Dr. Wu Kwang-tyng, Chair of Department of Architecture, three professors and twenty two students visited Hong Kong and Beijing on April 21st and 23rd. Dr. Wu Kwang-tyng expresses that this is another big cross-strait communication on architectural field after the 2007 “Cross-strait International Architecture Workshop.” With this visit, students broaden their horizon and realize more about the architecture quality of in different environments.

Chiang Ching-che, first year graduate of Department of Architecture expresses his impression after visiting several places in Beijing, “The customs of China and Taiwan are different. The stores in Taiwan are scattered, while in Beijing the stores are classified into one area.” Li Kuan-Yi, another first year graduate, observes that the working, thinking in design of the students in Hong Kong and in Beijing are comparatively formulary; in contrast, Taiwanese students are more active. Because architectural endeavors in Beijing began later than other major cities, the abundance of foreign engineering works make the architecture in Beijing lacks of Chinese characteristics. Thus, the advantage of Taiwanese architecture is the specific Taiwanese characteristic.

Regarding to cross-strait cooperation, Dr. Wu Kwang-tyng states that the last-year workshop and this-year visit are the basic communication. Both Department of Architecture of Chinese University of Hong Kong and College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing University expect closer cooperation between the sides of the strait. ( ~Shelley Tang )

Figure: graduate students of TKU, Chinese University of Hong Kong students, and students of College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing University took a photo after visiting the Forbidden City and the Palace Museum.