立建築

Jiaoxi Church of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (hereinafter as Jiaoxi Church) is mostly surrounded by low-rise buildings. The site faces Taiwan Provincial Highway No. 9, a four-lane road, and connects with neighborhoods alleys at its back. At the right (north) side, there is a small green park in-between the site and the Jiaoxi Township Households Registration Office. The Jiaoxi Church is a newly reconstructed project at the old site.

The design is based on the principle of "adapting to local conditions to redefine the church." Jiaoxi is rainy and humid in winter, warm and hot in summer. On the terrain of the site, there is one and a half meters in height differences from east to west (long direction). Therefore, the ground floor has elevated ceiling and uses four square volumes to support the structure of the main hall of the second floor. Such design strategy also echoes the spirit that the Bible described: “All the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy. Such is the law of the temple.”

"To me, the church is not just a church, but also a community center and a convenience store for our soul. Many community activities can take place here. A house is like a universe, a city, and a settlement. "

The four volumes of the ground floor enclose squares and passages, just like alleys and streets in the city. The design of transparent space helps the circulation of wind, which also intends to dialogue with the irregular entity of Jiaoxi Township Households Registration Office. The surrounded but not enclosed semi-outdoor space provides a variety of social and leisure activities that are not affected by the weather. The design allows nearby residents and church members walk into the church freely, connecting not only ordinary people's life with the church, but also the surrounding communities, neighborhoods, alleys and green belts.

The main hall of the second floor is a double-skin structure. There is a circulation space created in-between the inner and outer skin, which also functioned as a conditioner to adjust the temperature. The indoor and outdoor air can be exchanged and circulated in this intermediary space, which greatly reduces the time of using air conditioner. Seven turbine ventilation towers, which are common in Taiwan, are installed on the roof, implying the connotation of seven days of creation as described in the Bible.

The inner skin of the main hall is made of laminated wood to form a wooden lattice egg-shaped space, which symbolizes the maternal womb that nurtures life. The light penetrates from the grilles on the sides and the roof, filtering down natural light and shadow, creating a sacred atmosphere as if "praying and worshiping in the woods and the wilderness." The wooden lattice also improves interior acoustics. And the outer skin of the main hall is made of light steel structures commonly found in Taiwan.