Sun, Oct 24, 2021 page14

• Plan to restore Green Island’s historic ‘coral reef houses’ 綠島百年「咾咕石厝」再生 見證島嶼發展

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  Green Island, which used to be called “Huoshao Island” (Fiery Island) because of its tropical climate, usually conjures up images of “prisons” in the imaginations of most people. However, the island’s historic “Laogu stone” buildings which stand out majestically in its old settlements, have borne witness to the island’s history, too.

  The Taitung County Government is promoting a plan to breathe new life into Green Island’s old architecture, which it hopes will reawaken their importance in the minds of the island’s residents.

  Taitung County Cultural Affairs Department last week held an information meeting to explain its “Encore for Old Houses — Old Architecture Preservation Plan,” hosted by architect Chan Yi-Chun. Chan travelled to the island to explain to residents how they could restore their old buildings to their former glory and used a discussion and experience-sharing format to recount the importance of preserving and repurposing old architecture.

  

  An abandoned “coral reef house” on Taitung County’s Green Island is pictured on Oct. 10. 台東縣綠島一間閒置的「咾咕石」老屋，攝於十月十日。

  Photo courtesy of Taitung County Government via CNA 照片：台東縣政府提供／中央社

  At the information meeting, officials from the department stated that Green Island’s architecture is unique within the county since its traditional houses were mostly constructed from coral reef, commonly known as “Laogu stone” in Chinese. Coral reef was used because Green Island lacked other construction materials. The island’s residents dug up coral reef from the sea floor and used the stone-like material to build walls for houses. Additionally, to protect against powerful seasonal north-easterly winds, Green Island’s traditional houses were built to a low height with thick walls, small windows and a perpendicular layout. In a traditional Green Island home, the kitchen and animal enclosure is placed either side of the main building’s front courtyard.

  During the Japanese occupation period, Green Island’s primary export was bonito flakes to Japan, and for this reason, nearly all old houses contain a fish smoking room.

  The largest concentration of traditional coral reef houses is located at the island’s Youzi Hu Community (Pomelo Lake Community), but today the village is uninhabited. In other areas of the island, such as Jhong Liao, Nan Liao and Gong Guan villages, some traditional houses are used as barns for deer husbandry, while others lie vacant. However, in recent years restoration of the island’s old houses has slowly been gaining steam. For instance, a former school principal’s old home has been turned into an environmental education center and the family home of a wealthy bonito flake dynasty is currently being repaired and renovated in preparation for taking on a new life as a coffee house, steeped with one hundred years of history.

  

  A traditional “coral reef house” on Taitung County’s Green Island is pictured on Oct. 10. 台東縣綠島一間傳統的「咾咕石」老屋，攝於十月十日。

  Photo courtesy of Taitung County Government via CNA 照片：台東縣政府提供／中央社

  Taitung County Commissioner Yao Ching-ling says that Green Island’s unique geological environment, culture and history developed special coral reef houses and residential communities. Renovating and repurposing the old coral reef homes not only reinvigorates the development of local culture, but also allows visitors from other parts of the country to discover another fascinating side of Green Island, says Yao.

  (CNA, translated by Edward Jones)

  綠島有「火燒島」之稱，一般人提到綠島就會想到「監獄」，然而屹立在老聚落裡的「咾咕石厝」見證島嶼歷史；台東縣政府推動老建築保存再生計畫，盼喚起民眾對老厝的重視。

  台東縣政府文化處上週發布新聞稿表示，辦理「老屋安可－－老建築保存再生計畫說明會」，在計畫主持人詹益忠建築師的帶領下，日前特地到綠島分享如何重現老建築的風華，並以討論及分享的方式，述說老建築保存再生利用的重要性。

  文化處指出，有別於台東縣其他鄉鎮的建設，綠島傳統房舍多以珊瑚礁岩「咾咕石」砌成，因海島地區早年缺建材，居民會以海底挖取回來的珊瑚礁石砌牆蓋屋。此外，為了對抗強烈的東北季風，綠島傳統石屋格局方正、牆壁厚、較低矮、門窗也小，主屋前院二側配置廚房、畜舍，而由於在日治時期綠島以出口柴魚至日本為主，因此幾乎家戶都有一間小小的燒柴魚室。

  傳統石屋以柚子湖聚落最多，但已無人居住；而其他房舍散落在中寮、南寮、公館等村，有人利用作為養鹿場所，也有的閒置。近年來老屋整修的風氣漸盛，過去老校長的故居現在作為綠島的環境教育中心，而正在整修中柴魚大戶老家準備以咖啡廳的樣貌再現百年老屋風姿。

  縣長饒慶鈴表示，綠島因其獨特的地理環境及人文歷史，發展出特殊咾咕石屋及聚落風貌，透過修建、活化咾咕石屋不僅能活絡在地文化發展，也能讓外縣市遊客發現綠島另一個迷人之處。

  (中央社)
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