Chiu Chen-Yu
STYLE
www.posiv75
the two narrower sides. Both exhibitions
were accompanied by richly illustrated
Czech-English publications. All of this was
possible thanks to my close cooperation
with Tadeáš and the organisation that
he runs.
It seems to me that the main part of your
professional life is devoted to academic
activities and your work as a university
teacher. Please tell us more about this.
I learned a lot from my supervising
professor, Kenneth Frampton, at Columbia
University. It was there that he introduced
me to Utzon's work. Through my research
of Utzon's, I was introduced to the story
of Aino and Alvar Aalto. During my trip to
Finland, I met Aino Niskanen and Juhani
Pallasmaa. I love working with historians
and theorists. They were and are the best
that I have ever met. They taught me and
looked after me and also introduced me
to Glenn Murcutt and RCR Architects.
In return I introduced them to two
of Taiwan's best architects, Sheng Yuan
Huang and Hsieh Ying Chun. So we all
know each other and share our views on
each other's work.
I always ask my respondents - What does
architecture mean to you? Is it more
of a craft or an art? Or a combination
of both? What was Aalto's, Utzon's,
Murcutt's view on architecture and what
is your view?
Aalto's architecture is a metaphor of nature;
Utzon's architecture is for people who
embrace the sublimity of nature; Murcutt's
architecture is for people who live closely
with nature. Following their example,
human culture and nature can become
one. I learn everything from them.
And I learned a lot from two Taiwanese
architects, Sheng Yuan, Huang and
Hsieh Ying Chung. In their work I found
a very rare but extremely important
social dimension of architecture:
Architecture is built for bringing
the quality, equality and sustainability
of all living things.
How does it happen that an architectural
historian and theorist decides to take up
design work and plunge into the jungle
of pitfalls that is the realisation
of architectural building projects, such
as the multi-purpose centre for Syrian
refugees. What did that entail?
How did the decision to leave your
everyday well-established comfort zone
come about? As I know from reliable
sources, you have sponsored this
construction not only with your time,
professional support and organisational
efforts, but even with your own financial
resources. Please tell us more about it.
It is simply because no one wants to
take on such a matter. There was no
programme for the proposed community
centre. There was no budget that provided
for the participation of an architect,
no budget for the implementation and
completion of the building. No budget
that provided for the operation and
maintenance of the building. So, in such
a situation, I took all the responsibilities
upon myself, with all the encouragements
and inspiration I drew from the persons
I mentioned earlier.
What can we do in this hopeless world with
an increasingly divided society? I want to
survive morally and mentally, and that is
why I have decided to fight. I have spent all
my savings and all my free time on trying.
I always know that I will fail soon, but
I am ready for that eventually. But, please,
at least let me try so I can do meaningful
things in my life.
Already during the construction and
preliminary operation of the centre,
the project gained respect and a number
of prestigious awards. What does
the "Taiwan-Reyhanli Center for World
Citizens" actually contain and what is its
purpose? How was it built?
Concrete blocks, actually military
blockades, which are meant to divide
people at the border, we used these
as the basic structure to create a shared
space, as to create a humanitarian facility
that will bring people together first
and foremost. As additional structures,
we used metal shell roofs, which are
commonly used as temporary shelters.
All the roofs face Mecca, so the centre
is a kind of civic homage to Islam. This
design then allows the local Turkish
residents and Syrian refugees alike to play,
work, learn and create anything together.
I was inspired here by Utzon's Additive
Architecture, just as I was when Utzon
was inspired by Middle Eastern civilisation
in the 1970s. The centre I programmed,
designed, funded, built and now run is my
personal tribute to Utzon.
You must have gained a lot
of organisational and professional
experience during the implementation
of the centre and you have obviously
built up a team of colleagues around
you whom you trust in every way. Are
you planning any other projects and
implementations in the future?
Life cannot be planned. I can't plan
anything, I just try to. I'm trying to do
something new now and something
that feels meaningful. Actually, a couple
of projects are in the pipeline. I don't
know how it's going to turn out, but I'm
trying and moving on.
In your published articles and lectures
you often reveal the influences
of Japanese and Chinese culture
on the twentieth century European
modern (international) architecture.
Do these influences also inspire today's
architecture without us even realising it?
Aalto's Japan and Utzon's China
were much critically examined by
contemporary architects. In their time,
for them, Japan and China were ideas and
ideals that challenged and further revised
the "clichéd" mannerism of modern
architecture.
The inspiration of Japanese and Chinese
arts and architecture in such cases
always led to the intention of sanitising
architectural culture. Japan and China will
always be ubiquitous if we are critical and
honest about our own views on today's
often hopeless architectural trends, and
if we dare, to confront them directly.
A person is alive not only by work. So my
final question is, how does a CHO
architect rest. And what makes him
happy in life apart from the professions
of architect and university teacher?
I do not need happiness or rest in my
life. In every moment, I always feel
sad and happy, and tired and excited,
simultaneously. While I am working,
I am also resting, even though managing
the Centre is not an easy job. There is a old
quote in Taiwan, we say：
"If I don't go to the Hell, who goes
to the Hell.
I will not leave Hell, until there is no one
there."
Interview for POSITIV Business & Style
magazine was conducted by Tadeáš
Goryczka | Cabinet of Architecture.
“
If I don't go to the Hell, who
goes to the Hell.
I will not leave Hell, unl there
is no one there.
”
Foto: Tchajvanské centrum pro
občany světa v Reyhanli
Taiwan-Reyhanli Centre for World
Citiziens