Architecture students at National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT) have built an organic vegetable shop for residents of an Atayal village in Hsinchu County’s Jianshih Township (尖石).
The project was part of a multiyear partnership with residents in the remote Quri community, which also includes collaboration on agricultural practices and brand marketing, the university said in a news release.
NTUT assistant professor Wu Nan-wei (吳南葳) and Li Kuo-hsuan (李國玄) of Woody Plants Design Co led a group of students through the stages of the architectural project, the university said.
Photo: CNA
During the half-year project, the students met with stakeholders, took site measurements, submitted and revised their design proposal, interned in a carpentry workshop and built the structure from scratch, it said.
The structure, which was completed last month, is close to the scenic Yulao Lookout at an elevation of 1,450m.
It is being used by local vendors to sell produce grown using traditional and environmentally friendly Atayal farming techniques, the school said.
The building’s design is meant to evoke a mountain slope, and features gaps left between the wooden roof shingles where plants can take root, it said.
One of the students, Chen Ching-yu (陳淨妤), said that she learned a great deal from the project, despite challenges including a three-hour commute from campus, large day-night temperature differences and mountain weather that could change at a moment’s notice.
Lo En-chia (羅恩加), a member of the Quri community, said it had been a pleasure working with the students on the project.
Local residents are also planning to use the shop to host musical performances, coffee tastings and storytelling events, Lo said.
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