Taipei Farglory Arch墾丁 Introduction
The coexistence of the past and present reshapes the spatial configuration of "N24 Taipei Ark," which was originally part of the Taiwan Power Company warehouse complex. It served as the Matsuyama Factory of the Taiwan Electric Power Company during the Japanese colonial period and was later used as the Matsuyama Repair Workshop after the war. Initially, the building functioned as a warehouse, which meant that its design lacked good lighting and ventilation conditions. After understanding the functional use and characteristics of the structure, the design team targeted an office use transformation in line with the Eastern District Gateway project. The approach involved detaching and extending the warehouse volume to allow more natural light to enter the interior; the heightened ceiling on the roof level redefined the office spaces, enhancing vertical relationships. Introducing new functions to respond to contemporary trends, the design team embraced the concept of community flow, breaking spatial constraints to plan versatile work, discussion, and leisure spaces, allowing users the freedom of interaction while working. Additionally, as the building is a historical structure, the design team not only reinforced the hardware with steel structure enhancements and seismic walls during restoration but also preserved the exterior materials and overall signs of use, using steel structures as new materials to highlight the original material's aesthetics. This respectful restoration method, which retains parts of the original appearance within the historical context, allows us to view the worn walls and the footprints left by time from various perspectives. Upon ascending to the second floor and entering the office space of the "Blockchain Incubation Center," the design team chose to use seismic walls as point structures, addressing issues arising from the aging of the old building while preserving the beauty of the original reinforced concrete structure. Following the light and the rotating stairs of the atrium, one reaches the top rooftop area. The inclined volume of the atrium on the top floor is designed with side-opening windows to introduce ample light into the atrium, while the volume's shape resonates with the "ark" imagery of "N24 Taipei Ark," becoming a symbolic representation of the park's entrance. Extending the context, the community space is redefined. The design team, through observations of contemporary community connections, expanded the definition of "community" to include "interaction" within the office space of the "N24 Taipei Ark" at the Blockchain Center. This relationship, whether physical or virtual, vividly portrays the future modes of human interaction and is one of the trends in development. Integrating core concepts with design methods, the spatial restoration creates a "human-centered" architectural space, showcasing the charm of the environment.
