Designed by C-Laboratory, Chen House is realized on an old Japanese cherry-farm in the Datun -mountains of North-Taiwan. It is designed as a vessel to react on the demanding wind, flooding and heat conditions on the site.
The house is a stick raised above the ground in order to let the flood waters run under it. The different spaces are connected to a flexible movement within the axis of outdoor and indoor functions. The smaller bathroom and kitchen unit acts as a kicker stabilizing the wooden structure during the frequent typhoons and earthquakes.
The bio-climatic architecture is designed to catch the cool breeze from the Datun -river during the hot days and to let in the small winds circulating on the site between the fresh water reservoir pond and the farmlands. A fireplace is used during the winter for heating and for cooking tea. In connection with the bathroom is a small sauna.
The house is not strong or heavy – it is weak and flexible. It is also not closing the environment out, but designed to give the farmers a needed shelter. Ruin is when man-made has become part of nature. With this house, we were looking forward to designing a ruin.
Project Info:
Architects: C-Laboratory
Location: Sanzhi District, Taiwan
Project And Construction Team: Marco Casagrande, Frank Chen, Shi-Ding Chen, Nikita Wu, Shu-Gi Bai
Area: 62.5 m2
Project Year: 2008
Project Name:Â Chen House
All Images Courtesy Of C-Laboratory