(Chinese Culture University)
Through Urban Threshold
“The Urban Prison”: Our relationship with water, from coexistence with it to control over it and eventually separation from it, has evolved over time. As society developed, we erected walls to prevent flooding, which led to the division of existing urban areas from riverfront parks. This prolonged separation from the waterfront, with flood control walls encircling Taipei City, has metaphorically created what we can describe as the “urban prison.”
“The Relationship Among the Urban Area, Flood Walls, and Riverbanks”: When typhoons approach, floodwaters surge, disrupting urban life. However, during heavy rainfall in the city, water cannot be quickly drained beyond the barriers. Water enters, but people cannot easily exit. How can we reestablish the connection among these three elements while preserving the flood walls?
” Urban Buffer Zone “: Walls are no longer mere barriers. They facilitate the permeation of spaces between urban structures and riverfront parks, creating an urban buffer zone. By opening up the enclosed and monotonous space of the Raohe Night Market, we can analyze the market’s activities. This allows us to connect daytime neighborhood life with the nighttime market experiences along the riverbank. From the perspective of users, we can design multiple routes that weave through alleyway buildings, thereby reimagining the social fabric of the Raohe River area and creating a renewed sense of community.
