Taiwanese Architecture

Cityscape
Many times walking the streets of Taiwanese cities I hardly notice the architecture of a building.  Part of this is due to the fact that everything is very dense.  Another aspect is that many times as a pedestrian you walk under a covered extension of a building because sidewalks are not common.

Aesthetics
Most buildings serve a purely utilitarian function, with any decoration being too lavish.  Most buildings are covered with advertisements and have bars on their windows.  Rooftops of residential buildings most often have a cistern and space for drying clothes and some rooftop plants.  Some folks have aviaries as well.  I'm unsure if the design aesthetic is one of rigid compliance with expensive seismic modifications or if its one that puts minimum expense over beauty.

The Classic
When one glances at the traditional homes and temples of Taiwan there is soul to be found in their ancient designs.  The principles of Feng Shui come into play.  Traditional Fujianese (the province in China across the Taiwan Strait, from which most Taiwanese trace their ancestors and culture.) houses and their Taiwanese descendants are long houses that have classic Chinese styled roofs and a central courtyard.

The Modern
The influence of these traditional buildings can still be found in the modern buildings.  The length of buildings is critical.  Most 3-5 story buildings have very long, narrow floors.  When you enter a shop it always stretches back, and gives a sort of optical illusion of space.  Many storefronts are crammed into a block using this method.

Geography
There is also something to be said about where people live.  Most homes and buildings in general stick to the lowlands and these areas are quite few and far between on such a mountainous island.   The constraints of limited space force these buildings to be squished together.  The threat of typhoons, earthquakes, and mudslides also play a part in these buildings design.

Feng Shui
The principles of Feng Shui are also still important.  As a Taiwanese friend recounted the house hunting process she was going through:  "Our local Feng Shui expert compiled our birthdays(her and her fiancées) and created a plan for which way our house should face, and other details to look for in a house.  So we looked and looked and just couldn't find the right place." 
There are numerous stories from locals about how new businesses take over a building and have to go about remodeling and renovating in order to achieve good Feng Shui.  To the uneducated Western eye it is hard to see such changes as they are mostly done to the interior of the building, while the exterior retains its old ads and bars on the windows.

Photos and Text by Brendan Purkapile