A Village cluster

About The Entry

Veteran's villages are unique residential communities originally built to house Nationalist military personnel and their families who relocated to Taiwan after a civil war. The villages were built quickly to accommodate a massive influx of people. Most houses were made from temporary materials like wood and corrugated metal. The houses in these villages were often poorly constructed, having been built hastily and with limited funding. Over time, veterans' villages underwent repairs and renovations, gradually developing into self-contained small communities. Due to social changes and population migration, these villages have become witnesses to history and one of Taiwan's most unique landmarks.

The original veteran's village consisted of seven housing units in a row, with the entire village comprising fourteen rows. This design project focuses on redesigning row 9 and row 10, located near the center of the village, covering an area of approximately 1,127 square meters. The site is planned as a multifunctional complex, with a central shaded courtyard connecting outward to four main functional areas, namely a large performance center, a shared kitchen with dining space, a shared reading room, and artist studios. To preserve the historical essence of veteran's village, wood is the primary construction material. The interwoven design approach not only recreates the architectural style but also oozes a warm and rustic spatial atmosphere. A transparent glass canopy can maximize natural light. The combination of the glass canopy and wood structures seamlessly blends modern aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship, adding visual layers and a sense of nostalgia.

The cultured stones on the wall preserve the textured appearance of the traditional red bricks. Meanwhile, a white base tone gives it a fresh and refined charm. The flooring with special coating is designed to create a weathered texture, echoing the cement surfaces typical of the veteran's villages. By combining elements of the old and the new, this design gently offsets a weathered and worn look, creating a harmonious blend across generations.