Tainan Nan Elementary School (not open to the public for visits) Introduction
Tan-Nan Elementary School, founded in 1951, covers an area of 0.38 hectares and is a mini school with fewer than 100 students. Following the 921 earthquake, many buildings in Tan-Nan Village were collapsed, and Tan-Nan Elementary School was not spared. When the rebuilding team arrived in the village, local residents insisted that "children are the hope of the tribe, and the future of children lies in education," prioritizing the school's reconstruction. After extensive discussions, it was unanimously decided that the school's rebuilding would follow the prototype of traditional family houses. The most sacred spot in a traditional Bunun house, the "millet granary," became the school's library, symbolizing a storehouse of knowledge. The first floor outside the library features several semi-outdoor platform spaces suitable for performances and ceremonies, fully integrating the school with tribal activities. The classrooms on the second floor serve as learning spaces for Bunun youths. A tall observation tower serves as a bell tower, water tower, and flagpole. Although the campus is small, the village sports event held at the school each year is an important tribal activity, with running being the highlight of the games, necessitating the preservation of a circular running track. Consequently, the school was built in the middle of the track. The materials include T-shaped steel plates and matte polycarbonate panels, coupled with traditional Bunun gray-black stone, blending the school into the countryside. The brightly colored and innovatively designed building completely overturns the monotonous and dull stereotype of elementary school facilities; first-time visitors to Tan-Nan often mistakenly believe this wall-less structure is a coffee shop. Tan-Nan Elementary School is the pride of the villagers and the hope of the tribe.
