16 AWARDS
World Interior of the Year inspires new living in Taipei Building a future on the foundations of the past
B
orn and raised in Taiwan, award-winning designer and architect Johnny Chiu is the founder of JC Architecture (JCA) in Taipei. A graduate from Columbia University he has lived, worked, and taught in New Zealand, Australia, Sweden, Japan and the US. He believes that good design should be inspired by the needs of the individual, and that society and the interaction between human and space must be integral to the design process. “Design is a tool for creating change in society; a building, whatever its use, should improve the lives of its inhabitants. I believe in creating accessible buildings that have a voice in the community as a means of creating change,” he comments in an exclusive interview with PRC.
Taiwan Design It is this philosophy that won JCA the prestigious World Festival of Interior ‘Inside’ award for Interior of the Year for an innovative project entitled JCA Living Lab. “This is a first for any Taiwanese design company and for me is a great honour to achieve such worldwide recognition. For a country that is not well-known for its interior work I feel this gives us a voice and a degree of authority that is good for the industry and the future of Taiwan design,” he adds. JCA Living Lab is an embodiment of Chiu’s philosophy and a project close to his heart – a community facility linked to his own family home in a renovated 90year old building once left to history. The project was inspired by a vision of creating a space for his children to live in a healthy environment. Text: Elizabeth Dooley
Photos: JC Architecture
Derek Leung
Set within a 240 square metre plot, the building was built during the time of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan as a university dormitory for professors. JCA’s research showed that there are over 1,000 similar buildings in the centre of Taipei. Left largely abandoned and with some having been renovated and now housing cafes or small museums, Chiu’s motivation for creating a public and private space is driven by a belief that residents of the city should know that there are alternatives to living in high-rise apartment buildings and condos. “The last professor passed away around 25 years ago and the building was left abandoned, so we saw this as a perfect opportunity to revitalise the space. As a rental property it works on the idea that we rent it for ten years, renovate it and move on to somewhere else to leave behind a new culture and vision for society,” Chiu explains. “Within the space we created a community hub to host various events, activities and speakers. Community is important for me as a designer and I believe the best spaces are those that promote participation and collaboration. For me, the design process is ongoing, changing with the different needs of those living in or visiting the building. Children and adults alike can gain insight into a different way of city living. The project is not about luxury or refined details. Rather, it’s about giving the building a new lease of life and using this opportunity to showcase the relevance of our design approach based on realistic social economics and believing that we can create a ripple effect within architecture and society. By embracing the old, and breathing new life into it, we are also sending out a message to developers that we don’t need to build any more apartments in the sky,” he adds.