A project titled "Diachronic Apparatuses of Taiwan – Architecture as On-going Details within Landscape," organized by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA) and curated by a team from the Department of Architecture at TungHai University, will be presented at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition, which will take place at Palazzo delle Prigioni in Venice, Italy from May 20 to November 26.
Those present at the pre-event press conference on April 25 included Minister of Culture Shih Che, director of NTMoFA Liao Jen-i (廖仁義), director-general of European Affairs Vincent Chin-Hsiang Yao (姚金祥), curators of the exhibition and others.
According to NTMoFA, the curatorial theme of the project echoes the main theme of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition, "The Laboratory of the Future," which puts forth a vision for the "future," suggesting that in the 21st century, we may need to piece together the forgotten elements of our lives due to progress in the era.
During his speech, Minister Shih stated that the team's participation in the International Architecture Exhibition coincides with a period when Taiwan's international reputation is at its peak. The curatorial theme of the exhibition revolves around Taiwan's landscape, reflecting the country's environmental and land issues, as well as its high population density. It also highlights the progress Taiwan has made, moving from the era of using "living rooms as factories" to becoming a major player in the global semiconductor industry. With so many Taiwanese features included, Shih stated that this year's exhibition could be considered "the most uniquely Taiwanese architecture biennial" and expressed his hope that the Taiwan Pavilion will stand out at the event.
Director Liao stated that the project has "a strong spirit of humanism," as it involves conducting field surveys to gather information on the environmental factors that impact Taiwan's agricultural techniques and then using models to create diverse agricultural landscapes, showcasing the architectural structures that correspond to civilization and nature. Meanwhile, the project partners with students from five architecture universities, giving the next generation of architects an opportunity to step onto the international stage. He believes that by observing local agricultural methods and adopting the Teaching Alliance approach, Taiwan's architecture could discover future development paths and demonstrate the island's adaptability and resilience to visitors in Venice.