I’m from a small town on the east coast of Borneo (Malaysia).

我其實是從馬來西亞沙巴州的小漁港,

In my teens, my family emigrated to Canada,

那在十幾歲那年全家移民到加拿大,

we went from a tropical paradise straight to this frozen land.

所以就開始了從一個tropical paradise到這個冰天雪地.

My post graduate studies took me to New York City,

等我大學畢業到了紐約讀master,

to a 3-4 year adventure in this grey concrete jungle.

又開始了三年四年這樣的灰色concrete jungle,

After graduation, work lured me

畢業了以後去香港工作,也見識了五顏六色的霓虹燈世界.

to the glitzy neon fantasies of Hong Kong.

所以每一個地點都非常激烈非常不一樣,

Every place I’ve lived were

在香港的時候過來參加台灣清水休息站的案子.

so drastically different from the last.

看到它從很小的摺紙模型然後變成整棟建築形成.

While in Hong Kong,

所以對一個二十幾歲的人來講是一件很震撼的事情,

I worked on the Chin Suei highway rest stop in Taiwan.

開館以後非常popular,

I saw this small folded paper model

然後有露營,烤肉,車隊.

I made took form as an absolutely real building.

甚至還有蔡明亮導演在廁所裡拍了一部非常難忘的musical.

To a twenty-something year old,

見識到了一些設計的元素,像這個我們設計的auditorium,

this was an earth shattering experience.

後來竟然變成鯊魚用的auditorium,也變成一個景點.

When the building opened,

甚至說我們整體設計完發生一堆的違章問題.

it got so immensely popular,

既然如此,

people came to camp out on the grounds, barbecue, hold car meets.

清水休息站還是北二高金雞母, 到現在營業額最高高達六億.

The renown movie director Tsai Ming-liang

第二順位營業額也才兩三億而已.

did an unforgettable musical sequence in the toilet.

所以這就開始了台灣給我的impression,

I saw some of our design elements,

其實台灣有很多的strange ways.

like this auditorium,

後來settle在台灣,就在台北設置了事務所.

got remodelled into a shark tank,

那有很深刻的感受到身為一位建築師有點像是frontline worker,

and a huge tourist hit.

在都市發展中看到很多growing pains,

There were even allegations of

看到許多奇奇怪怪的condition,

illegal extensions to increase retail area.

就是要去處理及面對.

Despite all this,

我最常被問的三個問題, 也是我最恨回答的.

Chin Suei is still the highest grossing

為什麼台北這麼ugly?

rest stop in Taiwan,

誰是妳的favorite architect?

pulling in NT$600 million annually,

哪一棟是妳最愛的建築?

the second highest

不管是visitor或是台灣人

lag way behind at only NT$2-300 million.

聽到我是建築師,一定會問這三個問題,

Thus began my experience

我非常恨回答這個,

of Taiwan’s many “strange ways”.

因為我自己感覺的空間或者建築經驗,

I settled in Taiwan,

不能用一棟或者一位大師來形容,

and set up my practice here in Taipei.

舉個例這個是我favorite building,在西門町的邊緣,

I feel really strongly that we architects

原則上建築整個立面都是用樓梯做成的.

are much like frontline workers here.

不是很清楚為什麼會蓋成這樣,

We see a lot of the growing pains

至少它的存在就讓我覺得太不可思議了

of a developing city,

在今天不可能有業主同意你蓋這樣的東西.

witness a great many strange conditions,

所以非常的棒.

which we have to face up to and resolve.

那像這個襄陽路街道,也是我的最愛.

I’m constantly asked 3 questions,

這個現象基本上是台灣所有大財團股東之戰,

which I hate answering.

在一條小街上面發生,每年五六月的時候就會形成這樣活動.

Why is Taipei so ugly?

非常多的energy, 全部都可以在這裡發生,很不可思議.

Who is your favourite architect?

因為一個建築師怎麼可以有機會設計到這麼棒的空間,

Which is your favorite building?

再加上這個是我覺得ultimate spiritual center,

Foreign visitors or Taiwanese alike,

完全就是把昇華發揮得太厲害了,

hearing that I'm an architect,

廟是精神上的昇華

will invariably ask me these 3 questions.

檳榔可以讓身體振奮

I really hate answering them,

理髮廳可以讓人容貌提升,

because in my mind,

這個program mix實在太厲害了,

space and architectural experience

在外國我們求神也得不到這樣的功能.

can not be described with one building

所以這些現象對我來講其實都是都市形成的,

or one grand master.

應該是說某一種程度上代表了慾望或collective.

For example, this is my favorite building,

那這個urban automatic有個名字稱做urbanmatic,

on the edge of Ximenting,

基本上它就是自己獨自產生,

an entire building facade made of stairs.

有時候給了我很多想像,

Not sure why it was built like that,

間接影響設計,也會變成我的inspiration.

I think it’s incredible that this exists.

像這棟住宅大樓看起來不怎麼樣.

