NCKU, Tunghai University, and the Architectural Association hosted "AA Visiting School Taiwan - Urbanity from the Ocean"

The AA Visiting School program, an initiative of the UK's Architectural Association (AA), offers short, intensive courses and workshops to explore experimental architecture, sustainable design, and resilience. From August 13-26, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) Architecture Department, Tunghai University Architecture Department, the Architectural Association, and the University of Norwich Architecture Department collaborated on "AA Visiting School Taiwan - Urbanity from the Ocean," focusing on Taiwan's island and coastal influence on urban landscapes and spatial design.

The teaching team, led by NCKU's Cheng-Luen Hsueh, Tunghai's Wei Tseng and Yu-Hsiang Hung, AA's Doreen Bernath, Teresa Stoppani, and K.B. Izac Tsai, guided 29 students from NCKU, Tunghai, Feng Chia University, and international universities. Using NCKU as a base, they explored Taiwan's coastline from Tainan's Beimen to Kaohsiung's Hongmaogang, discovering the potential of lesser-known urban coastal areas.

Throughout Taiwan's 400-year urban development, port establishment has been crucial, shaping city layouts and growth. The maritime culture and trade history have deeply influenced Taiwan's urban landscape and economy. Despite this, ocean elements are often overlooked in architectural planning. Over 15 days, the workshop examined Taiwan's maritime history, the current city-ocean relationship, and future possibilities, including visits to offshore farms and sustainable, resilient design experiments in port cities.

The program's intensive nature allowed participants to deeply engage with the theme through daily tasks, site visits, and project creation. Each day included a one-hour briefing, two-hour site exploration, and three-hour project work. This summer, the AA Visiting School will visit over 30 schools worldwide, showcasing an extensive international teaching network.