Chen House, Sanjhih Taiwan 2008. Marco Casagrande - Frank Chen. Photo: AdDa.

CHEN HOUSE

Architect: Marco Casagrande

Project Manager: Frank Chen

Construction work:

Marco Casagrande, Frank Chen, Shi-Ding Chen, Nikita Wu, Shu-Gi Bai

Local Knowledge:

Missis Lee

Location: Sanjhih, Taipei County, Taiwan
Site: 3890 m2 farm land, Datun Mountains
Building foot print: 138 m2
Interior space: 62,5 m2
Materials: mahogany, concrete
Completed: 2008

The house is realized on an old Japanese cherry-farm in the Datun -mountains of North-Taiwan. It is designed as a vessel to react on the demanding wind, flooding and heat conditions on the site.

The house is a stick raised above the ground in order to let the flood waters run under it. The different spaces are connected to a flexible movement within the axis of outdoor and indoor functions. The smaller bathroom and kitchen unit acts as a kicker stabilizing the wooden structure during the frequent typhoons and earthquakes.

The bio-climatic architecture is designed to catch the cool breeze from the Datun -river during the hot days and to let in the small winds circulating on the site between the fresh water reservoir pond and the farmlands. A fire place is used during the winter for heating and for cooking tea. In connection with the bathroom is a small sauna.

The house is not strong or heavy – it is weak and flexible. It is also not closing the environment out, but designed to give the farmers a needed shelter.

Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. With this house we were looking forward to design a ruin.

Viime yönä näin unessa hirvittävän myrskyn. Se riisti rakennustelineet paikoiltaan ja repi irti rautaiset liitokset. Kuitenkin, mikä oli puusta taipui ja säilyi.

In a dream last night, I saw a great storm. It seized the scaffolding. It tore the cross-clasps, the iron ones, down. But what was made of wood, swayed and remained.

La nuit dernière, j'ai revé d'une tempete terrifiante. Elle a arranché les échafaudages et déchiré les assemblanges en fer. Ce qui était en bois a toutefois fléchit et a été conservé.

En un sueno anoche presencié una gran tormenta. Arrancó los andamios, tiró al suelo las piezas de hierro. Pero lo que estaba fabricado de madera, se balanceó y permaneció.


Questa notte, in sogno, mi sono trovato nel mezzo di una violenta tempesta. Essa distrusse le impalcature della casa, e scaraventò al suolo le parti in ferro. Ma quanto era stato fabbricato in legno, oscillò e rimase in piedi. 

Im Traum heute Nacht. Sah ich einen grosen Sturm. Ins Baugerüst griff er. Den Bauschragen riss er. Den eisernen, abwärts. Doch was da aus Holz war. Bog sich und blieb.

- Bertolt Brecht