TKU Department of Architecture alumni Frank Chen and his teacher, former visiting scholar of TKU, Finnish architect Marco Casagrande recently won the “20+10+X World Architecture Community Awards” with their joint project “Chen House” in Taipei County’s Sanjhih Township. The awards is assessed by world’s top architects. The votes of the Final Assessment Panel has specify 20 projects from 200 submits around the globe.

According to Chen, the house is realized on an old Japanese cherry-farm in the Datun mountains of North Taiwan. It is designed with the concept of coexistence between artificial building and nature. The house can react harmoniously to the demanding wind, flooding and heat conditions on the site. “Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. With this house we were looking forward to design a ruin,” “This is probably why we can win the award,” Chen said.

Dr. Wu Kwang-tyng, Chair of the Department of Architect, said Chen is a very hardworking student. “His work the ‘Chen House’ is an exceptional achievement, the project has transcended from the paper work level and materialized in the real architecture.” Wu added that each year his department will invite visiting foreign teachers and experts here to enlighten TKU students in an annual architect camp. The camp has helped many students to gain valuable field experience, Wu said. ( ~Yeh Yun-kai )