Project Credits & Specs:
- Architects: Studio APL
- Photographs: Yi-Hsien Lee and Associates Photography, Studio APL
- Location: Pingtung, Taiwan
- Area: 288 m2
- Year: 2021
The countryside has increasingly been the topic of discussion in recent years. An ambiguity of mixed-use structure often wanders on the edge of regulations. It has brought many chaotic, rough but self-contained miniature spatial patterns.
Taking “old” as the origin of the concept, we reorganized the private warehouse buildings in front of the existing wooden structure train station. Our design retains the old structures and explores the disappearing traditional Hakka building typology. The predecessor of De-Hostel was the Grain Bureau. After the third generation of Zhang sisters, it became the first site in Zhutian to provide visitor accommodation.
The new exterior wall retains the old wooden beam structure embedded within holes in the brick wall. The ‘voids’ are arranged in an order that follows the shape of the old roof. By recreating 51 voids, let the wind, light, and plants pass through freely and even become a space for birds to rest.
The new building skin is hand-made and expressed through the traditional stone washing method, while the small red stones on the wall feel like rice grains. The shallow pool in the atrium is a visual line and a small square. Above the first floor is the accommodation space. Now 51 years later, let the extended family members have a place to return to and the opportunity to meet again in the architecture.
The project description is provided by the architects.
About the architects:
The firm was established in 2006. Devoted to studying the individuality of the space – What it is and how it should be created. The team is good at uniting environments, cultures, and materials to build up the personality of the space. A variety of projects and works cover house, commercial, architecture, and landscape, looking forward to exploring the possibilities of modern architecture and keep making conversation to the future.
