City Garden



West Central Dist, Tainan City (22°59'27.5"N 120°11'50.5"E)

Year3 10.2021

three chinese gardens










process/result
transforming old street- gardens for city buffering

The traditional Old Road is a part of Taiwanese culture. It is as if it remains in the past and preserves the memories of the era. However, these streets attract a number of tourists who influence the lifestyle of local people. The project therefore aims to rethink the role of the old streets and stem the tide of travelers by breaking up the linear streets and creating a hub where people, especially local residents, can meet and relax without the noise of tourists.

The replacement of three street blocks is adjacent to the community center, extending the life cycle of residents and adding a new node to the traditional streets. The buffer space represents the Chinese garden aesthetic, exploring an innovative balance between conventional Chinese garden language and contemporary architectural elements.

With the concept of the Chinese garden, people can experience an ambiguous atmosphere and feel an uncertain distance from other visitors, as if escaping the crowd and encountering a quiet space that is more open than the alleys. In addition, they can observe different views while climbing up and down the artificial mountain or the pavilions. Meanwhile, people discover the variety of features of these gardens and stay in the places where they feel most comfortable.




the elements

The three gardens are the garden of water, the garden of stones and the garden of bamboo. The massive walls that completely blocked the view outside in the traditional gardens are reinterpreted here. Two layers of translucent glass are framed by lines of shimmering gold, with the outer layer featuring a repetitive motif derived from the pattern widely found on traditional wooden window panes. The overall outline of the parapet resonates with that of the stones. They are punctuated with holes, some of which appear to be opened by the protruding stones, while others give passersby a view of trees and the interior. Water, stones and bamboo clusters are interconnected to define the circulation loop, while the experience inside and outside the garden is dynamic. Additionally, the block is consistent with the mountain, and the stones can say that it extends the community center to form a landscape in the city.














diagram drawings

models