Chen House

CHEN HOUSE
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. With this house we were looking forward to design a ruin.
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Architects: Marco Casagrande,Frank Chen Construction work: Marco Casagrande, Frank Chen, Shi-Ding Chen, Nikita Wu, Shu-Gi Bai Local Knowledge: Missis Lee Photos: AaDa
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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
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http://chenhouse01.blogspot.com/
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Last night a saw a terrible storm in a dream. It ripped off the scaffoldings and broke their iron joints. Though, what was made of wood bended and stayed still
- Bertholt Brecht
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Viime yönä näin unessa hirvittävän myrskyn. Se riisti rakennustelineet paikoiltaan ja repi irti rautaiset liitokset. Kuitenkin, mikä oli puusta taipui ja säilyi.
- Bertholt Brecht

Chen House by Marco Casagrande in Taiwan won the WA Award Cycle 4. Please find below the WA Award poster for this project.