By the MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
The results of the “2018 National Excellence in Construction Awards” have been announced, with Hsinchu City receiving a total of 12 national architecture awards across various categories. Among them, the Longen Canal has created an urban greenway with creative facilities such as the “Wind Chime High Lamp” and “Aquatic Plant Railings,” bringing the 300-year-old water channel back into the lives of residents. It was honored with the Gold Award for “Best Planning and Design.”
The results of the “2018 National Excellence in Construction Awards” have been announced, with Hsinchu City receiving a total of 12 national architecture awards across various categories. Among them, the Longen Canal has created an urban greenway with creative facilities such as the “Wind Chime High Lamp” and “Aquatic Plant Railings,” bringing the 300-year-old water channel back into the lives of residents. It was honored with the Gold Award for “Best Planning and Design.”
Hsinchu’s Longen Canal has now become a 770-meter-long urban green corridor. (Photo / Hsinchu City Government, the same applies below)
The National Excellence in Construction Awards is jointly organized by the non-profit Chinese Real Estate Development Association of the Republic of China and nationwide construction industry, government, and academic bodies. It is the highest honor for annual construction achievements in Taiwan, aiming to create global recognition for Taiwanese architecture. Award winners may also be nominated to represent Taiwan in the “Global Excellence in Construction Awards.”
The “Longen Canal Blue Ribbon Waterfront Landscape Project” was awarded the Gold Award in the “Best Planning and Design Category.” The Longen Canal is one of Taiwan’s three major ancient canals, with a history of around 300 years, serving as a vital waterway for irrigating the city. The municipal government utilized the historic canal and surrounding clusters of old trees to create elevated green spaces, dense woods, and park playgrounds in sections, connecting Central Park, Sanmin Park, and Sanmin Junior High School from north to south. The canal also links streets and alleys on both sides, forming a 770-meter-long super-sized urban green corridor.
The lush green beauty of the Longen Canal.
The Longen Canal introduced a number of innovative and creative facilities that earned it the gold award, including the “Wind Chime High Lamp,” whose light source is higher than the trees, ensuring safe illumination while preventing glare and providing habitats for wildlife; and the “Aquatic Plant Railings,” which use slender steel instead of traditional galvanized railings, blending seamlessly with the surrounding greenery. These allow people of all ages to easily and comfortably enjoy the space day and night.
Among them, the Longen Canal and Guanpu Elementary School, which won the Gold Award in the “Best Planning and Design Category,” were designed by architect Huang Sheng-yuan and the Fieldoffice Architects team. Huang Sheng-yuan recently received the National Award for Arts, has won numerous awards both domestically and internationally, and has been deeply rooted in Yilan for over 20 years. His works integrate with the local natural environment and engage closely with communities. The Longen Canal and Guanpu Elementary School are the only two projects outside of Tamsui Cloud Gate Theatre where the Fieldoffice Architects team has worked beyond Yilan. Huang Sheng-yuan and the Fieldoffice Architects team also recently represented Taiwan at the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale, showcasing Taiwan’s soft power in architectural design on the international stage.
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