For instance, when designing the Hsinchu High Speed Rail station, he wanted to convey a sense that was neither too friendly nor too aloof. "Stations are places of transit: People come and go, and they're strangers to each other," he says. "But at the same time, while they're waiting on the platform, they're close to each other in terms of proximity as well as in the emotions they feel at departing. In my work on the Hsinchu station, I wanted to respond to this kind of collective feeling and have the station deliver a sense of security."

As illustrated by its recognition at the exhibitions in and , 's Hsinchu station design has come to be widely recognized as an outstanding example of modern architecture because of its combination of functionality, emotional resonance and modern aesthetic appeal. The station also reflects the advanced technology of the high speed railway and of the city itself, which is home to the . "In , normally only luxury residences and corporate headquarters emphasize taste and style, while public works remain uninspiring," says. "It's my ambition to create public buildings that can touch people's hearts and make Taiwanese proud."

Of the different types of projects he works on, says he prefers designing educational and cultural facilities because they have long-term, substantial impacts on users. "The architectural environment affects people, especially in terms of the cultivation of a sense of beauty," he says. "School buildings, in particular, are important because students may stay there for six to 12 years. My design concept for schools is to create a space that can allow the vitality of students to develop rather than making them disappear inside a fancy, majestic edifice."

For example, in emphasizes broad, spacious common areas where students can gather together. The elements that make up the school--classrooms, hallways and offices--are arranged in a manner that makes unique use of space, inviting students and teachers to explore further.

As for cultural facilities, is excited about his design of in , northeastern . Construction on the museum is scheduled for completion by the end of this year and it is expected to open in 2009. His design concept for the museum, which is located in natural marshland, was to minimize the amount of ground the building covered while preserving as much of its surroundings as possible. 's inspiration for the shape of the building itself was derived from unique rock formations near the museum. Vertical "masts" are placed at the entrance to the museum's shops to deflect the prevailing northeasterly wind and conjure up maritime memories of the once bustling harbor. "Yilan is a place that has rich artistic, cultural and historic traditions," says. "This abundance added significance and enjoyment to my design work."

Architectural Party

is currently engaged in another interesting design project dubbed Next Gene 20, which he describes as an "architectural party." Next Gene is shorthand for next generation, and 20 prestigious architects from and around the world were each invited to design a villa in a residential complex in , . Construction work on the villas is expected to be completed next year. The development's goals are to harmonize with the natural beauty of the nearby Northeast Coast National Scenic Area and reflect the environment and lifestyle of people living in the region. Emphasizing the synthesis of the built and natural environments, the collective project is considered to be an open-air experiment, as it demonstrates a variety of architectural approaches and styles. In 's villa, which is titled Cocoon, the architect chose to employ arched steel beams to construct the frame of the "shell." He says vegetation such as vines will gradually camouflage the structure, which will eventually resemble a cocoon when it becomes completely overgrown.

enjoys the design process because it allows him to put his passion to work. "I consider myself lucky in that I know how to do such a thing [architecture] and because many people have commissioned me to do it," he says. "I really enjoy taking a person's ideas about their dream home and transforming them into a concrete object. That makes me feel happy and rewarded."

Yao is a revolutionary figure in the field of architecture in Taiwan, Tamkang University's Wang says, because the designer has demonstrated that a large architectural firm such as Artech can inject artistic flair into large-scale projects that still prioritize strict construction schedules and adherence to engineering specifications. "Fine architecture with artistic value is not often found in Taiwan, since domestic demand for such structures has been low," Wang says. "There are a lot of legal constraints on building, especially for public structures, and the current trends seem to focus on a building's location and equipping it with expensive fittings, rather than its fundamental quality of providing a [good] space for experiencing life. It's my hope that Yao can expand his efforts to guide potential young architects such as through lectures, teaching and participating in related associations. That would help to reform the architectural landscape in Taiwan."

Similarly, Roan Ching-yue of Yuan Ze University thinks Yao will be a positive, long-term influence on Taiwan's architectural development. "Yao's designs display a neat, exquisite quality that's rarely seen in Taiwan," Roan says. "He has taken the lead in the efforts of the Taiwanese architectural community to inject practicality and visual aesthetics into the built environment, as well as maintain a dialogue with worldwide trends."

Write to Kelly Her at kelly@mail.gio.gov.tw