Tzu-Jung Huang, Feng Chia University, Taichung, Taiwan

Meta(bio)lism explores innovative masonry systems and bio-bricks while tackling flooding issues exacerbated by climate change and overdevelopment. Also, it promotes vernacular architecture by utilizing locally sourced materials which are pineapple leaf fiber and kaolin soil.

The chosen site is Dashu, which is an important source for kaolin soil, a high quality clay primarily used for brick production in Taiwan. The soil used to be an economic catalyst, contributing to the prosperity in this region in the 1960s. However, the huge surge in the use of concrete, steel and glass in construction has made bricks obsolete as a construction material. This phenomenon has also resulted in the loss of their heritage and cultural traditions such as the amazing craftsmanship in Dashu, which is irreplaceable and invaluable.

Sustainable construction in Asia Pacific also means building for the community. This was clearly shown by the projects that won prizes in the regional Holcim Awards presented in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The three main Awards winning projects deal with buildings for education – involving the community and sustainably improving neighborhoods.

Entitled “Meta(bio)lism”, the project – more than the design of a building – is conceived as research platform exploring the relationship between human construction and natural ecosystems in the city of Taichung in Taiwan. Material stocks and flows are addressed at multiple scales, ranging from studies of local materials, such as clay, to the investigation of construction assemblies for roof structures at the building scale as well as examinations of urban patterns at the territorial scale. Of fundamental importance is the search for alternative proposals to current real estate development which, as stated by the author, “exploit nature instead of working with nature”. 

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.