Overview

Our teaching team in the department receives support from both the university and the college levels. Coupled with the abundance of resources available in the Taipei metropolitan area, we are dedicated to building a department with a strong focus on architectural design education.

In addition to necessary improvement measures, we strive to establish unique features for our department:

1. We are dedicated to being a department with architectural design at its core, boasting the highest number of architectural design faculty in Taiwan and the most comprehensive curriculum.

2. We implement internationalized educational content by expanding students' horizons through international exchange programs and training in English language assessment, enhancing their readiness for the global stage.

3. We offer comprehensive computer courses, drawing from 20 years of teaching and practical experience, and are gradually building a fully equipped "Digital Design Factory."

4. We expand our students' horizons through design workshops with renowned architects. Simultaneously, we establish logistical support systems and deepen the exchange of teaching achievements through publications and websites.

5. We promote diverse design topic exploration through themed studios and self-directed learning mechanisms.

6. We connect resources from various departments across the university to create a cross-disciplinary architectural integration that can tackle future challenges.

7. We connect with external resources, focusing on contemporary environmental issues, and plan comprehensive practical courses to leverage the characteristics of an urban area school.

As a professional department, the Department of Architecture has the dual mission of professional and academic development.

To date, we have demonstrated tangible results through the following indicators:

    1.Actively Engaged in Architectural Design Education, Cultivating Design Competence to Address Technological and Social Challenges:

Over the past two decades, our department has gradually shifted its focus toward design-centric architectural education. We have created a teaching environment where "practical application" takes precedence over theory. This approach incorporates humanistic and societal considerations while encouraging students to develop interdisciplinary design expertise.

    (1).In response to global advancements in new technologies and societal changes, our department actively collaborates with relevant departments across the university to expand the horizons of architectural professionalism. With a foundation in "digitalization" and "design studies," we collaborate with the School of Electrical Engineering to explore robotics and digital production, partner with the Department of Information Engineering to investigate smart living patterns, collaborate with Green Energy and Resources Engineering to explore future living arrangements, work with the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Transportation Management to study land and urban planning in the face of climate change, and collaborate with the Graduate Institute of the Built Environment to discuss spatial responses to an aging society.

    (2).Each academic year, we schedule around 30 specialized lectures, inviting renowned experts, scholars, and accomplished alumni from both domestic and international backgrounds to give lectures on campus. These lectures address the current state and trends in both academic and industry practices, fostering a balance between theory and practical knowledge. The sharing of experiences and exchange of ideas help instill a sense of proper work ethics among students and expand their understanding of future industry developments. Tamkang alumni who return to Taiwan for further study or work around the age of 40 tend to excel in the field of architecture, with many achieving notable success in the domestic architectural community.

    2.Establishing a Platform to Showcase Graduates' Professional Achievements and Part-Time Faculty's Professional Performance:

    (1).Besides winning awards during their time at the university, our graduates, whether they go abroad or remain in Taiwan, often reach a crucial juncture in their careers around the age of 40. Many of our alumni continue to excel and emerge as leaders in Taiwan's architectural and related industries, demonstrating remarkable performance.

    (2).Since the 1970s, as Taipei and its metropolitan area gradually developed, our full-time faculty members have had the opportunity to participate in urban development and urban design-related work in this metropolis. They have accumulated considerable experience in various aspects, including the construction of Taipei and New Taipei City's urban spatial systems, the planning of urban design projects, the planning of the capital's core area post-lifting of martial law, the Grand River Vision Plan, the eco-oriented landscape master plan, and various regional urban transformation projects. Additionally, they have been involved in urban planning, urban design, and planning consulting work for Tamsui and Yilan County, both near the Taipei metropolitan area. Furthermore, our faculty members actively engage in urban social reform work, ranging from practical experience in "community building" and "community participation" to participation in post-921 earthquake reconstruction efforts. They continue to focus on planning and design for indigenous tribal communities, and their sustained involvement in these initiatives has yielded significant results, earning recognition from various quarters.

3. Deepening Architectural Intelligence Through Research in Digital Knowledge and Technology:

    (1).Establishing a department-wide learning network: Tamkang's Department of Architecture is one of the few departments that provides each student with a dedicated architectural design space, allowing 24-hour access to the department building. This has cultivated a unique living environment centered around the department building.

    (2).We offer a comprehensive set of computer courses, enabling students to continuously accumulate knowledge and experience in digital operations. The department building is open for students to use their laptops or set up personal computer equipment for tasks such as computer-aided drawing, file sharing, and printing. Both teachers and students can access additional resources through the internet in the classroom, greatly enhancing the learning and teaching experience. Computer-related courses in the second and third years are integrated with architectural design courses, ensuring that students acquire proficient computer skills. Starting in the third year, computer-aided drawing becomes a significant tool for design and representation.