I doubt if any client would agree

但是仔細看一樓都是檳榔店,

to building something like this now.

從來沒有看過這樣的路邊攤竟然變成檳榔的main street,

so this is super great.

不可思議.

Xiangyang Road, is also my favorite.

像這個違章真的很大膽,

This phenomenon is where

他在七八樓層真的就是繞一圈,

the proxy wars of major Taiwanese corporations

真的很厲害, 那麼有魄力.

are fought out on this little street

這也是兩棟建築的connection,

every year in May and June.

基本上這是手工打造的橋,像一個臍帶把建築連起來.

Such energy, all happening here,

這是一個五百公尺長高速公路的exit,

totally incredible.

其實整個街道變成建築空間

No architect can design

所以我們有機會設計鐵道部博物館的案子,

these wonders in their spaces.

這樣的movement變成空間就成了我一個很大的motivation,

This, is what I consider

像我們希望用鐵路的一個元素做一個設計,

the ultimate spiritual center.

讓他開始有光影有movement的感覺,

The idea of “spiritual uplift” is so potently expressed here.

所以整個公共通道就是掛在我們博物館展館的外側,

The temple is all about spiritual uplift,

讓所有的遊客可以來去.

beetle nuts gives you a mental high,

這個project的位置就是在鐵道部北門那邊,

haircuts or makeovers are facelifts,

其實這個project我們是競圖贏了,今年已經進入第六個年頭,

What an ingenious program mix.

怎麼可能一個project六個年頭我們還沒辦法請照?

Abroad, we could never ever get this mixture,

那是因為這整個大區域其實是叫台北市門戶計劃.

not even if we begged the gods.

華山其實是整個的起點到台北車站然後一直到雙子星再到我們的基地位置.

To me, these phenomena emerged from the city,

這個案子政府沒有辦法規定建蔽率容積率.

and in a way,

像這種因為都市計畫的細部計畫還沒下來,這樣子也無法請照.

represent the collective desires of its citizens.

所以在台北常常會看到planning跟建築其實有個非常大的落差.

I call these phenomena “Urbanmatic”,

舉例像這個街道拓寬後拆房子.

as they are automatic or self-generated urban phenomena.

很不幸運的新的住宅大樓竟然前面要塞一個建築,

I think Urbanmatic indirectly affects my designs sometimes,

看起來也很難去住只能變成裝置,

while at times it can be a direct inspiration.

很強烈的反應到planning跟architecture lag,

This building here seems fairly normal, nothing unusual.

所以看了這個例子就覺得

But on closer inspection, all the ground floor shops are beetle nut vendors.

這個project做六年也還沒請照也不算是怎樣

These typically scattered road side shacks actually organised as a “beetle nut main street”.

是很平常的事情

Extraordinary.

講到planning當然不一定會產生很棒的空間,

Take this audacious illegal addition,

像我們有做到一個規劃的案子, 其實也非常的奇妙.

making a looping ring high up on the 7th or 8th floor,

因為在我們的基地上,

totally fierce, so gutsy.

這業主是要跟都發局去討論他的使用及建蔽容積.

A hand made bridge,an umbilical cord linking the buildings together.

基地上有一個加油站是它們最賺錢的,

A hand made bridge, an umbilical cord linking the buildings together.

那他們本身又是教徒,希望那邊有一個church可以回饋給教會,

This is a 500m long expressway exit,

那當然其它的也都要:住宅,hotel, office,商場,

where the entire street becomes an architectural space.

你想到的他都要.

When we had the opportunity to design the Taiwan Rail Museum,

那在加上要做轉運站,

using movement to sculpt a space became a big motivation for me.

為什麼做轉運站,

We re-interpreted rail elements with the experience of light and shadow,

因為做了轉運站他才可以有最大的容積還有建蔽.

We re-interpreted rail elements with the experience of light and shadow,

所以這樣子就請我們做一個規劃,

as these elevated public walkways at the visitor center,

因為加油站跟教堂或者住宅根本是不相容的,

for people to journey across.

這些program是對立的,

This project is located at the Railway Bureau at the North Gate,

所以我們就想了一個辦法,

it’s a competition project we won, now in our 6th year on this project.

參考了夜市串燒all-you-can-eat,所以全部串起來,

Even after 6 years, we’re still unable to apply for a building permit.

可以看到在基地上的關係是一塊一塊很緊密的串起來,這個基地也不大.

This is because this greater area is the “Taipei Gateway Project”.

就形成了最後看起來還滿正常的量體.

This grand urban project stretches westwards from here

也只能用這個方式去規劃這麼不可思議的planning, program mix.

all the way to our museum site.

像這棟大樓假如注意看他的違章,是非常有系統的,

The government has yet to quantify key factors

看起來應該是由管委會通過找同一個廠商來施工

such as floor area ratio and site coverage.

當我們接到一個案子設計hotel在西門町.

Since this master plan has no planning specifics,

看到這棟大樓幾乎就快暈倒了.

therefore no permit application can be made.

該怎麼去美化呢?

