The project of Vale of Springs renovates the sunken plaza next to a modernist library in Chung-Yuan Christian University built in the early 1960s. The pleasant walk on the promenade beneath the canopy of the eight large banyan trees graces the daily life of faculty and students. A bosque of poinciana marked the ground floor entrance of the library, memorializing the graduation season with its flamboyant blossom. Nevertheless, the damaged concrete terrace can no longer hold up the overgrown roots and water accumulated on the lawn due to its lower topography after decades of usage.
Pervious concrete pavement and gravels on the promenade and Corten steel seatings construct a transitory boundary of the banyan tree promenade. The new ramps incorporated with the steps with vegetations of native grasses signals the south-west entrance of the plaza. Upon entering, a curved “slice” on the ground greets the visitors while functioning as seating, too. The purposeful change of grade reveals the man-made topography of the sunken plaza. The circular granite surface anchored the space.
Marking the northern boundary of the site, the strip of raised grassland with steel walls platform functioned as the performance platform. To the west, the sound of water flowing through the surface of the Corten steel wall and dripping on the gutter further screens the place from the surrounding noises. A diagonal path across the lawn leads to the southeast corner of the campus, where the new shelter with foldings planes reflects the activities on the ground.
▼北側鋼材護坡
Steel slope protection on the north side
▼通往校園東南角落的斜向步道
Diagonal trail leading to the southeast corner of the campus
The team of designers worked closely with the plant consultant and contractors about drainage and rainwater storage. While the buried bamboo pipes and soil mixed with coconut coir ensure the porousness of the ground, underground rainwater bricks holds up to 180 cubic meters of stormwater. Native grasses are planted on the surfaces of the promenade and the library entrance. The concrete pavement around the poinciana grove was demolished to make way for the new soil and water drainage treatment, where bam- boo pipes facilitate the flow of water down below. The installation of girders further protects the topsoil underneath the brick pavement.
In addition to the practical issues of planting and drainage, the renovation focuses on the materiality of the surface through the use of Corten steel, pervious concrete pavement, metal grates. The weathering of the steel adopts the passage of time as the surface of rust protects further damage. The pervious concrete pavement facilitates the social use of the place in festivals as well as informal sports grounds. The gravel surface of the diagonal path softens the functionality of crossing the plaza. The overall design is a sensitive dialogue to the original design of the eminent female architect Wang Chiu-Hwa. It also celebrates the modernist campus with imaginative materiality that reveals traces of time.
▼場地中的不同材質
Different materials in the venue
▼具有社交功能的透水鋪裝
The pervious surface can be used for social function
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