Roof Garden for a Residential Tower In Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Roof Garden for a Residential Tower nearby Kaohsiung Arena MRT Station in Taiwan:

A quite number of modern highrise buildings in Taiwan are integrating roof gardens. Providing well-designed private roof gardens for highrise buildings is not only reducing impervious surface areas in the city, but is also creating many other positive urban environment impacts such as reduction of urban heat island and opportunity for urban agriculture. As an architect, we should start looking at this feature as one of prime components or programs of building.

Image & Facilitate

From "Eidetic Operations and New Landscapes" by James Corner

Image (topic based):
an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person

Facilitate (descriptive):
to make something easy or easier to do or achieve

Climate & Embodied

From "Air/Condition" by Peter Sloterdijk

Climate (topic based):
the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time. Climate can be contrasted to weather, which is the present condition of these same elements and their variations over periods up to two weeks.

Embodied (descriptive):
inclusive or incorporated; an expression or a representation of something in actions or form; to typify or personify.

AC Systems in Residential Buildings, Taiwan

Residential Building Typology in Taiwan:

Due to the hot and humid climate condition in Taiwan, many buildings are using intense air conditioning system. However, instead of using air duct system that is often controlled by one controller, installing a portable AC unit for each space is encouraged. By doing this, they can avoid cooling down unoccupied space. I wish that this AC method is also integrated to many American housings.

Semi(?) Green Facade

It was an alleyway between two building nearby Sun Yat-Shan Hall in Taipei, Taiwan. It was very interesting to see how the building facade on the street level has been designed and structured to accommodate vegetation. It is certainly creating an unique characteristic or environment for the street.

Prosthetic & Occupy

From "Recycling Recycling" by Mark Wigley

Prosthetic (topic based):
an artificial extension that may assist or replace a missing part. It can imitate the original functions and physical conditons of the missing part. However, it may not replace social extension.

Occupy (descriptive):
to have possession of or live in (a house, etc).
to be in or fill (time or space, etc).

The Beauty of Natural Ventilation

Taiwan Summer Travel Course Update:

Traditional Pavilion at Yang Ming Shan National Park in Taiwan: This outdoor pavilion with a shading roof provided a cool resting place with pleasant breeze. Although the humidity level in Taiwan is very high, I think there is still some chance to provide a space with natual ventilation. In other words, not every places necessarily has to be airconditioned.