“Acts Without Effort”
Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Harvey, 2010 Earthquake Haiti, Wildfires, & Typhoons. There have been a number of natural disasters throughout the world that continue to impact millions of families. When I entered architecture school in 2005, Hurricane Katrina had just landed in New Orleans. As a result of the aftermath of the Hurricane many academic institutions rushed to create design competitions and charettes to begin to find potential solutions to address the immediate housing needs in communities post disaster. But, it seems that after the disaster subsides, the interest in this type of work disappears. It’s not glamours and it isn’t associated with Capital “A” architecture. After the Taipei Earthquake in 1999, Hseih Ying-Chun began to refocus his practice. His work has evolved from a corporate practice to a focus on creating a post disaster reconstruction system. The system designed by Hseih is made from lightweight steel system that can be easily assembled by local inhabitants with simple tools. In his TED X Talk, Hseih states that he has invented a system of architecture that allows for long-term durability. Leila and I recently took a two day trip to Kaohsiung so that we could see the exhibit “Acts Without Effort The Societal Architecture of Hseih Ying-Chun.” To follow up on our visit, we conducted a follow-up interview about his practice with current employee Shao-yi Chi.
“We wanted to encourage local people to join the reconstruction . . . . The bes therapy is activity. House-building takes a lot of energy as well as a lot of cooperation. Being involved in such an activity helps to eliminate teh suffering caused by the disaster.” Hseih Ying-Chun
QUESTIONS
When did Hseih Ying-Chun decide to be an architect? What created the shift in his practice from focusing on construction techniques?
When Hseih entered University, he was a physics major. He was later assigned to architecture department because of Taiwan’s practice of major distribution. In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Taiwan experienced an economic boom and Hseih was able to get a significant amount of experience. He became a builder and contractor and eventually was promoted to the lead engineer. His experience in construction processes began at the beginning of his care, and shifted to design practice over time. After his work in construction, he applied for the Taiwan architecture license exam. Before disaster recovery work, he focused on many factories in Taiwan that were developing micro-chips. These spaces have high technical requirements – particularly with vibration. His practice was based on many obsessions with techniques and details before disaster.
Are there any issues with shipping materials to rural areas post disaster? Is it possible to adapt the construction practices to local materials?
The issue of delivery is advantage to the system. The steel frame components can be assembled on site with hand tools. His 2016 project in Nepal, had many transit issues. There were dirt roads and all structural members were limited to 6 meters in length. In this case, they were connected in the middle. The length had to be limited and the connection joint was modified. The core value of the system is skeleton and infill. There are a range of materials that can be used for interior cladding. In some instances, local cultures have used mud, earth, bamboo, wood, and stone for cladding.
Can you discuss your issue with the housing built in rural areas and expand on why it is problematic to the environment? This is has also been an issue in the United States with the creation of McMansions.
The phenomena we see is strongly rooted in history. Expansion of new houses during plentiful economic times has something that has been going on for ages. People who earn money want to build house and pass along to their children. Many people that live in rural areas work in construction in cities, and they learn symbols of wealth associated with space. They begin to implement those strategies although in some cases they aren’t contextual to the rural environment and don’t use construction techniques that will endure typhoons and earthquakes. In Earthquake Sichuan 2009, the houses that were adapted from the urban settings to accommodate idealized aesthetics did not survive the earthquake, but the traditional housing and indigenous structures survived. Brick and concrete houses by in large collapsed.
How did the open system develop and do you think this system is transferable to other regions?
This system was developed after the Taiwan Earthquake in 1999 near the Sun Moon Lake area. The system started as few steel members. That was the beginning of this system and we have plans to expand globally. We have considered Chendu, Saudi Arabia, and Philippines. Bamboo or engineered timber can also be used rather than steel.
What role does gender play in the disaster recovery work? The spatial needs of men vs. women vs. children. How is this addressed?
Sustainability is core value. We have noticed that work that was completed in indigenous community in China and Taiwan elevates the role of women especially in times of disaster. Women hold important roles in disaster time as a critical force binding the community. In many cases, women are the main participants for organizing and rebuilding the communities.
In your TED talk you reference “Polyphonic” music and the importance of “participation”. How did you come to this conclusion and are there other references to architecture and polyphonic music?
Many analogies can derive from this idea of Polyphonic music and the importance of participation. The system itself requires the group to work together to rebuild the community. Dwelling and housing relates to anthropology, architecture, and social studies. Music is one of his analogies and it is important to connect within this system where a community is devastated that everyone has a role in the rebuilding.
Are there any construction techniques that you borrow from indigenous architecture within rural Taiwan that have informed your practice?
One structure inside the exhibition room is the frame. Studies from Japanese anthropologists have drawings from this time to see how indigenous communities lived. They use those drawings as an inspiration and used this framing for an exhibition. The room for sleeping has an area of elevated bedding, and we re-create this area in the floor plan layout. The structural system referenced past indigenous structures and incorporated this into the logic of the steel frame structural system. In a way, they attempt to insert history into the house.