Only the schools funded by Tzu Chi recall the previous style of construction in their predilection for concrete which gives the organization's 49 schools a uniform gray shade. A spokeswoman for Tzu Chi defended the choice of materials by saying the gray of the concrete was "a soft, natural color" and that the organization's primary concern was safety. Tzu Chi used steel-reinforced concrete frames in all its schools, even if they were only one-story tall, which officials at the education ministry said was excessively cautious.
Tzu Chi's spokeswoman in response said: "Our master Sheng Yen said that in the event of another earthquake two things must not collapse -- hospitals and schools. Our's may not be the best-looking, but we know that at least they won't be crumbling down any time soon."
New statement
The Tzu Chi schools are only conservative by comparison to the more than 200 other schools being reconstructed. Even these, with their thoughtful details as at Torng-Lin, are a class apart from the school buildings commonly found elsewhere.
"The earthquake presented a rare chance for Taiwanese architecture to express itself. Too often architectural styles here are influenced by design currents in the US, Europe or Japan, but this time the size and urgency of the reconstruction effort forced a collective reflection on architecture in Taiwan," said Luo of Tunghai University.
The feeling that the new schools collectively represent a new architectural style in Taiwan is shared by the education ministry, which has dubbed its reconstruction program the "New Campus Movement" and by the participating architects.
"These schools represent a new statement of Taiwanese architecture," said Lin.
The children and parents rarely need convincing that the new schools are better than their previous ones, in part because they have spent the past two years either commuting to distant schools or occupying makeshift classrooms in their communities.
A number of the principals, however, are a bit more reserved in their praise. Lee Min-sheng at Tan'nan says he is bemused by his school building, but concedes that he particularly likes the little stools that fit into a hollowed-out part of the courtyard like parts of a puzzle.
Pulling out a cube-shaped stool he said: "When I saw these things I knew there was something to this design."
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