“Learning the City in Action”: Tainan Greenway Course and Research Forum Sparks Cross-Disciplinary Dialogue on Future Urban-國立成功大學永續發展SDGs

The College of Planning and Design at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) held the “Learning the City in Action (城市在學中): Tainan Greenway Course and Research Sharing Forum” on January 12, 2026, in the first-floor lobby of the Department of Architecture building. The event brought together faculty members and students from the Fall Semester of the 2025 academic year whose research focused on the Tainan Greenway, spanning undergraduate and graduate programs across the Department of Architecture and the Department of Urban Planning. The forum showcased cross-disciplinary and cross-year exchanges, demonstrating the university’s capacity for collaborative learning and co-creation with the city.

The forum opened with remarks by Vice Dean Yao-Hsien Tsai (蔡耀賢副院長) of the College of Planning and Design and Professor Cheng-Lun Hsueh (薛丞倫主任), Chair of the Department of Architecture. Both emphasized that the Tainan Greenway is not only a significant urban spatial issue but also a critical site that connects history, everyday life, industry, and future imaginaries. They expressed hope that continued engagement from NCKU’s diverse academic disciplines would deepen discussions, accumulate research outcomes, and jointly explore more inclusive, resilient, and livable visions for Tainan.

This joint forum featured research and design presentations from multiple courses, including the Urban Planning and Design Studio of the Department of Urban Planning, the second-year and vertically integrated fourth- and fifth-year studios of the Department of Architecture, the M.Arch II design studio, and the first-year graduate planning track. Approaching the Greenway from urban, spatial, and social perspectives, students presented diverse observations and planning and design proposals. In addition, the forum invited project teams from the “Corridor-Based Cultural Hubs for Aging-in-Place Innovation” initiative and the “Tainan Greenway Urban Participation Action Project” to share their research frameworks, action experiences, and future development directions, highlighting the close integration of teaching, research, and practice.

The event also featured a keynote talk by architect Chou-Min Lin (林洲民建築師) (J.M. LIN Architect 仲觀聯合建築師事務所), who reflected on the original vision behind the Tainan Greenway proposal and shared insights from his direct involvement in the design process. He elaborated on the evolving design concepts across different stages, introduced the latest design developments, and discussed how the Greenway (the Y-axis) connects and extends into surrounding neighborhoods and road networks (the X-axis). This exchange fostered dynamic dialogue between academia and professional practice.

From January 12 to January 19, the project exhibition was also held in the first-floor lobby and corridors of the Department of Architecture. The exhibition brought together works from multiple courses and related projects, featuring drawings, research outputs, and physical models. A special interactive feedback zone was set up, inviting visitors to leave their thoughts and suggestions on sticky notes directly on the displayed boards. Through this open and participatory format, the organizers hope to encourage continuous public discussion, learning, and collective shaping of urban issues.