It is very common to observe this tremendous lag

所以其實我們參考了一種手法,希望延伸他的違章,

between urban planning and architecture in Taipei.

但是又把他現有的狀況expose出來, 像這個紅色的牆.

Like this project apparently built after road widening.

我們希望能夠透過新的立面設計,也能保有舊的設計,

A brand new residential tower

所以整個一層一層的疊起來,我們叫這個project LAYERS.

unfortunately has a half-demolished building as its front,

因為在新的變化我們用的也是半鏤空的expanded aluminum,

a very difficult to occupy installation piece.

然後還有舊立面也看得到.

This strongly reflects the lag between planning and architecture.

所以將他一層一層像很多書本疊起來,

Seeing this example makes me feel that

到了晚上還可以呈現半透明的發光.

our inability to apply for a permit even after 6 years is really nothing,

其實這個意象滿像老房子的油漆,一層一層的剝落,所以非常多的layers.

it really is so totally common.

那在西門町也可以看到非常多這樣的現象,

But then again, government planning doesn't always result in great spaces.

基本上所有的signage在這整棟大樓可以看到空間螢幕還有廣告,

We’ve worked on this very peculiar planning project once.

基本上他已經把整棟建築給隱藏掉了;

The client’s brief for the project,

像大東海已經把建築變成grey architecture.

is a proposal for negotiating allowable floor area with the planning department.

這個建築已經成形不了, 因為他要講的statement太強了

Existing on site is their most profitable gas station.

One of my favorite:

They are also Christians, who hope to build a church to give back to their ministry.

這個是某個名嘴對罵,

And of course they also want the usual residential, hotel, office and shopping mall too.

竟然就用了建築的立面去print out這麼大來對罵,

whatever you can think of, they want.

其實大家可能認為這是很醜的東西,

On top of all that, they also want a “transportation depot”.

不過其實我愛這個Urbanmatic,

Why a depot? Because a depot will ensure the largest gains in allowablefloor area.

覺得這是一個很特殊的一種能量.

So we were commissioned to create a design as such.

我們西門町當然是很特殊的環境,非常多人非常多車,

Gas stations, churches and multiple dwelling, these programs don’t work together,

所以當我們在設計一個飯店的時候,

they are antagonistic to each other.

我很想把這樣的energy flow, urban flow,

So we came up with the idea,

把他轉換成一個像地景的符號.

that references the all-you-can-eat roast meat

所以參考了這種energy flow diagram,

shish-kabobs ubiquitous in night markets.

但是因為想要得到很自然的flow, 我們又不想要手繪,

with each program land use tightly “skewered” together

所以我們就用了電腦運算,用了很簡單的紅色三角形去變化.

on a small site,

運用他的變動,我們就創造出了五十五個modules,

forming this seemingly normal final massing.

整棟apply在建築上變成一個地景變成一個landscape.

This was our way to sort out such a crazy program mix.

因為設計飯店平面圖業主會調來調去,每隔兩天就會調整,

Take a look at this building’s illegal extensions, which is so very systematic,

如果是用手繪的話就會受不了.

strata council may have gotten one contractor

所以我們就覺得用了運算以後, 反正每隔一次就跑一次.

to do a unified illegal build.

反而用了這個電腦流動的software application

We recently got a retrofit project in Ximenting.

馬上可以變成施工圖, 是一個相當好玩的做法.

I almost fainted when I saw the project site.

甚至照明的設計, 我們也用了一條一條的光纖更強調flow

How could this possibly be “beautified”?

講到鬚鬚, 這也是one of my favorites.

We thought perhaps the spirit of systematic illegal extensions can be adapted,

這是大家一定有看過的parking city,

but in a way that would also expose the existing conditions, like this peeling red wall.

更酷的是他是一個fringe city,

We want to express the old traces through the new facade design,

基本上是加油站跟停車場常常看到的鬚鬚,

each trace one on top of the other, hence the project name “Layers”..

其實我覺得很震撼,

Underneath the new layer of open lattice expanded aluminium,

因為可以在非常大的scale底下創造成一個空間.

the weathered facade can also be seen.

所以當我們在台東想設計一個weekend house的時候,

The old and new layers stack like book spines,

就參考了這樣的一個做法.

these semi transparent layers are then illuminated at night,

因為在台東氣候很好但颱風來的時候就很糟,

like layers upon layers of peeling paint one find in old buildings.

我們希望有這樣的一個living用鬚鬚遮陽的方式,

This kind of layering phenomena can be seen

所有的居住空間變成一個一個箱子,

throughout Ximenting,

所以我們就朝這樣設計四個箱子,

On this building, we see real space,

一個廚房一個living room一個bedroom 一個bathroom,

screen space and ad space,

然後把他用兩層殼包起來,有點參考甲蟲的樣子.

completely obscuring an entire building;

硬殼是保護房子在颱風來時不被毀掉,

like this cram school, which becomes a sort of grey architecture.

軟殼的功能是遮陽還有防蟲,