    (3).Ongoing enhancement of digital capabilities: Tamkang's Department of Architecture has maintained a leading position in the use of software and hardware technology for architectural design development. In 2013, we organized the first-ever workshop in Taiwan that combined robotic arms with architectural design discussions. Currently, we are in the process of establishing a "Digital Factory" to integrate existing production tools, providing a platform for teachers and students to explore future mechanisms.

    (4).Through various online platforms, we have organized and shared a rich history of design teaching activities, including the processes and outcomes of various lectures and workshops. Building on this foundation, we plan to establish an online architectural program with three primary goals: first, to promote aesthetics in daily life so that individuals interested in architecture can learn about space-related knowledge and apply it to their lives; second, to enhance the content of professional education, providing high-quality content and interactive modes for architecture students interested in continuing their education and university students, facilitating active learning; third, to create specialized research clusters to delve into current and forward-looking topics, such as public space rights, gender and space, digital space, climate change, and urban design.

     4.Continuously Enhancing the Diversity and Internationalization of Architectural Design Education to Expand Student Horizons:

As global architectural trends evolve and internationalization becomes more prominent, expanding our students' horizons is an active goal of our education. Taiwan is strategically positioned at a turning point in the world, providing an opportunity to take on a more active role.

    (1).Through fundraising efforts supported by the university and alumni, the Department of Architecture at Tamkang University has been inviting renowned international scholars and architects to host workshops and lectures at the department since 1997, fostering collaborative teaching activities. Visiting architects have come from countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Japan, the United States, Finland, Estonia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, France, India, and China, among others. For example, in 2013, we hosted the "Emerging Chinese Young Architects Workshop," inviting internationally acclaimed young architects who had won significant competitions to conduct workshops and seminars at Tamkang.

    (2).In-depth exchanges and discussions on architectural design education with Mainland China. For three consecutive years, our department has hosted visits from well-known Chinese universities, engaging in profound discussions on architectural design education, including Nanjing University's Department of Architecture and Wuhan University's Urban Design School's Department of Architecture. These interactions demonstrate Tamkang University's accumulated expertise and achievements in architectural design education. Furthermore, in 2011 and 2014, we will organize the "Cross-Strait Architectural Schools Academic Exchange and Student Design Workshop," inviting eight Taiwanese and eight Mainland Chinese architectural schools to participate in exchange activities.

    (3).Starting in 2003, to enrich the teaching staff for design education, two visiting professors are added to the department's design teaching team each year. So far, these have included Yoshio Kato (a Japanese green architecture expert), Marco Casagrande (Finnish architect), Hideki Hirahara, Sand Helsel, Ulf Meyer, among others. This not only enhances teaching but also expands Tamkang's ability to connect with the world. In 2005, we invited Makoto Watanabe (a Japanese expert in digital architecture) as a special lecture professor to deliver an intensive "Generative Design" course for our master's students.

    (4).Establishing international exchange programs with sister universities. Currently, students have participated in exchange programs with Temple University in the USA, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and San Pablo CEU University in Spain. In China, exchange programs have included Tongji University, Tianjin University, and Fujian University's Schools of Architecture.

5. Encouraging Students to Bring Design to the Real World and Experience the Professional Power of Transforming the World:

In recent years, our department has utilized the summer break to lead students in creative activities. Examples include:

• 2003: "Yilan Toy Festival - Treehouses"
• 2004: "Yilan Toy Festival - Wind Installations," a collaborative housing project in the mountainous areas of Nantou with architect Xie Yingjun, "Skin Taipei - The Tale of a Trojan 'Horse'", and the planning of the "2nd Taipei Public Arts Festival"
• 2005: "Yilan Toy Festival - Riverside Landscape Art" and participation in the "3rd Taiwan Design Expo" at the Weiwuying Cultural Center in Kaohsiung

Simultaneously, we have provided long-term support for the development of the creative city of Tamsui. We have been involved in projects such as the transformation of campus spaces in the Tamsui area (Tamsui Elementary School Creative School Gate, Shimen Elementary School Treehouses), urban space renovations, the management of historic settlements, and participation in international environmental art festivals.

Furthermore, in 2013, a student from our department, Li Chenghan, independently assisted in the renovation of housing for the elderly. Other students from our Community Development class helped renovate housing in Taipei's old neighborhoods and conducted environmental surveys in the Shaoxing community. By bringing design to the real world and assisting vulnerable individuals with their living conditions, we have gained social recognition and made a positive impact on the community.