One of Taiwan's unique architectural features -- buildings that integrate pedestrian walk-ways into their ground floors -- have come under the spotlight after the 921 earthquake. Government officials continue to disagree over their advantages and disadvantages, and of their influence on a building's earthquake resistance and value in terms of cultural heritage.
Officials from the Taipei City government's Bureau of Urban Development asked the Bureau of Public Works yesterday to think twice before scrapping the regulations requiring overhangs in buildings along major roads.
The officials were responding to reports that the city's public works bureau plans to scrap the overhang regulations for 42 major roads in Taipei.
The overhangs are a unique feature of Taiwan's urban landscape, developed in response to the island's wet, humid climate, the officials said. Scrapping the regulations or banning overhangs will bring tremendous changes to the city's streetscape, the officials said.
Also, there is no architectural evidence that overhangs factor in a building's earthquake resistance, the officials argued.
Current regulations require all buildings along streets wider than seven meters to have overhangs.
They provide shelter for pedestrians during heavy rains and help improve building ventilation.
But management of the overhangs has been difficult, due to the reckless parking of motorcycles and residents using the space for private purposes, the officials said.
Meanwhile, the Kaohsiung and Taichung city governments seem to be more in agreement over the issue. Both governments are leaning toward either scrapping the regulations or imposing a partial ban on overhangs.
CSBC Corp, Taiwan (台灣國際造船) yesterday released the first video documenting the submerged sea trials of Taiwan’s indigenous defense submarine prototype, the Hai Kun (海鯤), or Narwhal, showing underwater navigation and the launch of countermeasures. The footage shows the vessel’s first dive, steering and control system tests, and the raising and lowering of the periscope and antenna masts. It offered a rare look at the progress in the submarine’s sea acceptance tests. The Hai Kun carried out its first shallow-water diving trial late last month and has since completed four submerged tests, CSBC said. The newly released video compiles images recorded from Jan. 29 to
DETERRENCE EFFORTS: Washington and partners hope demonstrations of force would convince Beijing that military action against Taiwan would carry high costs The US is considering using HMAS Stirling in Western Australia as a forward base to strengthen its naval posture in a potential conflict with China, particularly over Taiwan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. As part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, Washington plans to deploy up to four nuclear-powered submarines at Stirling starting in 2027, providing a base near potential hot spots such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. The move also aims to enhance military integration with Pacific allies under the Australia-UK-US trilateral security partnership, the report said. Currently, US submarines operate from Guam, but the island could
RESTRAINTS: Should China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, China would be excluded from major financial institutions, the bill says The US House of Representatives on Monday passed the PROTECT Taiwan Act, which states that Washington would exclude China from participating in major global financial organizations if its actions directly threaten Taiwan’s security. The bill, proposed by Republican Representative Frank Lucas, passed with 395 votes in favor and two against. It stipulates that if China’s actions pose any threat to Taiwan’s security, economic or social systems, the US would, “to the maximum extent practicable,” exclude Beijing from international financial institutions, including the G20, the Bank for International Settlements and the Financial Stability Board. The bill makes it clear that China must be prepared
The partisan standoff over President William Lai’s (賴清德) proposed defense budget has raised questions about the nation’s ability to adequately fund its own defense, the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a report released on Tuesday. The report, titled Taiwan: Defense and Military Issues, said the government has increased its defense budget at an average annual rate of 5 percent from 2019 to 2023, with about 2.5 percent of its GDP spent on defense in 2024. Lai in November last year proposed a special budget of about US$40 billion over eight years, and said he intends to increase defense spending to
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