Sun Moon Lake is gradually reestablishing itself as Taiwan's premier tourism resort after the devastating blow it was dealt two and a half years ago by the 921 earthquake. The signs of that terrible calamity are still visible in the ongoing work to shore up roads and beautify the lakeshore, but the tour buses are now arriving in force and hotels can boast good booking rates -- if nothing compared to what they were used to before the calamity. But for the people who live here, this return to normalcy is little more than a facade, and after over two years, many continue to live in temporary shelters.
Some of the people hardest hit are the Aboriginal population of Nantou, especially the Shao (
Two and a half years after 921, many people remain in prefabricated "temporary" accommodation. Although there have been a number of high profile projects, most notably the rebuilding of schools designed by some of Taiwan's most outstanding young architects, many Shao Aborigines are still without a house of their own. "The temporary housing was not designed to last this long," said Huang Fu-kuei (
Hsieh has committed himself to the belief that affordable housing can be made available to the Aborigines of the Tehua Community and elsewhere in a singular way that has found resonance with a devoted band of followers -- and also resistance from forces within the community and local government.
Originally, Hsieh, like many other professionals, donated their time in an effort to help out the refugees of Nantou. Unlike most others, he is still there. He now heads a group of young architects in the 921 Disaster Area Housing Reconstruction Service Group (
Methodology
PHOTOS: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES
The idea that the simplest way of building houses would be to bring in a construction company to do the work does not wash with Hsieh. Houses built in this way cost far more than most of the Aboriginal people in the area can ever afford, even with a government subsidy. Moreover, the local economy is completely bypassed, with the money going into the pockets of outside firms.
"This does not benefit the locals at all," said Huang, who as a liaison with the small communities around Sun Moon Lake is acutely aware of the social problems that the Aborigines now face. Hsieh is currently developing modular housing elements that can be used for putting up a house for a cost of between NT$220,000 to NT$900,000, requiring little money over what the government provides. With a cost of around NT$22,000 for one ping, this is about half conventional construction costs, according to Ruan Ching-yue (阮慶岳), a local architect.
Hsieh's concept is based on the social role that architecture can play. One of the most important aspects of his project is the simplification of the construction. "Complex construction methods require the use of skilled workers imported from outside," Huang pointed out. "By simplifying construction, the Aborigines can build the houses themselves." The implications of this go far beyond DIY. "It is really about the exchange of labor. By bringing in friends and family, working on weekends and so forth, the cost of the house can be further reduced," Huang said.
PHOTO: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES
Working from his camp in the Tehua Community, Hsieh has set up a simple factory were the modular elements are made. Most of the complex design work has already been done, and components simply have to be bolted together. Provision is even made for the hanging of scaffolding, to increase safety for the workers, many who are drawn for the ranks of the unemployed in the area.
With Hsieh's modular elements, simple power tools and a truck-hoist, a two-story house can be put together within a day.
But building a house is the least of Hsieh's problems.
Against the tide
"It is much more than putting up a building," he emphasized. By way of illustration, he pointed out that he and his crew where some of the first construction professionals on site, it was two years after the quake before they were able to start putting up permanent accommodations. He sees the problem as lying with local interest groups, rivalry between charity groups and the inexperience of the people making the disbursements. "Many of the people at the 921 Relief Foundation are good people," Hsieh said, "But they simply haven't the experience." Speaking of the complexity of local political and financial networks, Hsieh sighs and shakes his head.
Su Shih-wei (舒詩偉), a friend and activist said that Hsieh had been threatened by various interest groups. Although Hsieh dismissed the idea of "threats" as overblown, he did say that people were riled, for his project worked against their financial interests. "We have come in from outside and cut across their network of local alliances," he said. When negotiating contracts with locals, he said they had to make visits at night, "because we must keep a low profile." As a result, Hsieh and his team rarely appear at work sites, relying on local group leaders, actively downplaying their involvement in the construction process. Hsieh summed it up by saying: "Don't stand up, or you will cast a shadow."
For all his frustration, Hsieh says of this project, "It makes me feel that as an architect I can be a useful person." But in trying to make a difference, he has to battle social forces that extend far beyond the cloistered world of architecture.
On the face of it, local group loyalties have the upper hand in the simmering battle with Hsieh. "The county government is holding back NT$5 million to NT$6 million," he said, the result of which he estimates that only 10 percent of Aborigines have been given permanent new houses in the last two and a half years since the earthquake. By holding up household applications for subsidies, Hsieh says, their group has been brought to the brink of collapse. "We are now forced to accept other [commercial] projects just to stay solvent," he said, referring to the contract to redesign the Puli Teacher's Hostel (
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