Context

Located in the downstream of Gaoping River, Dashu town is an important mining source for kaolin soil, a high quality clay soil, in Taiwan. Kaolin soil owes its formation largely to Gaoping River’s erosion of the weathered rocks at the upstream banks, which move downstream and eventually settled into the vicinity of Dashu town. This type of soil is particularly suitable for kiln industry, which has been Dashu’s primary industry but is currently in great decline. However, due to its great performance in dielectric properties, kaolin soil has recently found itself in a variety of cutting-edge applications in the manufacturing industry.

Inappropriate development

Unfortunately, the development of Dashu town throughout the history has been putting too much focus in exploiting nature instead of working with nature, which resulted in overdevelopment that encroaches into the flood plains, and consequently having to build embankments to protect these developments from routine floods of Gaoping River. The embankments are highly problematic, not only because they are not able to efficiently halt the flood, but also because they obstruct the possibility for people from the township to mine the kaolin soil efficiently and develop a sustainable industry for the town.

Strategies and mechanisms

Meta(bio)lism proposes an energy and resource re-use strategy as well as a masonry system which people can adapt under the effects of extreme weather, while creating new industrial opportunities for Dashu. The device of performative landscape in the proposal will not only redirect flood water, preventing flood disaster, but also allow mining of the Kaolin soil to be more efficient and sustainable. Through the intervention of Meta(bio)lism, the ecosystem will be restored to a sustainable balance over time, and people in Dashu will rediscover their relationship with nature: one that is both harmonious and prosperous.