Chinese Name: 修澤蘭
Born: Aug. 15, 1925
Died: Feb. 27, 2016
Birthplace: Yuanling County, Hunan Province, China
Did You Know That…?
Hsiu Tse-lan received numerous awards and honors during her lifetime, including being named one of the Top Ten Outstanding Young Women in Taiwan and receiving the 5th Outstanding Architects award. In 2016, she was honored by the Ministry of Education with the Architectural Contribution Award, earning the title of “Taiwan’s Number One Female Architect.
Following the end of World War II, architects became highly sought after due to the urgent need to rebuild the country. During this time, Hsiu Tse-lan emerged as a prominent architect, standing out in a profession where women were rare. Her architectural designs were highly expressive, embodying a sense of modernity and often resembling sculptures. Over the course of her career, Hsiu created a variety of structures, including train stations, schools, churches, and private residences. Among her works, the Chungshan Hall (中山樓) stands out as her most iconic creation, which marked the beginning of a new era in Taiwan’s architectural history.
Born in 1925 in Hunan, China, Hsiu experienced the Second Sino-Japanese War as a child. Due to the war, she relocated to Chongqing, where she studied in the Department of Architecture at Central University and became acquainted with Chiang Kai-shek, who was the university president at the time. In 1949, she moved to Taiwan to join the Taiwan Rail Bureau, where she contributed to numerous projects, taking responsibility for planning and designing train stations, warehouses, training facilities, dormitories, and railway construction.
In 1956, alongside her husband Fu Chi-kuan (傅積寬), she left the Taiwan Rail Bureau and established Tse Chun Architectural Firm (澤群建築師事務所). Her career reached a significant milestone when President Chiang Kai-shek appointed her to design the Chungshan Hall, commemorating the 100th birthday of Sun Yat-sen, the Father of the Nation. This appointment propelled her fame, leading to invitations to work on several public projects, including the Taipei Jingmei Girls’ High School (景美女中), the National Hualien University of Education Library (花蓮師院圖書館), and the Sun Moon Lake Teachers’ Hostel (日月潭教師會館).
In 1969, Hsiu and her husband launched Garden City (花園新城), a resort-style community situated in the mountainous area of Xindian District (新店區). Garden City was Taiwan’s first large-scale hillside development project, recognized as a high-end residential area second only to the prestigious Yangmingshan area. Its exclusivity attracted many rich people and celebrities to purchase properties. However, the construction of the Feicui Reservoir (翡翠水庫) later resulted in the designation of Garden City’s location as a restricted area for development. In addition, the financial situation of Hsiu’s construction company worsened, the public facilities in Garden City were left unused or even out of service, which led to a drop in housing prices. However, Garden City has been revitalized and become a secluded paradise for nature lovers.
Post-war architecture in Taiwan generally adhered to modern design principles, emphasizing “square” and “rational” aesthetics, which were predominantly shaped by male architects. Within this trend, Hsiu’s representative work, the Chungshan Hall, stands out for its expressionist approach, highlighting vintage and palatial design elements. In contrast, the Garden City introduced a new trend in residential architecture by incorporating amenities such as a mini amusement park, housing for the elderly, an activity center, and a supermarket. These features aimed to enhance quality of life while preserving the surrounding environment. Furthermore, the Garden City’s design addressed the challenges faced by women balancing the roles of caregiver and breadwinner, providing facilities to support their responsibilities.
Beyond the renowned Chungshan Hall and the Garden City, Hsiu’s legacy is evident in numerous schools across Taiwan, including Taipei Municipal Guangfu Elementary School (光復國小), Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls High School (中山女中), University of Taipei (臺北市立大學), Taichung Girls’ Senior High School (臺中女中), Wufeng Primary School (霧峰國小), National Hu-wei Senior High School (虎尾高中), and National Chia-Yi Girls’ Senior High School (嘉義女中). The remarkable breadth and diversity of Hsiu’s works across the island stand as a testament to the history of architectural development in Taiwan.