“Tainan Parkway・Tainan New Way” — Kaohsiung Parkway Exchange Visit

As the Tainan Railway Underground Project gradually approaches completion, the Tainan Parkway is set to become a vital urban artery in citizens’ daily lives. The Department of Architecture at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), the NCKU Architecture and Culture Education Foundation, and J.M. LIN Architect, which is responsible for the parkway’s planning and design, jointly launched the industry-academia collaboration project “Tainan Parkway・Tainan New Way.” On September 24, the project kicked off its first urban engagement action titled “Learning from Others — A Study Tour to the Kaohsiung Parkway.” Village chiefs, community representatives, and NCKU faculty and students along the future Tainan Parkway were invited to Kaohsiung for on-site learning. Through experiential exchange and field observation, participants deepened their understanding of the connection between parkways and urban life.

The event specially invited former Kaohsiung City Councilor Yi-Cheng Wu to share valuable insights and reflections on the Kaohsiung Parkway—from planning and construction to operation and maintenance—helping participants form a more concrete and practical vision for Tainan’s parkway blueprint. NCKU Department of Architecture faculty member Chi-Pang Lu guided participants on a walking tour from TRA Science and Technology Museum Station to Minzu Station, observing Kaohsiung Parkway’s spatial environment and community interactions on-site. The experience helped participants compare and envision future living scenes along the Tainan Parkway.

The itinerary also included collaboration with the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA), where TRA engineers guided the group through the preservation and transformation of Kaohsiung Station, explaining how spatial design details integrate the station into public life. During the visit, village chiefs shared that they had long been concerned with the development of the parkway, and the firsthand experience made their visions more tangible. Community members expressed hope for more opportunities to participate in discussions and share opinions in the future. Graduate students from the Department of Architecture also reflected that directly engaging with community residents allowed their design thinking to connect more deeply with local needs and perspectives.

This study visit not only served as a valuable learning experience but also demonstrated the fruitful results of cross-generational and cross-disciplinary collaboration between NCKU faculty, students, and community residents. Moving forward, the Department of Architecture at NCKU, the NCKU Architecture and Culture Education Foundation, and J.M. LIN Architect will continue promoting related learning visits and professional forums. They also plan to provide the latest planning information and activity records through a dedicated website, sincerely inviting more Tainan citizens to participate in jointly shaping the future blueprint of the Tainan Parkway.

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