Tannan Elementary School (Not open to the public) Introduction
Tan Nan Elementary School, established in 1951, occupies an area of 0.38 hectares and is a mini school with fewer than 100 students. After the 921 earthquake, many buildings in Tan Nan Village were destroyed, and Tan Nan Elementary School was no exception. When the reconstruction 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 rebuilding of the school. After extensive discussions, it was unanimously decided to use the traditional house as the model for the school’s reconstruction. The most sacred place in a traditional Bunun house, the "millet granary," serves as the school library, symbolizing the granary of knowledge. The first floor has many semi-outdoor platforms that can be used for performances and ceremonies, fully integrating with community activities. The classrooms on the second floor are the learning spaces for Bunun youth. A tall lookout tower serves as a bell tower, water tower, and flagpole. Although the school grounds are small, the annual village sports day held at the school is an important community event, with running being the main attraction, necessitating a circular track. As a result, the school was built in the middle of the track. The materials used include T-shaped steel panels and matte perseverance panels, combined with the traditional gray-black slate of the Bunun tribe, blending the school into the rural landscape. The brightly colored and innovatively designed building completely overturns the monotonous and dull stereotype of elementary school buildings; first-time visitors to Tan Nan often mistakenly think this wall-less building is a coffee shop. Tan Nan Elementary School is a source of pride for the villagers and a hope for the tribe.
