Chen Chie-peng, a professor in the Department of Interior Design at Chung Yuan Christian University, believes that service should be a core value in the field of design. Last year he assigned “Reconstructing Disadvantaged Communities” as a graduation project for his college seniors. While Chen was in charge of raising funds, his students were responsible for all of the design and construction work. He hopes to be able reconstruct at least one residential space every year to make it more suitable for living.
Most people think that interior design is simply about decorating houses, and that only the rich can afford it, but Chen believes design should take a broader definition that also includes reconstructing spaces and readjusting traffic flow. Design is not only meant for the rich to enjoy, it is supposed to fulfill everyone’s basic living needs, he says. Despite being ridiculed by his colleagues, Chen still believes that the disadvantaged also deserve to enjoy design services, because after all, differences in wealth occur merely because some people are more or less fortunate than others, he says.
Apart from learning various skills, including how to draw blueprints, paint and do carpentry, they also learn how to save on construction costs and work in situations where financial resources are limited. In recent years, many of his students have taken up his cause after graduating. One such student, who is a member of the Aboriginal Bunun tribe and grew up in Hualien County, started going home to the countryside on the weekends after graduating to help do reconstruction work and beautify the community where he grew up.
Photo: Chiu Yi-tung, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者邱奕統
The year before last, Chen took a group of students who were about to graduate to do community service in the Chin Cheng Community in Bade City. The old community only has 100 homes and a little more than 200 residents, while each house is only around eight ping (24.4m2). Most of the residents are old veterans, families with foreign spouses and Aborigines. Chen says that he initially felt like the community was gloomy and forlorn, so he decided to take the students there to improve the surroundings, but they were only able to plant some trees and plants to make it look better and reconstruct some pavilions in the area.
With better interaction between teacher, students and residents, and after receiving NT$200,000 in donations, Chen decided to have the students use the money to enhance traffic flow and accessibility in the area so houses would be better suitable for the elderly. Although they only had enough money to do reconstruction for one home, Chen hopes they can work on at least one home every year and eventually complete reconstruction in the entire community.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
Photo: Chiu Yi-tung, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者邱奕統
中原大學室內設計系教授陳其澎認為，設計的理念就是服務，去年將大四生的畢業專題訂為改造弱勢社區，他負責募款，學生負責設計施工，希望每年至少能改造出一間更適合居住的空間。
一般觀念認為，把房子裝潢得美美的就是室內設計，是有錢才能享受。陳其澎則認為設計不應如此狹隘，改善空間、調整動線都是設計，絕非有錢人的專利，反倒是生活基本需求。雖然被業界朋友笑傻，但他認為貧富只是際遇不同，弱勢也應享有設計的服務。
陳其澎的學生除了畫設計圖，油漆、木工等技能也要學，因為這樣可以省下工錢，更能在有限的經費情況下發揮。這些年來，不少學生畢業後能響應他的理念，一名在花蓮長大的布農族學生畢業後，假日總是回鄉，改造、美化自己成長的社區。
前年，他帶著應屆學生進駐八德市金城社區服務。這個老社區僅有百戶、兩百多名居民，每戶都只有八坪(二十四點四平方公尺)大，居民以老榮民、外籍配偶、原住民為主。陳其澎說，當時感覺社區暮氣沉沉，所以帶著學生來改善環境，但也只能做些綠美化、改造景觀涼亭。
師生們與居民的互動愈來愈好，也獲外界新台幣廿萬元捐款，陳其澎因此要學生們在畢業前，用這筆錢強化居住動線與無障礙設計，讓房子更適合老人家生活。雖然只夠改造一間，但陳其澎發願，每年至少改造一間，直到全部完成。
(自由時報記者邱奕統）
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