School Highline
Function: Primary and Secondary Schools, Public Activity Corridor
Type: Renovation and Addition
Location: Ji Long, Tai Wan
Design: 2019
Keelung is a northern Taiwanese port city with mountains and limited flat land. Houses built on hillsides stand in direct contrast to the large port facilities. I studied and mapped this distinct urban layout to understand architectural practices. The Sacred Heart School in Keelung faces low enrollment, leaving unused buildings that need updates. I propose removing some classrooms to create a new gym connected to the existing basketball court for student activities. To maximize space usage, we'll let residents use the elevated walkway above the playground at specific times and rebuild church connections to blend student and community activities.
The markets and stations near the school naturally draw people together. By opening the school to the community.
The school's site, compared to surrounding plots, offers unique advantages with its spacious and flat terrain, indicating strong development potential.
Any local travel requires returning to the main road first.
There is a lack of private and public outdoor activity spaces in the vicinity.
I observed and distilled key features from different building types—sharp-angled houses on small plots, hillside constructions, and elevated walkways linking key nodes. These “local nutrients” were integrated into the school design, adding a student walkway above the playground and opening the ground-floor playground to residents lacking public space.
Modernism Residentail Extension, 2019 Ramp the Mall, 2020